MARAWI CITY (PIA)—Thousands of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and some tents were turned over by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to the Bangsamoro Government on Friday, June 26, at the BARMM-READi office in Cotabato City.
BARMM Chief Minister Ahod ‘Al Haj Murad’ Ebrahim attended the turnover ceremony and signed the receiving documents from Sapia Taulani, Senior Protection Associate of UNHCR.
“We [the BARMM alone] cannot address and face the challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. We need the support of the donor communities, national government, and other United Nation agencies. Our international donors are swift when responding to our needs. Their timely actions contributed a lot to our initiatives in containing the virus in the region,” Ebrahim emphasized.
“We are not yet through with the challenges and still unclear when this catastrophe ends. Nobody really knows but we need to prepare for the future,” he said.
Included in the donated supplies are 100 plastic tarpaulins (with eyelets, fire retardant 4X5m); 1,110 pieces of N95 masks; 1,110 pairs of patient care gloves; 3,000 pieces of surgical caps; 3,000 pairs of shoe covers; 500 boxes of medical masks; and 4,740 pieces of face shields.
“We extremely need these donations provided to us by the UNHCR, especially when we continue to accommodate those who avail programs set by the government,” Ebrahim said, adding that most of the medical supplies will be used for the Returning Overseas Filipino Workers (ROF) and Locally Stranded Individuals (LSI) in the region.
Taulani assured that their partnership will continue and the turnover of PPEs is just the beginning of their renewed commitment in the region.
“UNHCR is one of our first donors, who provided tents and necessary equipment when accommodating repatriated Filipinos and put them in our isolation facilities at Sibakel Island, ” said Minister of Interior and Local Government Atty. Naguib Sinarimbo, who was also present during the ceremony.
“This turn-over ceremony is a manifestation of a continuing partnership between BARMM and UNHCR as our donor community,” he added. (BPI/PIA ICIC)
