[FILE PHOTO] 628 doses of Sinovac and 910 doses of AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccines were turned over to the province of Basilan on March 15. On the same day, the Ministry of Health started the roll out of the vaccines to the frontline medical workers in the province.
The chief minister said this during his 10th address before the Bangsamoro Transition Authority Parliament on Thursday, March 25.
“Because of the extraordinary work and sacrifices of our frontline and essential workers, the BARMM remains to have a significant low level of transmission compared to other regions in the country,” Ebrahim said.
As of March 26, the Ministry of Health (MOH) has recorded only 96 active cases, 3931 recoveries and 160 deaths.
Ebrahim said that with the arrival of Covid-19 vaccines in BARMM, the regional government is optimistic to further control the spread of the virus.
BARMM has so far received around 18,000 doses of AstraZeneca and Sinovac vaccines.
According to MOH, out of the 3,732 eligible priority healthcare workers, 69% or 2,559 of them have already received their first shot of the vaccine.
“At the top of vaccine priorities are frontline workers and with the Grace of the Almighty Allah, we are looking towards vaccinating at least 70% of the total population in the BARMM to reach the herd immunity,” Ebrahim said.
“But this development does not signal complacence. We should remain observant of minimum health protocols and promote participation to the upcoming mass vaccination program,” he added.
A home for every Bangsamoro
CM Ebrahim also highlighted in his speech Thursday the Bangsamoro Government’s continuous endeavors in providing better infrastructure and housing projects in the region amid the pandemic.
He mentioned that the Kapayapaan sa Pamayanan (KAPYANAN) Project, one of his banner programs, has recently conducted a groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of Php23 million worth of 50-unit core shelters in Sitio Tamigin in Barangay Tariken, Sultan Mastura in Maguindanao.
“We hope that one day, every Bangsamoro will have a home and roof above his head; that every Bangsamoro can find a place that they can truly call their ‘home’,” Ebrahim said.
He also said the Ministry of Public Works and the Ministry of the Interior and Local Government on March 15 led a joint ground-breaking ceremony for the concreting a sixty-three (63) kilometer road network designed to provide transport connectivity to BARMM’s 63 barangays in North Cotabato.
“With the allotment of Php1.8 billion for infra projects in these towns, we are optimistic that we can bring them closer together through the said initiative, In shaa Allah,” said Ebrahim.
“The past 365 days were filled with the loss of life and loss of living for all of us. The Bangsamoro, however, is not new to crisis. And from this crisis, we will rise again, stronger than ever before,” the chief minister said. (Bangsamoro Information Office)
