MARAWI CITY (PIA) — The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) has launched its first regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) Plan, which aims to strengthen the region’s resilience against natural and man-made disasters.
The plan outlines a comprehensive set of programs, projects, and activities across four key pillars—Prevention and Mitigation, Preparedness, Response and Early Recovery, and Rehabilitation and Recovery—for 2023-2028. It also institutionalizes preparedness, prioritizes early response, and elevates recovery efforts to ensure that affected populations can continue their lives with dignity.
In a video message, BARMM Chief Minister Ahod B. Ebrahim highlighted the significance of the Bangsamoro DRRM Plan (BDRRMP), describing it as a product of tenacity and perseverance despite challenges with data due to its newness. He said, “As a new government, we lack the baseline and data repositories. It may have started from scratch, but we’ve made it! Alhamdulillah!”
Ebrahim emphasized that the BDRRMP’s distinct feature is its deep-rooted connection to the region’s unique needs, culture, and aspirations. By considering the specific characteristics of the Bangsamoro, the plan ensures that its strategies and interventions are precisely aligned with the region’s particular challenges and opportunities.
He further urged continued efforts to promote resilience, emphasizing the BDRRMP as a guiding framework for building a better Bangsamoro.
Lawyer Sha Elijah B. Dumama-Alba, the minister of the Interior and Local Government (MILG) and vice chairperson for the preparedness pillar, highlighted the collaborative nature of the plan, emphasizing the involvement of various stakeholders from the region.
“Before this launching event, the BDRRM Council has been keen on ensuring that necessary preparedness actions are already being implemented. Through its executing arm, the Bangsamoro READi, and the four DRRM pillars, several emergency preparedness and response and DRRM initiatives have been simultaneously conducted. Yet these efforts are only snippets of what the BDRRMP really is. Now it is high time to access our first-ever Bangsamoro DRRM Plan fully,” she stated.
Dumama-Alba officially handed the BDRRMP to Senior Minister Abunawas Maslamama, who represented the Chief Minister and the BDRRM Council. Development partners and stakeholders from across the region also witnessed the launch event. (APB/PIA-10 Lanao del Sur)
