The Embassy of the United Kingdom in the Philippines, along with the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) government and UNICEF, on Wednesday launched a partnership to respond to the immediate needs in the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) response and curb secondary impacts for around three million Bangsamoro people.
To be implemented by UNICEF, the over US$1 million grant from the British government’s Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office aims to strengthen the capacity in the region and respond to the pandemic.
In particular, the partnership will be focusing on risk communication and community engagement to reach around 3 million vulnerable people with important lifesaving COVID-19 messages in their own languages.
It will also ensure the continuity of essential nutrition and vaccination for around 130,000 vulnerable children and 25,000 infants in 20 municipalities and provide emergency relief support to Tawi-Tawi, Sulu, and Basilan provinces for the 5,000 returnees from Sabah, Malaysia.
In his opening remarks during the virtual launch, UK Embassy Deputy Head of Mission Alastair Totty said the British government will continue to be a committed partner in achieving lasting peace and prosperity in Mindanao for the benefit of all its citizens, especially the most vulnerable children, and families.
“We are delighted to partner with the BARMM Government and UNICEF to help strengthen capacity to deal with the challenges posed by COVID-19. Children are the future of the BARMM and they deserve to be given every chance to help shape its destiny,” the British diplomat said.
BARMM Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim thanked both the UK government and UNICEF for their support during what he described as the “biggest crisis that humanity is facing during this century.”
“With the ever-changing realities now, I remain optimistic that not only can we stand again from the public health crisis but ultimately, as the redefined Bangsamoro – harnessed through the challenges of its decades-long struggle and the birth pains of its bureaucratic transition,” Ebrahim said.
Even before the pandemic, both the UK and the UNICEF have noted that BARMM has one of the highest poverty rates in the country, as well as one of the lowest outcomes in terms of child health, nutrition, and education.
The COVID-19 pandemic has driven many families deeper into poverty and has overwhelmed an already weak health system.
And now, the pandemic brought new challenges to children and their families in the region.
As for UNICEF, the UK grant bolsters its Mindanao Field Office, providing supplies, training, and technical support to the Bangsamoro Government.
UNICEF-procured supplies include tents for hospitals, Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) for health and cleaning staff, and hand washing stations.
The UN organization also trained health workers in Infection and Prevention Control, translated and disseminated health messages to various dialects, and engaged children and youth to share their experiences of the pandemic as a way to inform future action. Working with religious leaders, UNICEF helped incorporate COVID-19 messages in their sermons.
While lauding the UK and the BARMM governments for joining hands to prevent the spread of COVID-19, UNICEF Philippines Representative Oyunsaikhan Dendevnorov said, “Bangsamoro children are some of the most vulnerable children in the Philippines. We must not allow them to be left behind in this time of great need.”