THE Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Barmm) on Wednesday, July 31, activated a new emergency and disaster response office, the Rapid Emergency Action on Disaster Incidence (Rapid-Barmm).
Lawyer Naguib Sinarimbo, Minister of Interior and Local Government (MILG), said the launching took place in Cotabato City during the first organization meeting of the Barmm-Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (BDRRMC) following the release on Monday, July 29, of the Executive Order No. 12 signed by Barmm Interim Chief Minister Ahod Balawag Ebrahim.
Ordinance No. 12 provides for the establishment of the BDRRMC and a disaster risk reduction management operation center, the Readi-Barmm, which shall be managed by the MILG.
Sinarimbo said the new office replaces the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Armm) Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (ARDRRMO) previously known as the Armm-Humanitarian Emergency Action Response Team (Armm-Heart).
He said his office shall coordinate with all the Ministers of the Bangsamoro Government, Local Government Units, and the National DRRMC on programs and activities pertaining to disasters.
The MILG shall also be coordinating with the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in monitoring and responding to displacements resulting from human-induced and natural calamities within the territorial jurisdiction of the region.
“The council shall prepare an action plan to review the proposed budget for responding to disasters,” he said.
Meanwhile, Murad expressed his full support on the establishment BDRRMC.
“The organization of this council will allow us to be prepared at all times and will put in place our response and bring about the disaster resilient region,” Murad said.
He also said that aside from the Bangsamoro Government, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) will be helping on the security of the region from those human-induced calamities.
“We are planning to establish the joint peace and security teams so we can collaborate more, especially with regards to the human-induced calamities,” he added. (Bong Garcia/SunStar Philippines)