COTABATO CITY – The 63 barangays in North Cotabato, which voted to join the Bangsamoro region in a plebiscite in February 2019, joined the celebration of the BARMM’s second foundation anniversary through a ceremony held Wednesday, January 20, at Pikit’s municipal gymnasium.
“Ngayong araw na to ay ginugunita natin ang ikalawang anibersaryo ng Bangsamoro Government, dalawang taon ng pagbibigay serbisyo sa bawat Bangsamoro – serbisyong nais maipaabot lalo na sa mga kababayan nating lubos na nangangailangan,” said Mohammad Kelly Antao, BARMM provincial coordinator for the 63 barangays.
“Kami dito sa North Cotabato ay lubos na nagagalak at nagpapasalamat sa ating gobyerno dahil sa walang sawang pagbibigay ng suporta at programa na makakatulong sa ating mamamayan,” Antao said.
The 63 barangays include the following: Dunguan and Tapodoc in Aleosan municipality; Manarapan, Nasapian, Kibayao, Ktulaan, Langogan, Pebpoloan and Tupig in Carmen; Nanga-an, Simbuhay, Sanggadong, Buluan, Pedtad, Simone and Tamped in Kabacan; Damatulan, Kadigasan, Kadingilan, Kapinpilan, Kudarangan, Central Labas, Malingao, Mudseng, Nabalawag, Olandang, Sambulawan, Tugal and Tumbras in Midsayap; Lower Baguer, Balacayon, Buricain, Datu Binasing, Kadingilan, Matilac, Patot, Lower Pangangkalan, Datu Mantil, Libungan Torreta, Upper Pangangkalan and Simsiman in Pigcawayan; and Bagoinged, S. Balong, S. Balongis, Batulaawan, Buliok, Gokotan, Kabasalan, Lagunde, Macabual, Macasendeg, Barungis, Bualan, Bulol, Fort Pikit, Gli-gli, Manaulanan, Nabundas, Nalapaan, Nunguan, Pamalian, Panicupan and Rajah Muda.
During Wednesday’s ceremony, eight (8) different clusters from the municipalities of Pikit, Kabacan, Carmen, Pigcawayan, Libungan, and Midsayap set up booths to showcase their various agricultural products through the MAFARLENGKE (Local Exchange and Network of Goods in any Kind of Emergency) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Agrarian Reform.
Several BARMM ministries graced the event to provide their services to the public.
MAFAR distributed about 70,000 tilapia fingerlings and 524 bags of inbreed palay seeds to some fisherfolks and farmers. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) turned over livelihood equipment – such as burner, gasul, molding, big frying pan, spatula, and other utensils – to Datu Mantil Makangguna Association from Pigcawayan for their banana chips production.
Furthermore, two (2) beneficiaries under the Ministry of Social Services and Development’s Bangsamoro Sagip Kabuhayan Program received Php15,000 cash assistance. Aside from this, MSSD also granted Php5,000 cash assistance to some orphans, and Php6,000 assistance to some persons with disabilities (PWD) under its Kalinga Para sa May Kapansanan Program.
Moreover, the Ministry of Trade, Investment, and Tourism (MTIT) also provided free business name registration to first 20 applicants, and conducted seminars for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and cooperatives in the area.
Wednesday’s ceremony was attended by Pikit Mayor Sumulong Sultan, Kabacan Cluster Coordinator Habib Guiabar, Pikit 1 Cluster Coordinator Arnal Timan, representatives from the BARMM’s different ministries and offices, among others. (Bangsamoro Information Office)
