THE Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Barmm) is distributing relief assistance to the residents of the region amid the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) threat.
Mohammad Asnin Pendatun, spokesperson of the Barmm Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Covid-19, said the relief assistance will be distributed this week through the task force.
Pendatun said each food pack contains 25 kilos of rice, 10 packs of noodles, seven canned corned beef, seven canned tuna, two cans of sardines, and packs of 3-in-1 coffee.
Pendatun said that the Ministry of Social Services and Development (MSSD-Barmm) has downloaded initial funds to all the provinces to buy the relief goods in their respective areas “considering the situation we are on community quarantine.”
He added that a total of P7,293,334 initial fund was downloaded to the provinces, through the MSSD-Barmm, purposely to give relief assistance to the communities in Barmm affected by the negative economic impact of the Covid-19.
“This is only initial. We will make sure that our constituents will receive relief aid especially those who are in dire need,” he said.
He said that the Office of the Chief Minister is also preparing financial assistance for all employees in the Barmm based on the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) Labor Advisory No. 12, series of 2020, indicating that all workers nationwide, regardless of status are entitled to a cash aid amounting to P5,000 each.
“Our plan is, on top of the P5,000 cash aid, we will also give relief packs for all the employees,” Pendatun added.
Meanwhile, Dr. Saffrullah Dipatuan, Barmm’s Ministry of Health (MOH) secretary, said that the MOH-Barmm will also download a total of P2 million to each Rural Health Units (RHUs) in the region to ensure the sufficiency of medical supplies and equipment.
Dipatuan also reiterated that all medical expenses of all Covid-19 patients will be covered by Barmm’s “Ayudang Medikal mula sa Bangsamoro” Program (AMBAG) in all its accredited and partner hospitals in the entire Barmm. (SunStar Zamboanga)