“I congratulate you on your new house and may you create happy memories with your family and friends in your new home,” BARMM Chief Minister Ahod B. Ebrahim ardently told recipients in today’s Ceremonial Awarding of Housing Units to Beneficiaries from Basilan, Sulu, and SGA by the Ministry of Human Settlements and Development, the Housing Arm of the BARMM, held at the OCM Ground.

“Today’s turnover of 100 units in Basilan for Maluso and Lamitan City, 100 units in Sulu for Indanan, the stronghold of our brothers of the MNLF, and 50 units in Brgy. Buricain, Pigcawayan, SGA for our MILF beneficiaries, is just the beginning of more turnovers in the next few months,” said Bangsamoro Director General (BDG) Esmael W. Ebrahim.

“We have worked tirelessly to ensure that these housing units are not just buildings, but homes filled with hopes and opportunities,” BDG Ebrahim added.

BARMM Chief Minister (CM) Ahod B. Ebrahim led the awarding of symbolic keys and Certificates of Award to 13 beneficiaries from Basilan, North Cotabato, and Sulu, with Minister Atty. Hamid Aminoddin D. Barra, Deputy Minister Aldin H. Asiri, BDG Ebrahim, OMS Director Salem C. Demuna, REA, and TRS Director Suharto S. Wahab, EnP, REA, REB.

“We have proven today that, indeed, the Bangsamoro Government is a government of the people, by the people and for the people,” Minister Barra said, before enumerating that, in the coming months, more turnover programs of housing units in other parts of the Bangsamoro and even outside of the Bangsamoro territories, such as Lanao del Norte and Davao Oriental, will commence in time with turnover activities in Tawi-Tawi, Lanao del Sur, and Maguindanao.

“The occasion today is a living testament that the peace process we signed is working and that the government of the day has heavily invested in providing decent housing in all areas of the region, particularly those who are left behind by development. I hope that in the years left we have in this transition period, we can accomplish and build as many decent and affordable housing units for the underprivileged, homeless citizens, victims of calamities and conflicts, former MILF combatants, families of the martyrs, internally displaced persons, and other needy sectors in the Bangsamoro communities,” stated CM Ebrahim.

“To the beneficiaries, continue supporting the government of the day’s programs and services which aim to uplift all lives of our fellow Bangsamoro”, reiterated the Chief Minister.

The beneficiaries are all set for the actual awarding of houses starting this month after the documents required for the transfer are finalized.

The 50 housing units in North Cotabato are funded under the Special Development Fund (SDF) 2020. The collective 200 housing units with land development across Basilan and Sulu are all funded under the General Appropriations Act of the Bangsamoro (GAAB) 2021.

The activity was led by the Office of the Director General with the facilitation of the MHSD’s Housing and Human Settlement Division and other sections of the Ministry.