BTA bills seek to construct, upgrade hospitals in Basilan

COTABATO CITY ― Four measures to upgrade and construct hospitals in Basilan were introduced by Bangsamoro lawmakers in an effort to increase healthcare facilities and provide more accessible medical infrastructure.

“Delivering health services that are easily accessible at an affordable cost in times of health emergencies and for underprivileged Bangsamoro constituents is vital to establishing a lasting peace, ensuring progress, and maintaining the progress and gains of the people and the government,” said MP Amilbahar Mawallil.

Under Parliament Bill No. 105, a level 1 general hospital with 25 beds is being pushed for at Maluso, Basilan, which will be directly administratively and technically supervised by the Basilan Integrated Health Office (IPHO).

With only one rural health unit and 15 barangay health stations, residents of Maluso have to travel to its nearby municipality in Sumisip to avail themselves of essential hospital services.

Another proposed measure is also seeking to build a general hospital in Hadji Muhammad Ajul.

Under PB No. 107, a level 1 general hospital with 25 beds will be constructed in Hadji Muhammad Ajul.

The Hadji Muhammad Ajul Rural Health Unit in Barangay Buton, according to one of the principal authors, MP Mawallil, is the only facility in said area that provides essential health care services, and patients still had to transport to its nearby municipalities during emergencies and other urgent health service needs.

PB No. 108 would also construct a level 1 general hospital with 25 beds in Hadji Muhtamad.

Currently, Hadji Muhtamad has only one rural health unit serving the health care needs of 26,867 residents.

If enacted into law, the said hospital will be under the direct administrative and technical supervision of the Basilan IPHO.

Lastly, PB No. 106 proposes to convert the Lamitan District Hospital into a level II hospital, under the direct supervision and control of the Ministry of Health.

The proposed measure aims to upgrade the apex or end-referral hospital to protect and promote the right to health of the citizens of Lamitan City and its adjacent areas.

Once approved, the provincial hospital’s bed capacity will increase from 25 to 100 beds.

Its existing service facilities and other services of the hospital are upgraded to conform with the bed capacity increase. The existing medical personnel will also be correspondingly increased.

Mawallil pointed out that people’s inability to afford transportation to access hospitalbased medical services denies them access to health care services that should be theirs by right.

“Imagine the time it takes for these residents to travel to the hospital and their plight if they endure long hours to avail of essential health services,” Mawallil said.

The proposed measures were principally authored by MPs Mawallil, Engr. Baintan Ampatuan, Atty. Suharto Ambolodto, Atty. Rasol Mitmug Jr., Engr. Don Mustapha Loong, Rasul Ismael, Hatimil Hassan, Muslimin Jakilan, and Atty. Laisa Alamia.

Bangsamoro legislators want Tawi-Tawi the seaweed capital of the Philippines

COTABATO CITY – quarter of 2022, with a total fisheries production of 346.42 metric tons (MT), or 28.6 percent.

Considered the biggest producer of seaweed in the Philippines, a measure seeking to make TawiTawi the seaweed capital of the Philippines has been introduced on first reading in the Bangsamoro Parliament.

As explained in BTA Bill No. 101, Tawi-Tawi is the leading producer of seaweed and the largest provider of the vast majority of Philippine exports.

MP Eddie Alih, the main author of the proposed measure, said that seaweed farming has become the primary source of income for thousands of coastal households in the province.

The seaweed industry in Tawi-Tawi, MP Alih said, has become a lifechanging industry that has influenced and improved the people’s quality of life.

“In support to the economic development of the province and promotion of the culture and traditions of the people, it is hereby declared the Tawi-Tawi to be the seaweed capital of the Philippines,” said in the proposed measure.

The island provinces of Tawi-Tawi, Sulu, and Basilan have significantly contributed to BARMM’s fisheries production, the majority of which comes from aquaculture.

Fisheries produced in the region included seaweeds, frigate tuna (tulingan), round scad (galunggong), big-eyed scad (matambaka), Bali sardinella (tamban), eastern little tuna (bonito), skipjack (gulyasan), Indian mackerel (alumahan), yellowfin tuna (tambako/ bariles), and tilapia, among others.

The Bangsamoro Organic Law mandates the Bangsamoro Government to ensure, support, and promote economic prosperity and the preservation and enrichment of culture within its territorial jurisdiction.

Every September, the province also holds the Agal-Agal Festival, the only seaweed festival in the country.