BARMM chief receives UNHCR anti-COVID donations
COTABATO CITY - While Tawi-Tawi maintains its Covid-19 free status, Bangsamoro Chief Minister Ahod Balawag “Murad” Ebrahim is worried returning constituents from Malaysia could be unwitting virus carriers that could destroy the good standing of the province.
Ebrahim said there is a need of tangible preparation to contain the spread of COVID-19 virus from the incoming kababayans.
“The risk now is those returnees and deportees, they are possible carriers,” he said.
Ebrahim express his fear as he welcomed the personal protective equipment and tents from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The donation activities were held at the Bangsamoro Government Center’s Rapid Emergency Action Response of Disaster Incidence (READi) Building here.
“The international donors are very responsive to our needs, we have shown how we responded to the challenge of COVID-19 and able to address it effectively, we are very thankful to UNHCR because of what they had provided,” Ebrahim said.
Interior and Local Government Minister (MILG) and Bangsamoro READi Head Atty. Naguib G. Sinarimbo who requested the PPEs and facilitated the turn-over recalled how the UNHCR responded during the return of first batch of deportees from Sabah.
“The first set of returnees from Sabah quarantined in Sibakel uninhabited Island, when I sought help from UNHCR, immediately the agency provided tents as facility to protect our returnees,” Sinarimbo said.
Ms. Sapia Tulani, Senior Protection Associate of UNHCR also thanked the Bangsamoro government and assured that their organization will continue supporting the efforts of BARMM in addressing calamities, be it human-induced or natural.
"We hope that our partnership will continue and this is just the beginning of our renewed commitment to the BARMM region. In this trying time, every action counts," Ms. Tulani said.
UNHCR has been working with Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) led by Ebrahim in developing communities and humanitarian missions even before the creation of BARMM.
The donated equipment will be distributed among the BARMM provinces as part of strengthening the campaign to end COVID-19 pandemic.
Meanwhile, Ebrahim said there is no need to recommend for the entire Lanao Del Sur province to be declared back to General Community Quarantine (GCQ) as numbers of infected from the disease had increased tremendously lately brought by the arrival of resident returnees (LSI) and arrival of overseas workers (ROF).
“We have agreed to do a zoning instead, identified communities which are high risk could declare GCQ but not the entire province”, Ebrahim stressed. (FC)