By Warren Elijah E. Valdez
DAVAO CITY – The Bangsamoro government bared that the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) isolation facility being constructed adjacent to the Cotabato Sanitarium Hospital in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao is “almost complete”.
In its Facebook post on Thursday, May 21, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM)-Ministry of Public Works (MPW) bared that the 100-bed capacity isolation facility is set to be launched on May 28.
The facility is a project of the Bangsamoro government through its Bangsamoro Inter-Agency Task Force (BIATF) on COVID-19.
Meanwhile, various local governments in BARMM have also already taken their initiative to put up their own designated COVID-19 community solation facilities (CIFs).
On May 1, the municipality of Datu Abdullah Sangki (DAS) in Maguindanao has inaugurated the opening of its COVID-19 Control and Prevention Center.
The province of Lanao del Sur, meanwhile, has converted a 46-housing facility into a community quarantine facility at Barangay Emi Punud in Marawi City.
The municipality of Datu Blah Sinsuat in Maguindanao also has a similar COVID-19 facility currently under a construction in progress.
Previously, the Office of BARMM Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim allotted P155 million for its local government units to utilize in intensifying their means of preventing the spread of COVID-19 in the region.
A total of P50 million was allocated for the establishment of isolation buildings and P100 million has been allotted for the procurement COVID-19 related health supplies and material requirements in the region.
As of April 30, the Bangsamoro government bared that it has already released almost P1.9 billion through its Ministry of Finance, and Budget, and Management in response to the COVID-19 health crisis in its region.