of annual Qur’an recitation, memorization BARMM starts greening program in urban spaces

By MAJID NUR/Bangsamoro Information office

COTABATO CITY–The Bangsamoro Government through the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources and Energy (MENRE) launched on Wednesday,

Jan. 25, an integrated greening program that targeted urban areas, which was piloted within the Bangsamoro Government Center (BGC) in this city.

COTABATO CITY – Participants from Maguindanao del Sur and Lanao del Sur were hailed as winners of the recently concluded region-wide 3rd Qur’an recitation and memorization competition for male and female categories held here at the Shariff Kabunsuan Cultural Complex (SKCC), Bangsamoro Government Center, from Jan. 20-22, 2023.

Led by the Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education (MBHTE) through its Directorate General for Madaris Education (DGME), the annual competition is part of the Bangsamoro Government’s commitment to promote the value of Qur’an reading among the Bangsamoro people.

The champions of the competition received certificates and cash prizes worth Php100,000.00 while the first placers took home Php 75,000.00, followed by the 2nd placers with Php 50,000.00.

Dubbed as 'BUFFER' or Bangsamoro Urban Forest for Ecological Reforestation, the activity targets to grow trees within BGC to promote urban mini-forest and increase attraction for the Bangsamoro seat of the regional government.

“It has been the ministrys responsibility to ensure that the Bangsamoro environment is protected and conserved, that our natural and energy resources are sustainably managed and developed,” MENRE Minister Akmad Brahim said.

Through Integrated Bangsamoro Greening Program, we aim that the massive reforestation will be another strategy toward climate change mitigation and disaster risk reduction adaptation in the BARMM,” Brahim said.

Thefollowing arethe list of winners:

Qur’an recitation (Al-Mujawwadah)

Champion: Sadhan Zacaria(Maguindanao II

1st: Kamaroddin Zaidon (CotabatoCity)

2nd: Ahmad Muhammad Nazir Asgar (LDS II)

Qur’an Memorization (Tahfeez) Male Category

Champion: Muzaher Bito (Maguindanao II)

1st: Mohammad Asiddin (Basilan)

2nd: Abduljalal Hassan (Maguindanao II)

Qur’an Memorization (Tahfeez) Female Category

Champion: Najaah Kadafie(LDS II)

1st: Rohaima Guiafar (LDS I)

2nd: Fairods Zacaria(Maguindanao II)

Najaah Kadafie, 14, from Maa'had Amal in Marantao, LDS, extended her gratitude to the leadership of BARMM for spearheading the event.

Kadafie earned the title of Hafidha someone who has not only learned to read the Qur'an, but memorized it. She said it is a huge accomplishment to be thechampion of theprestigious competition.

"Maliit pa ako ay itinuro na sa akin ang Qur'an hanggang sa ito na ang nakasanayan ng aking puso," Kadafie said.

"Nakita namin ang pagsisikap ng Bangsamoro Government na bigyan halaga ang pag-aaral ng Islamic Education partikular ang Qur-an Idinadalangin ko na ipagpatuloy nila ang kanilang patuloy na atensyon dahil ito ay tungkol sapag-aaral ng mga huling salita ng Allah (SWT)," she added.

During the awarding ceremony, Education Minister Mohagher Iqbal stressed the essence of promoting Qur'an literacy and teaching its recitation, and memorization to every Muslim.

"We believe in Islam and we have the Holy Qur’an that we must learn including its ethics and rules toguide us in the right path,” Iqbal said.

"Alam nating lahat na ang taos-pusong pagbabasa ng Qur -an ay isa sa mga paraan at napakagandang gawain na maghahatid sa isang Muslim patungo sa Jannah (paradise)," he added.

The minister further said that MBHTE is building more public Islamic Schools or Madrasah in pursuance of Moral Governance.

"The BARMM Government is working hard to address the needs of the Islamic institutions in the region. This includes the continuous hiring of Islamic Studies and Arabic Language or ISAL teachers to provide relevant education," Iqbal said.

JohairaSahidala/BIO

We envision a government center that is ecofriendlier and more pleasing to the eyes of the employees and visitors. We also hope this will install living legacies of different heads and officials, and may we instill in our hearts the value of love for our environment and promote collective environmental action as we pursue just and lasting peace,” he added.

Meanwhile, BARMM Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim said the tree planting activity is part of promoting urbanized redemption of the integrated Bangsamoro greening program.

“One of the greatest challenges not only here but also globally is climate change. We have experienced recently Typhoon Paeng which inflicted hundreds of casualties,” “This simple activity is not only symbolic but also a significant trait for the Bangsamoro in making sure that the environment is well taken care of. This is a move for us to achieve one of our 12-point priority agenda which is a Bangsamoro that is disaster resilient and adaptive to climate change,” the chief minister added.

“We started in our area to show that we are serious in effort and it will also benefit our compound,” the Chief Minister said, while encouraging other ministries and Members of Parliament to follow suit.

(BIO)

257 BARMM-funded housing units ready for occupancy; ex-combatants, IDPs among target beneficiaries

COTABATO CITY The Bangsamoro Government through the Ministry of Human Settlements and Development (MHSD) is set to turn over 257 housing units after a successful ceremonial handover from the latter's contractor today, Jan. 25, in this city.

Of the total units, 150 units under the Resettlement Project will be distributed to Bangsamoro families of former combatants, Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), informal settlers, and those poorest of the poor across the region.

Fifty (50) of the units are constructed at Brgy. Tubig Dakula, in Indanan, Sulu, 50 at Brgy. Townsite in Maluso, Basilan, and another 50 at Brgy. Buricain in Pigcawayan Cluster in Special Geographic Area (SGA).

The remaining 107 units under the Ministry's Housing Loan Project can be availed by families of individuals with regular but meager income and current members of the Pag-IBIG Fund. The houses were constructed at Brgy. Semba n Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao.

In his message, MHSD Director General Esmael Ebrahim disclosed that the ministry will ensure that only qualified beneficiaries will receive the housing units.

"The beneficiaries will be selected based on approved guidelines set by our Ministry with the help of our partners," Ebrahim said.

He also disclosed that beneficiaries will receive the housing units along with their home lot and the land title.

"Dito lang sa BARMM mayroong 3-in-1, may bahay ka na, may lote ka na, may titulo ka pa," he said which made the audiences applaud.

AbdullahMatucan/BIO