COTABATO CITY — To intensify the regional government’s communication mechanism in reaching its people, the Bangsamoro Information Office (BIO) led the formation of the Bangsamoro League of Information Officers (BLIO) with members coming from the region’s different ministries and agencies.
Executive Director Andrew Ameen Alonto said that one of the mandates of BIO is “to establish a network of information officers for better coordination and so that we can improve our reach and be more responsive to the needs and concerns of our people. ”
Attached to the Office of the Chief Minister, BIO serves as the communications arm and center of information of the Bangsamoro Government. It is mandated to promote transparency, moral governance, and to enrich the quality of public discourse.
On Friday, January 28, members and newly-elected officers of BLIO took their oath before Bangsamoro Spokesperson Atty. Naguib Sinarimbo, who was virtually present.
“Our tasks as information officers is to make (BARMM) a good government; not just accessible to people, but that they hear about it, they understand it, and to ascertain that they feel it,” Sinarimbo said.
“I have great confidence in the abilities of all of you. I’m also confident that your work in the Bangsamoro Government will truly result in empowering our people, not just our government,” he said.
The newly-elected BLIO officers are the following:
President: Mobarak P. Pandi (Ministry of Basic, Higher, and Technical Education)
Internal Vice President: Manal J. Sugadol (Ministry of Public Order and Safety)
External Vice President: Nureesa Phemeena Lynn B. Mambatawan (Ministry of Trade, Investments, and Tourism)
Secretary: Salembai A. Abdulla (Ministry of Human Settlements and Development )
Treasurer: Hamim L. Lim (Office of the Chief Minister – Finance Division)
Auditor: Sahara K. Ali (Bangsamoro Women Commission)
Board of Directors: Saidah D. Ali (Ministry of Health), Jidday Lucman (Ministry of Social Services and Development), Musrifa M. Mago (Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Agrarian Reform), Mary Lovella Lao-Lastimosa (Bangsamoro Planning and Development Authority), Al-Musawwir Mohammad (OCM-Communication Team), Agnes D. Manampan (Ministry of Transportation and Communications), Harjen Gullon (Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs), and Raimarie S, Losaria (Bangsamoro Commission for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage).
The officers will finalize the constitution and bylaws of the league.
Before their oath-taking ceremony on Friday, the BLIO members underwent a four-day strategic planning workshop, from Jan. 24-27, at General Santos City, conducted in partnership with The Asia Foundation and the Australian Aid. (Myrna Tepadan/BIO)
