ILIGAN CITY – The town of Maimbung, Sulu would soon inaugurate 14 barangays halls to provide venues for formal and official government transactions and services to residents.
The Bangsamoro government’s Ministry of the Interior and Local Government (MILG) inaugurated the structures and signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with provincial, town and barangay officials in March.
Construction of the 14 barangay halls will cost the Bangsamoro government P70 million, or P5 million each, to be funded by the Office of Chief Minister (OCM) and implemented by MILG to Support Local Moral Governance (SLMG).
The recipient barangays are Anak Jati, Bualu Lahi, Bulabug, Ipil, Kulasi, Laba, Lantung, Laud Kulasi, Lower Tambaking, Lunggang, Patao, Ratag Limbun, Tubig Samin, and Upper Tambaking.
MILG Minister Naguib Sinarimbo said the barangay chairmen must use these new facilities in providing better services to their respective constituents. “Let these structures serve as a reminder of your duties to work for peace and progress. Make the most of your abilities to uphold good governance [at the barangay level] and ensure that your facilities and services are available to your people whenever they need them,” Sinarimbo said.
Maimbung is a fifth class municipality 12 kilometers south of the provincial capital of Jolo. It has a population of 59,597 people, according to a 2020 census.
Provincial Governor Abdusakur Tan, Maimbung Municipal Mayor Shihla A Tan-Hayudini, MILG Sulu Field Office Provincial Director Emini T Kadiri, MILG’s PMDD Chief Engr Abibazar Sali, and other barangay officials witnessed or signed the MOA.
Meanwhile, the Bangsamoro Rapid Emergency Action on Disaster Incidence (Bangsamoro-READi) will be established also in Sulu, in Patikul, 27 kilometers east of Jolo. This would strengthen its disaster response through the construction of the Emergency Operation Center (EOC) to provide and coordinate warnings, disaster evacuation, asset inventory, and emergency services integration.
“The establishment of an EOC in Sulu will allow the BARMM government to quickly deploy emergency responders and relief assistance in the event of a disaster,” Sinarimbo had said at the groundbreaking ceremony in March.
Sinarimbo said that once the infrastructure project is completed, the province can improve the government’s ability to plan for and respond to potential compound emergencies, whether man-made or natural disasters.
Gov. Tan already donated 500 square meters of private land for the EOC’s construction. The Bangsamoro Appropriations Act (BAA) 2023 has allocated P20 million for the construction of the EOC. The new facility’s construction is expected to be completed this year. Other EOCs that have been approved and have budgets for this year include the special geographic areas and Lanao del Sur. -30-