COTABATO CITY—Bangsamoro Youth Commission’s (BYC) humanitarian assistance will reach 2,500 youth across the region’s five provinces and opt-in areas as part of its efforts to lessen the adverse effects of the pandemic.
Marjanie Macasalong, BYC chairperson, said the humanitarian assistance, dubbed ‘Lingkod Kabataang Bangsamoro’ primarily aims to help the Bangsamoro youth hurdle socio-economic setbacks by providing food packs for this program’s wave two.
The program started its first wave in 2020 since the beginning of lockdown and border limits due to the coronavirus disease (Covid-19). It reached more than 200 youth organizations with more than 1,000 youth individuals.
Macasalong also called for the youth’s observations and comments to improve the commission’s programs.
“We need your feedback to ensure the responsiveness of our programs,” Macasalong added.
The kick-off distribution was held Jan. 19 in Maguindanao and Tawi-Tawi during last week’s celebration of Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao’s (BARMM) second founding anniversary.
Nasserudin Dunding, commissioner for Maguindanao, Cotabato City, and 63 barangays of North Cotabato, said the program will last until February in order to reach the target youth proportionally distributed throughout the Bangsamoro region.
BYC has allocated a total of 1.8 million pesos for the program.
More than 1,000 vulnerable youth across the region, who also sustained adverse effects of the pandemic, are set to receive micro-enterprise seed fund worth 15,000 pesos from the Ministry of Social Services and Development (MSSD) and BYC.
MSSD Minister Atty. Raisa Jajurie said the assistance was aimed at mitigating the effects of the Covid-19 to vulnerable youth who were economically affected by the pandemic.
Atty. Jajurie added the programs were conceptualized in response to the pandemic, where people were left unemployed and companies needed to close. The money will be utilized as funds to start beneficiaries’ small business ventures or other alternative income-generating opportunities.
Chairperson Macasalong noted the BYC will implement programs and projects aimed at developing and helping the youth in the region, and will continue its coordination and partnerships with other ministries and agencies of the BARMM to help reach more youth constituents.
“Hindi lang dito nagtatapos ang ating programs, dahil more programs are to be implemented pa,” Macasalong added.
The BYC is mandated to be the primary policy-making and coordinating body of the Bangsamoro Government in all matters concerning youth. (Bangsamoro Information Office)
