The Ministry of Human Settlements and Development, the Housing Arm of BARMM, has officially signed agreements for the construction of four new multipurpose training centers in different locations in the BARMM. The signing took place at the Conference Room of the MHSD Regional Office in the Bangsamoro Government Center, Cotabato City on March 19, 2024.

Funded under the Transitional Development Impact Fund (TDIF) 2023 of the respective proponent Members of the Parliament (MP), the training centers will each be established in Maguindanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur, Lanao del Norte, and Sulu.

Minister Atty. Hamid Aminoddin D. Barra, after reminiscing some moments at the then peace agreement signing with MP Ibrahim D. Ali across the table, announced that the Ministry has already completed and turned over 14 training centers across the BARMM. 

“We are here to serve the Bangsamoro and with our partnership, we are able to reach people at every corner of the region and when we speak about Bangsamoro, the three things that we must know are it being an identity, a territory, and a government system that we all have in one,” Minister Barra remarked.

MP Ali is the proponent for the construction of a multipurpose two-storey human development training center at Sitio 41, Brgy. Sapad, Matanog, Maguindanao del Norte. The contractor will be Plumbs Engineering and Construction led by its proprietor Engr. Nasrodin M. Lamponi.

He referred to the training centers as the fruit of the Bangsamoro struggle. He expressed his gratitude to Allah SWT to be standing for another signing.

MP Ali was also the proponent to a training center previously turned over with none other than Chief Minister Ahod B. Ebrahim leading back in January this year during the week-long celebration of the Bangsamoro Foundation Day.

Meanwhile, Bangsamoro Director General Esmael W. Ebrahim formally welcomed the participants with a reminder that the services rendered throughout the project’s implementation is in sincere service to the Bangsamoro.

Salem C. Demuna, REA, Director II for Operations and Management Services, then concluded the program, reassuring the contractors that the MHSD will always do its best to be of help so long as the contractors comply with the documentary requirements.

The other three multipurpose training centers will be constructed in Brgy. Romangaob, South Upi, Maguindanao del Sur, funded under the Office of MP Hon. Froilyn T. Mendoza, another in Brgy. East Poblacion, Balo-I, Lanao del Norte, funded under the Office of MP Hon. Amroussi A. Macatanong and in Brgy. Siet Higad, Panamao, Sulu under the Office of MP Hon. Matarul M. Estino.

MP Mendoza’s training center will be one-storey, while the training centers under MP Macatanong and Estino will be two-storey.

D’Formula Uno Construction, led by Proprietor Peter (Omar) S. Tumang Jr., will lead the construction of the training center in MDS, while Ali Construction and General Services, led by Proprietor Cabib M. Ali, will build the training center in LDN and K.I Construction, led by Proprietor Khadafin M. Kayting, will build the training center in Sulu.

Before the contract signing, the MHSD, through the Planning and Design Division, headed by Chief Engr. Zainodin A. Buisan convened the contractors for a pre-construction conference, where they were oriented on the technical aspects of the projects, program of works, and the checklists and templates that the contractors need to secure and submit for payment of their accomplishments.

Aimed at ensuring smooth implementation and the highest quality of the training centers, the conference made possible the turnover of the copies of the project plans and program of works to the contractors and the MHSD provincial engineers.