MILF, Security forces hold friendship tourney in Marawi

By MAJID NUR / Bangsamoro Information Office

MARAWI CITY A basketball friendship tournament dubbed 'Kambollayoka' among Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), Philippine National Police (PNP), and 103rd Philippine Army (PA) commenced on Sunday, Jan. 29 at this city's Camp Ranao in Lanao del Sur.

The event, sponsored by the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), in partnership with Strategic Communications and Capacity Building (SCCB), was designed to strengthen camaraderie and coordination among government security sectors [such as the PA, PNP], and the MILF.

According to USIP Visiting Expert Dr. Haroro Ingram, the game’s conceptualization began following a conversation between Commander Billy Dela Rosa of PA and Member of Parliament (MP) Abdullah Makapaar a.k.a. Commander Bravo.

“It [game] began about how we can build peace and friendship at the grassroots level, how potential issues out in the field could be overcome by uniting here,” said Ingram.

“Throughout this entire process of organizing the Kambolayoka (basketball friendship game) event, there was never even a moment of hesitation. Everyone recognized and en- thusiastically committed to [it], working toward this event,” he added.

Ingram said establishing a relationship and line of communication is imperative in building genuine lasting and sustainable peacein theregion.

“Peace may be planned and conditions agreed upon in government buildings, and hotels in the cities but the actual peace is one, which is sustained, it flourishes in a relentless issue, a full-time commitment that is blocked by block, street by street and like today’s event person by person,” he stressed.

Meanwhile, MP Macapaar said, “no Armed Forces, no MILF, and no

PNP. We are brothers and friends, and will work together for peace here in Mindanao, especially here in Lanao del Sur and Lanaodel Norte."

“Let's prove that we are united, let's get rid of the anger, it's not against each other but as friends and brothers. Let’s develop the Philippines and especially Mindanao,” Macapaar added.

A message of support was also given by PA BGen Yegor Rey Barroquilllo Jr., who has just assumed as commander of 103rd on Jan. 27.

“Our desire here in the province of Lanao is peace and development, this is our collective aspi- ration, and we can achieve it through unity and cooperation. What we are doing and will do today [really] fits in with what I want to happen in our area in Lanao. Let's have unity and cooperation,” Barroquilllo said.

The participants believed that said event is historic because it is “symbolically and practically important for the Ranao community as it forges relationship, line of communication, and connection to the security sector.”

Joined by at least 180 players, the game will be conducted weekly in different parts of Lanao del Sur.

(BIO)

Fresh Water From The Sea

For years, this was her and other residents' everyday struggle.

For the Bangsamoro Government, this was a case that needed immediate intervention.

Through the Ministry of Interior and Local Government (MILG), ten (10) units of desalination machines that will convert salty sea water into fresh drinking water were provided and installed in the island provinces of Sulu and Tawi-Tawi

“Di na kami nahihirapan ngayon, kung dati ay doon pa kami bumibili sa kabila [barangay], ngayon, may libreng tubig na masaya po kami,” Farma said.

WATER plays an important role in our bodies. It flushes waste from the body, regulates body temperature, transports nutrients throughout the body, and so forth.

Around 60 percent of our body is made up of water. That is why drinking potable, fresh drinking water is necessary to supply the needs of our bodies. More than that, it is a necessity used in everyday routines such as cooking, bathing, etc.

In the southernmost part of the Philippines, particularly the island provinces such as Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, access to safe drinking water was one of the main problems.

Farma Lajib Madong, a resident from the island province of Sulu, used to purchase a pale of water worth P30 to P50.

Every day, she traverses kilometers from their barangay to another village just to have potable drinking water.

She emphasized that this project of the Bangsamoro Government has greatly helped and addressed their problem of availing free potable water.

“Malaking tulong po ito sa amin. Atsaka [ngayon] 'di na kami bumibili [ng tubig inumin] doon sa kabila, dito na kami kumukuha,” she added.

“Nagpapasalamat kami sa (BARMM) sa pagbigay ng malinis na tubig,” Farma said.

With an amount of over Php143 million, the desalination machines were procured from the 2020 contingency fund of the Office of the Chief Minister, and implemented by MILG under its Project Management Development Division.

This project hopes to cater to more Bangsamoro constituents, specifically in the island provinces. Soon, desalination machines will also be put up in the province of Basilan.

Municipalities of Sapad, Salvador, and Sultan Naga Dimaporo on January 27, 2023.

Funded by the Department of Social Welfare and Development Office (DSWD) under their Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP), the provision of a Php 300 000 livelihood grant was formally distributed to the three associations namely Mindalano PAMANA SLPA (Salvador), Poblacion PAMANA SLPA (Sapad) and Mahayahay PAMANA SLPA (Sultan NagaDimaporo).

This is a program of the DSWD-SLP in line with the government's pursuit of establishing support for the livelihood and economic activities among those residents/ families in isolated, vulnerable, and far-flung areas.

The beneficiaries conveyed their positive responses and gratitude to the DSWD and Governor Angging and said, "this is a big help for all of us, especially as we gradually recover from the disruption of the recent calamities".

TheDSWD-SLP team led by Mr. Richard Tener, SLP Cluster Head, was accompanied by Ms. Annabelle Mendez, the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Officer.