27 Moro cooperatives get agri inputs from BARMM

COTABATO CITY— At least 27 large cooperatives of marginalized farmers in Bangsamoro barangays in Cotabato province, mostly former Moro secessionist guerillas, had received P11.9 million worth of farming supplies and livestock feeds from the regional autonomous government.

Cotabato province is in Region 12, but has 63 scattered barangays that became part of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao after residents voted in favor of the inclusion of their barangays into BARMM’s core territory during a plebiscite in February 2019.

Two members of the Bangsamoro parliament who have continuing humanitarian projects in the 63 Bangsamoro barangays, Mohammad Kelie Antao and the physician-ophthalmologist Kadil Monera Sinolinding Jr., separately told reporters on Wednesday that 27 big cooperatives of Moro farmers in Midsayap, Cotabato received P11.9 million worth of agricultural inputs from BARMM government via its Tulong Alay sa Bangsamorong Nangangailangan or TABANG Project last week.

"Tabang" means help in most Visayan and Moro vernaculars.  The Tabang Project is one of the flagship socio-economic projects of the office of BARMM’s chief minister, Ahod Balawag Ebrahim.

The farmers who received rice and corn seedlings, fertilizers, herbicides and livestock feeds are residents of 13 Bangsamoro barangays in Midsayap.

“This livelihood support will boost the productivity of the farmers in the Midsayap cluster of the Bangsamoro barangays in Cotabato province. These barangays are no longer under my leadership but my office is maintaining connectivity with its residents, particularly on commerce and trade,” Midsayap Mayor Rolly Sacdalan said on Wednesday.

Most beneficiaries of the Tabang Project’s Midsayap outreach activity last week are former combatants of the Moro National Liberation Front and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front that have separate peace agreements with Malacañang, relying mainly on farming and livestock raising as sources of income.

“We are grateful to local government units in Cotabato province that have not stopped providing residents of the Bangsamoro barangays with basic services despite not being part of the province anymore," Sinolinding said.