MSSD personnel inspect day-care centers in Maguindanao provinces that were damaged by Tropical Storm Paeng in November last year. Photo courtesy of MSSD-BARMM
PAGADIAN CITY, ZAMBOANGA DEL SUR — With funds now available, the Ministry of Social Services and Development (MSSD) of the Bangsamoro government will be repairing over 100 daycare centers in the provinces of Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur that were damaged by Tropical Storm Paeng in November last year.
According to Engr. Yusoph Pilas of the MSSD’s Engineering Section, the damaged facilities have hampered the conduct of early childhood care and development lessons in the affected communities.
Pilas said their personnel are making the rounds in the communities to assess the extent of repair that needs to be done and estimate the corresponding costs, as he hopes to have this process completed by the end of the month.
According to an MSSD inventory, 109 daycare centers were damaged by the severe storm last year. These are in the towns of Rajah Buayan, Datu Anggal Midtimbang, Ampatuan, South Upi, Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Datu Salibo, and Datu Montawal in Maguindanao del Sur; and in the towns of Parang, Matanog, Sultan Mastura, Sultan Kudarat, and Upi in Maguindanao del Norte.
“We hope to complete the repair and rehabilitation of these learning centers by the first quarter of the coming year,” Pilas said.
He added that the repair of the damaged facilities will be underpinned by the contingency funds of the Office of the Chief Minister.
Meanwhile, the MSSD has started distributing cash assistance to 960 families from Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte who were displaced by Paeng last year. Each family received P5,800.
Among the recipients, 278 were from Kusiong, 172 from Dinaig Proper, 95 from Badak, 79 from Awang, 74 from Kurintem, 63 from Tapian, 49 from Dados, 41 from Sifaran, 32 from Poblacion Dalican, 28 from Taviran, 15 from Kakar, 9 from Labungan, 5 from Baka, 5 from Ambolodto, 4 from Neketan, 4 from Mompong, 3 from Tanuel, 2 from Tenonggos, 1 from Tamontaka, and 1 from Dulangan.
Johan Fariz Ochoa Sapalon, MSSD’S provincial monitoring and evaluation officer, said the agency targets to assist a total of 3,102 families in the 17 severely affected towns in the province.
After the cash assistance, the families will then be provided recovery support through emergency shelter assistance for the purchase of construction materials and repair of their houses, Sapalon added.
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