The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao’s Ministry of Public Works (MPW-BARMM) has turned over 230 core shelter units to poor families in Parang and Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao.
Engineer Avila Abobakar, head of the First Maguindanao District Engineering Office, said his office undertook the housing project for BARMM’s KAPYANAN Project Management Office under the Office of Chief Minister Ahod Al Hadj Murad B. Ebrahim.
Ceremonies were slated on Ashura, meaning the 10th day of Muharram, first Hijra month, corresponding to August 23, Abobakar said.
Abobakar said the BARMM government has provided the 230 housing units each with readily-installed water pipes and electricity connections in all four barangays.
He said the construction of the 230 modest housing units marked a series of land development and construction of more housing units of up to 5,000.
One of the beneficiary villages, Crossing Simuay is an impoverished community of daily-wage earners and farmers. Written of local poverty is the sensational story of Sarah Balabagan in the 1990s.
Balabagan, now U.S.-based, is a native of Crossing Simuay once forced to seek overseas employment with altered documents to be able to comply with age requirement.
Abobakar said KPYANAN forms part of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Regional Inclusive Development for Growth and Empowerment (BARMM-BRIDGE).
Ceremonies were led by District Engineer Abobakar of MPW Maguindanao First District Engineering Office, Assistant District Engineer Anwar Mokamad, the project endorser and Land Owner Esmael “Teng” Ebrahim, and Deputy Project Manager Engr. Abdulnasser Usman of BARMM KAPYANAN.
The occasion marked the official opening of the newly-constructed shelters and symbolized fresh beginnings for the Bangsamoro residents of the said geographic area.
The core shelter projects were apportioned namely: Package 11 50 units in Brgy. Maputi, Parang, Maguindanao, Package 17 has 30 units in Barangay Darapanan, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao; Package 27, 50 units in Barangay Solon (Tariken), Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao, Package 28, 50 units and additional 50 units with Package 29 Simuay Junction, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao.
“All Praise due to Allah because you become among the beneficiaries of a continuing project of Chief Minister Murad for 5,000 housing units, complete with water and light components,” Engineer Abobakar said in his speech.
“These projects are the first turned over shelter projects in BARMM.” he added.
He credited the initial success of the BARMM KAPAYANAN Housing Project to BARMM Chief Minister Ahod Balawag Ebrahim, MPW-BARMM Minister Eduard Uy Guerra, Assistant Senior Minister and Concurrent Project Manager of BARMM-KAPYANAN Abdullah M. Cusain, and land Donor Esmael “Teng” Ebrahim.