COTABATO CITY, Philippines โ Nearly 5,000 low-income residents in four Special Geographic Area municipalities in Cotabato have received medical and humanitarian missions over the past three years through joint health missions led by the Bangsamoro regional government, according to the Ministry of Health.
Ministry records showed that 4,943 residents, including children and senior citizens from the municipalities of Malidegao, Old Kaabakan, Kapalawan and Ligawasan, benefited from medical consultations, health services and humanitarian aid from 2023 to 2026.
The figures cover only the four municipalities and exclude beneficiaries served during earlier missions from 2022 to 2024, the ministry said.
The ministry, the office of Health Minister Kadil Sinolinding Jr., local government units in the Special Geographic Area, and the Cotabato provincial government under Gov. Emmylou Taliรฑo-Mendoza partnered to carry out the health missions.
Sinolinding, an eye specialist trained in India and a member of the 80-seat Bangsamoro Parliament since 2022, also oversees several special assignments in addition to leading the regional health ministry.
Residents and local officials from Malidegao, Old Kaabakan, Kapalawan and Ligawasan expressed appreciation Saturday for what they described as sustained cooperation between regional agencies and local governments in expanding access to health care and other public services.
The parliament created the eight Special Geographic Area municipalities, and the regional government administers them even though they are geographically located within Cotabato province in Region 12.
Authorities assigned the health minister to oversee improvements at the Luuk District Hospital in Sulu and the Tamparan District Hospital in Lanao del Sur.
Lanao del Sur Gov. Mamintal Adiong Jr. said initiatives involving Sinolinding and other regional officials helped improve hospital operations, including financial management and public service delivery.
Adiong also said Tamparan District Hospital and Lanao del Sur Provincial Hospital received new service vehicles, while the provincial hospital was equipped with a multimillion-peso solar power system through support from the United Nations Development Programme and the Japanese government.
Local officials in Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Lanao del Sur and the Special Geographic Area municipalities separately commended Sinolinding for carrying out his responsibilities as health minister while managing additional assignments aimed at strengthening health services across the region.
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