COTABATO CITY— Chairperson Bainon Karon and her team from the Bangsamoro Women Commission (BWC) brought on Saturday, Aug. 13, BWC’s Kalinga Alay sa Kababaihan Program to the indigent widows in Lanao del Sur.
A total of 60 widows were each given with Php5,000.00 and food packs. The financial assistance was from Karon’s office as a Member of Parliament.
Furthermore, 70 mothers and pregnant women also received food packs from BWC, and 25-kilo rice and grocery items from the Ministry of Social Services and Development (MSSD). The Bangsamoro Youth Commission (BYC) also distributed 100 school supplies during the activity.
Sanora Sarip Manda, 51, said she will use the money she received as an additional capital for her small business. “Malaking tulong ito para sa pandagdag sa hanapbuhay namin,” she said, thankful to the BWC for the assistance.
A widow of a Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) member, Manda now also stands as a father to her two kids. “Marami akong naranasang paghihirap. Nahihhirapan akong maghanapbuhay para sa mga anak ko.” Manda emotionally shared.
Karon said BWC will continuously provide assistance to the indigent women in the region.
“Dapat yung mga beneficiaries ay malaman nila kung ano-ano yung tulong na manggagaling sa BARMM Government at ano yung mga opisina na pupuntahan nila para matulungan sila kung ano ang pangangailangan nila,” Karon said.
On Aug. 11, a total of 30 MNLF widows from Cotabato City, Special Geographic Area (SGA), Maguindanao, with others from Lebak, Sultan Kudarat, also received Php5,000 cash, food packs, and 25-kilo rice from BWC’s Kalinga Alay sa Kababihan Program. Similar assistance will also be provided to MNLF widows in the provinces of Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi. (Myrna Tepadan/BIO)
