“Thank you for this opportunity, for being chosen from so many who really need housing. You have given us not just safe and comfortable homes where we can grow together, but also hope, stability, and strength for a brighter future,” shared Shelby Elias during the awarding ceremony held by the Ministry of Human Settlements and Development (MHSD), the housing arm of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), on November 5, 2024, in Tubig Dakulah, Indanan, Sulu.

Elias was one of 50 beneficiaries of the Resettlement Housing Project implemented by the MHSD using funds from the General Appropriations Act of the Bangsamoro (GAAB) 2022. Each housing unit measures 7×7 square meters and features three rooms.

Hon. Brgy. Chairperson Alman A. Uding warmly welcomed the officials from the MHSD, Local Government Unit (LGU), and all participants in the program. He congratulated the 50 families who had waited and finally received their homes. This brings the total number of houses built by the MHSD in their barangay to 100.

“Thanks to the BARMM, many successful projects have been implemented in Sulu, including these housing units,” added Chairperson Uding.

In his awarding message, Deputy Minister Aldin H. Asiri commended Chgairperson Uding for his active role in building a strong community. He then expressed his joy at being part of the project for the Bangsamoro families in need.

Representing Minister Atty. Hamid Aminoddin D. Barra, Deputy Minister Asiri officially awarded the houses to the deserving beneficiaries.

According to Director General Esmael W. Ebrahim, the MHSD has already established 500 of resettlement housing in Sulu. He stated that this is one of the flagship programs of BARMM Chief Minister Ahod B. Ebrahim.

The LGU-Indanan, through Municipal Administrator Ferdausia S. Muksan, expressed their deep gratitude for choosing their town as the location for the MHSD projects and hoped that this would not be the last.

In his opening message, Abdulhamid C. Alawi, Jr., former Chief of the Housing and Human Settlements Division of the MHSD, reminded the beneficiaries to make the houses awarded to them through the project, their true homes. He projected the project becoming a Darussalam village where a Homeowners’ Association or HOA would be formed.

Provincial Director Atty. Najira S. Hassan and her team from MHSD-Sulu, who oversaw the activity, actively participated in the awarding ceremony.

Engr. Zainodin A. Buisan, Chief of the Planning and Design Division of the MHSD, Hon. Municipal Councilor Abdulmir Muksan, representative from the Bangsamoro Information Office, Radyo Pilipinas, and engineers, architects, project development and evaluation officers, and other staff from the MHSD Regional Office also supported the conduct of the activity.