File Photo: A minister who cares for the Bangsamoro children’s welfare. MSSD minister Raissa Jajurie reads a story with daycare pupils at Barangay Semba, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao.
COTABATO CITY—Bangsamoro Government further enhances and strengthens programs and projects to protect the well-being of Bangsamoro children affected by the pandemic.
During the online kapihan held Wednesday, March 3, the region’s social services and development (MSSD) minister Atty. Raissa Jajurie reported their team’s interventions to advance the welfare of children in the region.
Accordingly, statistics show that over 63 percent in the region experienced poverty during the surge of coronavirus disease (Covid-19).
MSSD’s programs provided financial assistance to the following:
- 21,052 students under Angat Bangsamoro: Kabataan Tungo sa Karunungan (ABK) Program;
- 3,094 orphans and 407 case-managed orphans with monthly subsidies under Kupkop Program;
- 9,190 Persons with Disability under Kalinga sa may Kapansanan program;and
- 9,757 beneficiaries under Bangsamoro Sagip Kabuhayan to support their micro-enterprises.
For the supplementary feeding, a total of 81, 536 daycare children were provided rice and beans to sustain healthy. Also, the ministry reached out to 408, 941 poor households and received relief assistance both foods and non-foods, including wash supplies.
Meanwhile, the MSSD is also working on the institutionalization of the Regional Sub-Committee on the Welfare of Children (RSCWC) and the Regional Juvenile Justice Welfare Committee (RJJWC) in partnership with the National Government, who is responding and reintegrating children conflict with the law.
Furthermore, the ministry implemented Social Amelioration Program (SAP) in the region. SAP is a program conceptualized by the National Government in order to respond to the social effects of pandemic. To date, total of 475,178 poor households received emergency cash grants.
Other than relief goods and financial assistance, MSSD also provided psychological aid to Locally Stranded Individual (LSIs), Individual Displaced Persons (IDPs), and returnees from Sabah, including Infants and minor children.
“For 2021, we will continue all the programs [that we have] mentioned. Mas papalakasin pa rin natin ang ating assistance as part of our strategy, so that we will able to recover for all of these (pandemic), economically,” Jajurie said.
Jajurie also said that their team is crafting policy level interventions for the Bangsamoro children. “We are crafting/drafting the Bangsamoro Children’s Code to institutionalize our programs intended and we will continue providing case management for the gender-based violence.”
Meanwhile, BWC Chairperson Bainon Karon discussed the impact of Covid-19 on women in the BARMM, through its Assessment Research held last June 2020, in partnership with The Asia Foundation.
The respondents included community-based women (married, widow and solo-parent) from the five provinces of BARMM.
Findings of the study show that 68 percent of the respondents had to refrain from pursuing livelihood due to the pandemic. In social aspect, 60 percent of the respondents participated in guidelines/policy-making in their respective communities. For governance, 90 percent of the respondents affirmed that local government units provided assistance to their constituents.
Karon, who is also a member of Parliament, encouraged the Bangsamoro people as well as stakeholders to work hand-in-hand in order to address these challenges.
“Tayo ay magtulung-tulong upang ang BARMM ay maging ehemplo ng isang rehiyon na nagpapahalaga sa karapatan ng mga tao na kumikilala sa kanilang kakayahang isulong ang kapayapaan at kaunlaran daan sa pagsulong ng moral governance,” she said.
Deputy Head of Mission of British Embassy Alastair Totty said that UK government is committed to support the BARMM, especially that the role of media in safeguarding generation is their top priority.
Bangsamoro Information Office OIC Executive Director Ameen Andrew Alonto expressed his thanks to partner ministries, media partners, UK Government and UNICEF Philippines to their support in Bangsamoro Government.
“Our work in information communications will always be the determining factor in saving lives especially for our vulnerable homeland, and we look forward in working with all of you towards our shared goals in making the life of Bangsamoro better,” Alonto said. (Bangsamoro Information Office)
