THE Bangsamoro Government, through the Ministry of the Interior and Local Government (MILG), on Tuesday, February 10, turned over rescue vehicles to 90 villages in Marawi City and Lanao del Sur municipalities to strengthen disaster preparedness and emergency response.
Bangsamoro Interim Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua said in a statement that each of the 90 selected villages received one rescue vehicle to boost their capacity to respond swiftly during emergencies and calamities.
The turnover forms part of a larger assistance package under MILG’s Special Development Fund (SDF) 2024, which includes 200 rescue vehicles and 100 medical equipment units across the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Barmm).
“This project is not only a response to past struggles. It is our commitment to ensure that you have the means to protect and nurture every life in your village,” Macacua said.
“These vehicles will allow you to respond swiftly to those in need when disaster strikes,” he added.
Beneficiary villages were selected based on MILG guidelines, primarily through the Local Government Functionality Appraisal for Barangays (LoGFA-B). Priority was given to those that obtained an Ideal Functionality rating and maintained highly functional Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils (BDRRMCs), consistent with the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Performance Compliance and Monitoring System (DRRM-PCMS). Villages under special circumstances were also considered.
As part of the turnover, the MILG and recipient villages signed a memorandum of agreement outlining obligations and accountability mechanisms governing the use of the vehicles. (SunStar Zamboanga)