13 new Bangsamoro villages get farm machines, boats worth P80M
THE BANGSAMORO government has distributed P80 million worth of farm machines and fishing boats in 13 formerly conflict-affected villages in Midsayap, Cotabato, with ex-Moro guerrillas among the beneficiaries.
In separate messages during Monday’s turnover ceremony, Chief Minister Ahod B. Ebrahim and Local Government Minister Naguib G. Sinarimbo said the agricultural intervention is part of the Bangsamoro regional government’s commitment to address poverty and underdevelopment in barangays impoverished by decades of secessionist activities.
The 13 Muslim-majority barangays are part of the Bangsamoro’s special geographic area, which comprise villages in neighboring towns that voted to become part of the region in 2019.
The town of Midsayap remains under Soccsksargen or Region 12, which is composed of South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, and General Santos City.
Midsayap Mayor Rolly C. Sacdalan said his municipal government will continue to support the initiatives of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) in helping these villages bounce back from the impact of armed conflicts.
“These barangays that originally belonged to Midsayap that are now under the autonomous region are lucky. The local government unit of Midsayap, which is under Region 12, will support these development efforts of BARMM,” Mr. Sacdalan said.
“Farmers in these special geographic area barangays sell their farm products to traders in the center of Midsayap. There is correlation among them obviously,” he said.
The farm equipment released included 10 tractors for rice and corn production, 10 rice and corn harvesters, eight combine harvesters, and 300 motorized fishing boats with gears.
Some of the barangay beneficiaries are located along the 220,000-hectare Liguasan Delta, a major source of fresh water fish for central Mindanao provinces.
The project was under the Interior ministry’s Bangsamoro Integrated Rehabilitation and Development (BIRD) program.
BARMM is composed of the provinces of Maguindanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi. — John M. Unson
