June 6, 2024/ SULU-BARMM. Jintan, 15, lost her mother when she was still young. Their father remarried and now with his new family.
Together with her younger sister, Jintan is currently under the guardianship of their aunt who supports their education and living at Brgy. Timbangan, Indanan, Sulu, Bangsamoro Region.
Jintan is in Grade 8 while her sister is in 6th grade of studies.
They are grateful to her Aunt’s family for the love and care they receive, as if they are not strangers.
Her aunt helps at the school canteen and sometimes sells assorted items in the neighborhood, while the husband is a laborer.
Jintan told that when the BARMM has come, they are automatically included whenever there is a program like provision of basic services.
“Through this project and the BARMM, we experience being a beneficiary, receiving assistance that is beneficial to our life and education”, she reported.
Jintan hopes for further support like scholarship to ensure continuation and completion of education with her sister and the other less privileged youth in the community.
Jintan and the other orphans and youth were the recipients of food packs and educational kit during the recent Community Assembly with Provision of Services in Timbangan.
Organized by the Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA Inc.) together with partner CSO Kabalikat CIVICOM, this event was successfully conducted in support of the Bangsamoro Government and the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA).
From the BARMM through its provincial offices in Sulu Island were the Bangsamoro Human Rights Commission (BHRC), Bangsamoro Youth Commission (BYC), Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Agrarian Reform (MAFAR), Ministry of Social Services and Development (MSSD), Ministry of Trade, Industry and Tourism (MTIT), Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) and the Ministry of Labor and Employment (MOLE).
Office of Matarul Estino of the BTA through its official representative graced the assembly and complemented the food packs provided to the people.
There were 80 families who received food items and there were 100 youth offered with educational kits.
The beneficiaries who were pre-profiled belong to the vulnerable groups such as women, widows, orphans, youth, (PWDs) person with disabilities, indigenous people, transitioning combatants, elderlies and others.
Abdulrakman Ali, 40, a PWD is among the recipients of this assistance. He is grateful for the help. His parents are old already and it is his siblings who work for living for the family’s daily sustenance.
“This food pack is a big help for us. At least, our meals for one to two days is secured with this blessing”, Abdulrakman stated.
Meanwhile, Nurisa, 39, a mother of six shares their hard work in the family to suffice their needs with the daily income of P400.00 by her husband as a jeepney driver.
“We do our best for this amount to be enough for our family. We are able to send our children to school, with our eldest who is now in college level of education. We really wanted them to finish their studies”, she conveyed.
Another story we learned from Sulu is about Nurmirin, 37, a widow in the same village.
Selling local dishes at the community level while being a member of the village council is the source of income for Nurmirin to provide for her two children alone, since she lost her husband who was a tricycle driver.
Nurmirin holds a degree in education but was not fortunate to land a professional job. Despite this, she remains strong and hopeful.
“I am doing everything for my children to not feel the absence of their father. It is not easy to be a solo parent but this is my fate. I have to be strong”, she emotionally expressed.
As a mother, Nurmirin aspires for her children to complete their education, “for them to experience better life that I could not provide”.
Nurmirin is an active member of the People’s Organization formed in Timbangan who received training on coconut processing with provision of tools and equipment.
The group produced various food items from coconut that they sell to generate extra income for their families.
Timbangan, Indanan Sulu
Growing up in their village, Jintan is aware of the living condition of the people in Brgy. Timbangan.
“Here in Brgy. Timbangan, people are into farming (e.g., coconut), labor works, while others do part- time domestic jobs to some households in the village”, Jintan said.
Nurisa talked about the poor conditions of the village before BARMM.
“Now, we have better roads, solar street lights and accessible potable water source”, she stated.
On the other hand, Nurmirin spoke that “When the BARMM came, we see hope. Before, the poor get poorer. Now we gradually feel the services and we pray for more aid towards continuing change in our community”.
Through the collaboration of the civil society organizations (CSOs) in the Bangsamoro, support to communities has becoming extra relevant to the overall progress of the people and the society.
For the BDA reaching numerous villages within and outside BARMM, is crucial and significantly contributes to the current transition in the Bangsamoro, and to the peace and development in the region.
Through the project SUBATRA-ECSO: Enhancing CSOs Capacities for Inclusive Development Interventions in BARMM in Support to Bangsamoro Transition, there were 24 communities who have benefited of various development assistance on basic social services and protection, livelihood, capacity buildings, among others.
Launched in 2021, the SUBATRA-ECSO is a project funded by the European Union European Union in the Philippines and the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation AECID Philippines.(BDA Communications 2024)
