Twenty-five housing units will soon be constructed for the first time and to provide homes to families in the historic village of Kibayao in the town of Carmen, now Kapalawan, under the Special Geographic Area (SGA) of the BARMM, after the Ministry of Human Settlements and Development, the Housing Arm of the BARMM, carried out the groundbreaking ceremony of a Resettlement Housing Project on October 17, 2024.

Funded under the General Appropriation Act of the Bangsamoro (GAAB) 2024, the project, according to Bangsamoro Director General Esmael W. Ebrahim, reflects the Ministry’s mission to home the homeless, especially those who were afflicted by conflict, disaster, and  those stripped off their homes for whatever reasons outside of their control.

Salem C. Demuna, Director II for Operations and Management Services reminisced over the conflicts that tormented Carmen for several years, of which culminated to this moment where the grounds may now be broken not for disputes, but for development, similar to the 4000 other housing projects being implemented by the MHSD for the Bangsamoro both within and outside the BARMM territories.

Hamzah A. Salik, Provincial Director for MHSD-SGA, welcomed the participants, reiterating the MHSD’s commitment to fully implement the projects in the province.  He emphasized peace and order as the stability the people need to build their homes so that they may live without fear of the physical structures being destroyed by calamity or disaster.

Representatives from the Offices of Hon. Mohammad Kelie U. Antao, Member of the Parliament, Butch P. Malang, SGA Development Authority Administrator, Hon. Norman Cadi Inalang, OIC Mayor of Kapalawan, Hon. Abdulatip S. Kadingilan, Kibayao Brgy. Chairperson, and Malagueńa Construction shared messages filled with gratitude to the MHSD and the BARMM government in providing such housing to the region, describing the homes as central locations for family members to safely gather.

Also witnessing the meaningful event were division chiefs, section heads, engineers and other key personnel from the MHSD, documenters from the Bangsamoro Information Office, and residents of Kibayao.

The activity was one of the highlights of the Ministry’s celebration of the National Shelter Month this October 2024.