Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao executive secretary Abdulraof Macacua, concurrent minister of the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources, and Energy (Photo by BPI-BARMM)
COTABATO CITY – Amid the global pandemic, protecting the environment, and preserving nature should continue, an official of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) said Wednesday.
“While our utmost priority now is to help the national government in flattening the curve and preventing the spread of the Covid-19 virus, we should not ignore our duty in preserving Mother Earth,” said Minister Abdulraof Macacua of BARMM's Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources, and Energy (MENRE) and concurrent regional executive secretary.
Over the past several weeks, MENRE-BARMM has been promoting the “Kayod sa Bangsamoro” program that encourages the public to engage in backyard farming.
The program aims to provide "survival" gardens that promote food sustainability especially in these times when most areas are on lockdown to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-10).
The so-called "palaw" or forest rangers composed mostly of former Moro Islamic Liberation Front members are also at the forefront of implementing such initiatives by coordinating with local government units in ensuring that environmental sanitation activities are in place, especially with several relief programs taking place.
Despite the pandemic, the BARMM on Wednesday joined the rest of the country and the world in celebrating Earth Day this year.
Macacua urged communities under quarantine to protect the environment by practicing inventory of plastic use in offices and at home, proper use of energy, and the use of eco-friendly bags when going to the market.
"In a way, this crisis has revealed to us that pollution and other environmental hazards can be avoided if we have enough political will to do so,” he said. (PNA)
