RECOVERY PLAN. Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Chief Minister Ahod Balawag Ebrahim (top center) presides over a recent meeting by the Bangsamoro Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council in preparation for the launching of an early recovery plan from the devastation wrought by Severe Tropical Storm Paeng. Ebrahim (inset) says Wednesday (Nov. 16, 2022) that the recovery plan will be launched later this week. (Photos courtesy of Bangsamoro Information Office-BARMM)
COTABATO CITY – The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) is in the thick of preparing a recovery plan following the devastation wrought by the recent Severe Tropical Storm Paeng.
BARMM Chief Minister Ahod “Murad” Ebrahim said Wednesday the Bangsamoro Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (BDRRMC) is set to launch the “Early Recovery Plan” to sustain the interventions for the storm victims and destruction to infrastructure and agriculture in the region.
“We need to make an assessment and see what the Bangsamoro government can do and adopt measures to avoid heavy casualties," Ebrahim, who also chairs the BDRRMC, said in a statement.
Recently, the BDRRMC conducted a series of meetings o strategize and establish an immediate plan to help the victims of Paeng recover fast.
Ebrahim directed all regional agencies to help analyze the effects of the natural calamity (Paeng), one of the most devastating and unprecedented catastrophes the autonomous region had ever experienced.
The BARMM chief minister also pushed for the construction of more temporary evacuation shelters for the affected families in Maguindanao del Sur and Maguindanao del Norte, and other affected areas in the region.
“We are looking at temporary evacuation centers because it is the opening of classes. At some point they (children) must be transferred, otherwise, classes would be affected, and we don’t like that to happen,” he said.
Meanwhile, BARMM Interior Minister Naguib Sinarimbo said the plan is moving towards life-sustaining activities for the communities before going to the full rehabilitation and recovery of the communities.
He said BARMM quickly assisted residents whose houses were slightly damaged, so they can return to their homes while the regional government works on the restoration of roads, bridges, and electricity.
Sinarimbo said over 400 houses were severely and partially damaged at ground zero in Barangay Kusiong, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte.
Across the region, data from BDRRMC showed that 1,074 houses were damaged by the typhoon.
The formal launching of BARMM’s early recovery plan for Paeng victims is expected later this week. (PNA)
