BARMM News
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COTABATO CITY (SDN) — Various agencies of the Bangsamoro government have responded to Typhoon Paeng’s onslaught in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
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- Cotabato City – 17 schools
- Maguindanao I – 26 schools
- Maguindanao II – 73 schools
- Special Geographic Area – 32 schools
- Sulu – 17 schools
- 41 madaris/islamic schools were also said to have been affected by the typhoon.
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One of these agencies is the Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education (MBHTE) headed by Minister Mohagher M. Iqbal.
As heavy rainful from the severe storm poured, which has now killed several people, including in Maguindanao, Iqbal ordered the creation of a Command Center in the MBHTE, as well as making available hotline numbers for affected people can contact.
The education ministry’s focal persons received text messages (SMS) and calls for assistance from the hardest hit areas in Sultan Kudarat and Datu Odin Sinsuat (DOS), particularly in Barangay Kusiong, where rescuers recovered some bodies.
While reports have been coming in on the extent of the typhoon’s impact, the ministry’s people are still in the field gathering data as many school employees and their families were affected by the flood. They are in urgent need of assistance.
Iqbal said interim response calls for putting priority on cleaning and repair of affected schools and their facilities.
“They will prioritize hardest hit areas to support students, their families, and school personnel with guidance from MSSD and BARMM READi. Also being prioritized are affected Indigenous People (IP) in Kusiong village where 70 IPs were already relocated to safer areas at the foot Mount Minandar, near Kusiong Elementary School (KES).
(MSSD is Ministry of Social Services and Development; READi is Rapid Emergency Action on Disaster Incidence of the Ministry of the Interior and Local Government or MILG.)
Part of the action taken by Iqbal’s agency is sending letter requesting for assistance to the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) — now called UN Children’s Fund — and other partners of the ministry, like the Mindanao Humanitarian Team (MHT).
The MBHTE once the flooding has subsided, and roads are passable will give priority to helping students and teachers in areas hardest hit by the inundation.
Iqbal’s office plans to release Php100 million from its Quick Release Funds, which is approved only for Temporary Learning Centers (TLCs) accompanied by an assessment report, program of works, and materials billing to be prepared by the budget and finance office. The funds’ release will take a week to accomplish. (Note that the funds do not cover washing facilities or toilets.)
In relation with schools as evacuation areas or command centers, the MBHTE emphasized that schools can be used in an emergency situation only as a last resort for evacuation. For example, Broce Elementary School has access, electricity, and water as well as being close to a clinic. The ministry also reminded everyone to keep their surroundings clean at all times to prevent sickness.
The MBHTE for its staff and personnel will mobilize for their affected personnel to bring food, dry goods, such as clothing and linens for a family of fivce, water, medicines, vitamins, and diapers for affected pregnant and lactating personnel.
A call was also sent out to activate BARMM Education Cluster to intensify coordination, response and advocacy of needs in the education sector with the support from the Mindanao Humanitarian Team.
MBHTE’s netizens are also active in disseminating information on social media to reassure learners and the affected population that MBHTE is on top of the situation and is ready for in-person classes, and to show that help is on its way to the affected population.
The MBHTE is taking all these efforts and many more in response to the impact of the floods triggered by the Typhoon Paeng’s rain. (/)