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COTABATO CITY — The Bangsamoro Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education (MBHTE) headed by Minister Mohagher M. Iqbal has continued its tradition of providing food supplies ever Eid’l Fitr Day to its city-based employees.
A vast majority of Philippine Muslims marked Eid’l Fitr, the Festival of Breaking the Fast, on March 31 on the declaration made by the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF), Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), and Ulama Council of Zamboanga Peninsula (UCZP).
The two government agencies and one non-government group declared the start of the three days of Eid celebrations after the moon-sighters they deployed nationwide on March 29 were able to see the new crescent moon which signaled the first day of the month of Shawwal, which is the 10th month in lunar Hijrah calendar. Ramadan is the ninth month, the holiest of Islam’s 12 months, during which adult Muslims are obliged to perform the fast — abstaining from food, drinks, sex during daytime from sunrise to sunset.
Iqbal, who wears many hats in the Bangsamoro peace process, ordered the distribution on March 28 to help MBHTE personnel lessen their burden during the occasion of Eid.
In a statement, the education ministry said the provision of food supplies was in celebration of Ramadan and the Eid, consisting of sacks of rice and grocery packages to its Main Office employees and four subsectors.
MBHTE Deputy Minister Atty. Haron S. Meling led the distribution of the food supplies for the qualified employees at the education ministry’s Main Office, Bangsamoro Government Center (BGC) Complex in the city, the BARMM capital.
A total of 1,009 regular and contract of service employees will each receive two sacks of 25 kgs rice and a grocery bag filled with essential items, including — 2 liters of cooking oil, 1 liter each of soy sauce and vinegar, 1 kilogram of banana ketchup, original 3-in-1 coffee, 1 kilogram of native coffee, 2 kilograms of brown and white sugar, 840 grams of powdered milk, 24 packets of powdered juice, 1 kilogram of sotanghon, 1 kilogram of powdered chocolate malt drink, 380 grams of strawberry jam, a tray of fresh eggs, and tote eco bags.
The Ministry recognized that Ramadan is a time of fasting, reflection and it wanted to give back in a meaningful way, especially as everyone prepares to celebrate Eid with their loved ones. By providing these groceries, the MBHTE hopes to help make the holiday a little easier and more joyful for its employees and their families.
It’s a small but sincere reminder of the importance of supporting one another, especially during this special time of year.
The Bangsamoro region, established in 2018 by the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) to implement the 2014 Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), is made up of the provinces of Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte, and Tawi-Tawi, the cities of Cotabato, Lamitan, and Marawi, as well as the Special Geographic Area’s (SGA) 63 barangays or villages that voted “Yes” in a plebiscite in February 2019 to be under the BARMM jurisdiction.
According to the Philippine Atlas BARMM has 4,404,288 people. It has 116 municipalities: Basilan, 11 municipalities; Lanao del Sur, 39; undivided Maguindanao, 36; Sulu, 19; and Tawi-Tawi, 11. Its component cities are Cotabato (the regional center and capital) in Maguindanao; Lamitan in Basilan; and Marawi in Lanao del Sur. (✓)