COTABATO CITY (PIA) – The Bangsamoro government, through its Ministry of Social Services and Development (MSSD), and the national government’s Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) have joined hands to boost emergency response in the Bangsamoro region.
Earlier this month, the two offices signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) in Quezon City to ensure immediate and coordinated disaster response in the region.
DSWD Undersecretary Diana Rose Cajipe of the Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) reiterated the department’s support to BARMM, emphasizing their shared vision of protecting communities and building resilience.
“I am proud to note that this is the first MOA between the DSWD and the MSSD-BARMM concerning disaster protocols, technical assistance, benchmarking, and other collaborative efforts,” Cajipe said.
As stipulated in the MOA, the DSWD will help the ministry provide physical materials and support when there is space for augmentation.
According to the MSSD, the said partnership solidifies the agencies’ commitment to streamline emergency relief operations and resource mobilization during disasters and calamities, benefiting vulnerable communities.
Under the said agreement, the MSSD and the DSWD have agreed to establish a working protocol for the provision of relief items, and collaborate closely to provide timely assistance, including food packs, shelter materials, and other essential supplies to families affected by natural disasters and conflicts in BARMM.
The agreement also emphasizes capacity-building initiatives to enhance the region’s disaster preparedness and recovery mechanisms.
In her speech, Social Services and Development Minister Raissa Jajurie underscored the importance of the collaboration to effectively provide timely response in times of disasters.
“I think more than ever, we are very conscious of the powers and responsibilities posed upon us because with bigger fiscal autonomy as well, this allows us to conduct and exercise our mandates, develop our own programs that may be different from DSWD and that’s the good thing because now we have contextualized our response to the different social welfare issues that face the BARMM,” Jajurie stated.
This development, according to the MSSD, signifies a proactive approach to disaster management, underscoring the government’s commitment to strengthening inter-agency cooperation for the welfare of the Bangsamoro people. (With reports from MSSD-BARMM)
