Led by Director General Esmael W. Ebrahim, a team from the Ministry of Human Settlements and Development, the Housing Arm of the BARMM, validated land in Camp Sambolawan, Brgy. Laguitan, Datu Blah Sinsuat, Maguindanao today for a Resettlement Project of 50 housing units with solar panels and water system level 2.
DG Ebrahim shared that the project was initially proposed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Agrarian Reform (MAFAR) to the Bangsamoro Planning and Development Authority through Special Development Fund-Project Management Office (SDF-PMO), who then dubbed the MHSD as implementing agency with fund sourced from the SDF 2021.
The project identified residents of the area from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) to be beneficiaries of the housing units, the procurement of which will be discussed during the MHSD Management Committee Meeting the following week.
The site validation team traversed via Lebak municipality in Sultan Kudarat Province through van, motorbike, and foot to reach the mountainous site, which brought perspective on the community’s situation and its access to the rest of the municipality, especially as the center of conflict during the 1970s.
“When we say camp, we think of violence, but Sambolawan is a community of families and livelihoods, next to the ocean that merely lacks proper housing,” DG Ebrahim reflected after the visit.
The residents were thankful for the site validation team’s visit, as it was hope to fulfill their dream of having their own homes with solar powered lights and immediate access to water and roads.
Assisting DG Ebrahim were Salem C. Demuna, Director II for Operations and Management Services, Engr. Zainodin A. Buisan, Chief of Planning and Design Division, Engr. Yasser M. Rapun, Chief of Housing and Human Settlements Division, and Abdulmunain S. Ebil, Chauffeur.
Representing MAFAR during the site validation was Engr. Fahad Kanakan, Planning Officer III who introduced the project to the MHSD Planning Team.