THE Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) is constructing four additional 100-bed coronavirus disease (Covid-19) isolation facilities in the provinces of Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.
Lawyer Naguib Sinaribmo, Minister of the Interior and Local Government in BARMM (MILG-BARMM), said the additional isolation facilities are to accommodate the increasing number of locally stranded individuals (LSIs) and returning overseas Filipino (ROFs) in the region, as well as the Filipino returnees from Sabah.
Sinarimbo, together with Minister of Social Services and Development Raisa Jajurie and Minister of Public Works Eduard Guerra, led the groundbreaking ceremonies of the projects in the four provinces held from July 20 to 23.
BARMM Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim said the significant increase of Covid-19 cases in the region can be associated with the arrival of ROFs and LSIs.
Ebrahim said that they have already facilitated the return of a total of 15,184 ROFs, LSIs and Filipino returnees from Sabah, as of July 16.
“Generally speaking, we still have enough isolation facilities in the region but in some critical areas, we are already reaching the maximum capacity,” Ebrahim said.
“In view of this and as I have mentioned before, we will build additional isolation facilities similar to the one we built in Cotabato Sanitarium Hospital,” he added.
He emphasized that BARMM remains committed to bringing home the LSIs and ROFs despite the challenges brought by the sudden increase of Covid-19 cases associated with the people.
As of July 23, BARMM has reported a total of 416 Covid-19 cases, with eight deaths, 128 recoveries, and 280 active cases.
Out of the 416 cases, 331 are LSIs and 28 are ROFs. (SunStar Zamboanga)