COTABATO CITY – In his 11th Chief Minister’s Hour before the Members of the Bangsamoro Parliament on Thursday, Sept. 23, Ahod Ebrahim highlighted the Bangsamoro Government’s several accomplishments amid the coronavirus pandemic.
To mention a few, the Ministry of Health has fully vaccinated 255, 604 individuals out of 425, 999 total administered vaccine as of Sept. 21. The ministry has also provided last week, 400 oxygen tanks to two of BARMM’s Covid-referral hospitals such as the Cotabato Regional Medical Center and the Amai Pakpak Mecidal Center.
Despite the looming threat of the delta variant, Ebrahim said the region remains to be a low-risk area for Covid.
Through the convergence of the ministries of Social Services and Development (MSSD) and Interior and Local Government (MILG), and the Office of the Chief Minister’s Project TABANG (Tulong Alay sa Bangsamorong Nangagailangan), 2,500 food packs and 10, 000 hygiene kits were sent to affected communities in Lanao del Sur in response to the Provincial IATF Resolution Prohibiting Non Essential Movement On Sundays and Mass Gatherings in the province for September 4 – 13, 2021.
Ebrahim also cited that the Ministry of Labor and Employment (MOLE) has consistently provided stipends to the Government Internship Program (GIP) student beneficiaries across the region. The students worked in the government for three months, with a monthly salary of Php4,950.00.
The Ministry of Basic, Higher, and Technical Education (MBHTE), on the other hand, recently began constructing three-storey dormitory buildings in six state universities and colleges in the BARMM which includes Mindanao State University–Maguindanao in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Mindanao State University–Main Campus in Marawi City, Mindanao State University–Sulu in Jolo, Mindanao State University–Tawi-Tawi in Bongao, Basilan State College, and the Cotabato State University here in the city.
With 132-bed capacity amounting to Php39.14-million, the dormitories will feature dining halls, study rooms, and conference halls.
“This is the Bangsamoro Government’s way to introduce innovative solutions to long-standing problems and explore pioneering approaches to elevate the Bangsamoro educational system while appreciating our rich history, culture and traditions,” Ebrahim said.
He said the education ministry will also begin this year the construction of 22 units of two-storey with 10-classroom school buildings for the basic and higher education learners all over the region with a total budget of Php471.6-million.
Furthermore, 3,256 senior high students from across BARMM took the recently conducted Bangsamoro Assistance for Science Education (BASE) scholarship qualifying examination by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST). Successful scholars will receive incentives including a monthly allowance of Php8,000.00
Meanwhile, in the Government of the Day’s intervention to address the scarcity of safe drinking water in the island provinces, three (3) of the ten (10) sets of desalination machines for Sulu and Tawi-Tawi were already given to the island municipalities of Hadji Panglima Tabil, Pandamiand Pata. The machines, each costing Php20-million, have an output capacity of 22,000 liters of water per day and can operate 8-10 hours.
“It’s important to take note that this concern was brought up during the first Mushawarah forum in the BARMM earlier this year. And true to our commitment with the civil society leaders we consulted, we are making this promise a reality,” Chief Minister said. (Bangsamoro Information Office)
[For the full text of Ebrahim’s report, read: 11th Chief Minister’s Hour]
