SGA flood victims receive needed aid

ZAMBOANGA CITY — The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Rapid Emergency Action on Disaster Incidence has distributed relief assistance from the regional government to over 2,000 families in the Special Geographic Area.

Norhassim Sinarimbo of READi said the SGA Development Authority and the Ministry of Social Services and Development spearheaded the relief operation on Wednesday.

Sinarimbo said that in compliance with the Commission on Elections' social services' disbursement ban about the upcoming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections, BARMM has partnered with the Philippine Red Cross Cotabato Chapter, as provided by law, for the distribution of the relief aid.

The Ministry of Public Works also extended its support for transporting the goods, consisting of 25-kilo sacks of rice and food packs.

Sinarimbo also disclosed that their team distributed relief goods in the Midsayap cluster catering to 936 families, while the MSSD, led by Haron Amer, has served the over 1,300 affected families in the Pikit cluster.

BARMM has placed the SGA under a state of calamity after most areas in the SGA experienced massive flooding last 21 September and initial reports showed that the flood has affected 27 barangays consisting of 25,946 households or approximately 129,730 individuals, 329 hectares of combined rice, corn fields and other crops.