1BANGSA Movement appeals to LGUs of Muslims outside BARMM residing in respective places nationwide to include on SAP distribution

Mr. Allan Balangi-Amer, President, 1Bangsamoro Movement in a message during a peace rally.

  By Asangan T. Madale

Marawi City - Mr. Allan Balangi-Amer, President of the 1Bangsamoro Movement non-government organization  appealed to local government units outside of BARMM to include Muslims residing in their respective areas in the distribution of the Social Amelioration Funds (SAP) subsidy.

Amer appealed to these local government units outside BARMM was triggered when Hadji Yahya Gamor, President of Federation of Islamic Communities in Bulacan reported that Maranaos residing in said place were not allegedly given relief goods and the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) subsidy distribution.

Datu Mohaimen Macabantog, former President of Integrated Muslim Student Association of the Philippines (IMUSTAPHIL) cited that under the Bayanihan to Heal As One Act provides for an emergency subsidy in the amount ranging  from a minimum of P5,000 to a maximum of P8,000 to be distributed within two months to cover for basic needs such as food, medicines and toiletries. This will be supposedly directed to some 18 million families and additional 5 million families for the first tranche or a total of 23 million Filipino beneficiaries. A second tranche will follow as soon as the first tranche will be liquidated by the LGUs. President Duterte said “I cannot afford that there will be one Filipino died due to hunger during this COVID-19 pandemic.”

Macabantog added, the subsidy comprises the Emergency Subsidy Program (ESP) which is being jointly implemented by several agencies ,among them the DSWD. The procedure and measures of ESP are embodied in Joint Circular 1, series of 2020.

Amer said that "helping Bangsamoro people residing outside BARMM region is an obligation of LGUs as stipulated under Section 12, Article VI of RA 11054 otherwise known as Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) without discrimination based on culture and faith.

The Law addresses and correcting the long decade conflict and historical injustices committed against the Bangsamoro as President Duterte previously mentioned in his speech during the passage of the BOL

In addition, Amer also emphasized that the increased of populations among the Maranaos now residing in Luzon, Visayas and other parts of Mindanao was due to Marawi Siege that displaced thousands of families of which some of them have  settled in to stay and live outside BARMM for survival.

  

Amer recommended that a Bangsamoro National Coordinating Council (BNCC) be created that will handle issues and problems of all Muslims who are residing outside BARMM.

  

In our surveyed during the campaign lobbying for the passage of the BOL, estimatedly, there are about 1.7 million Muslims Filipinos residing outside BARMM nationwide, Amer emphasized. (Edited and Published by Jun Enriquez)