Workers delivered rice from the office of Bangsamoro regional lawmaker Ishak Mastura to a Muslim village in Barangay Bulalo in Sultan Kudarat town, Maguindanao del Norte, on Thursday, March 12, 2026, as a Ramadhan offering to marginalized families in the area. (Image by John Unson)
COTABATO CITY โ Thousands of Muslim families across Central Mindanao received rice, medicines, and other assistance this week as part of Ramadhan outreach activities led by local leaders and public service teams.
Mohammad Kelly Antao, a member of the Bangsamoro Parliament of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), said the office of Emmylou Taliรฑo-Mendoza has been distributing rice to Muslim communities observing Ramadan.
Since February 19, the Cotabato provincial government has distributed 28,451 sacks of rice (25 kilograms each) to families across the province. The effort is meant to support Muslim communities during the holy month, when many observe fasting from dawn to dusk and focus on prayer, charity, and reconciliation.
Local officials and community leaders said 3,014 residents in Makilala, President Roxas, Cotabato, and Kidapawan City received rice during the latest distribution activity held on Thursday.
Antao noted that the Ramadhan assistance program has already reached 66 predominantly Moro barangays in Cotabato province.
Residents in the Special Geographic Area (SGA)โeight Bangsamoro towns located within Cotabato province but administered by BARMMโalso received aid. Local leaders said communities in 63 barangays benefited from rice distribution despite the areas no longer being under the provinceโs jurisdiction.
Other BARMM leaders also conducted community service activities this week.
Teams from the offices of Ishak Mastura and Naguib Sinarimbo distributed rice, medicines, and other assistance in different communities.
In Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao del Norte, Masturaโs office provided rice and medicines to residents and installed solar lighting and wall fans in three mosques located in remote areas.
Masturaโs office also earlier allocated P6 million to the Cotabato Regional Medical Center to help pay hospital bills for indigent patients, including Muslims, Christians, and non-Moro indigenous peoples.
Meanwhile, a team from Sinarimboโs office delivered 400 boxes of medicines and vitamin supplements to a health center in Barangay Poblacion 5 in Cotabato City.
Health workers said the assistance is part of Tiyakap Bangsamoro Kalusugan, a health initiative supporting communities in Cotabato City and remote villages in the SGA with the support of BARMM Chief Minister Abdulrauf Macacua.
According to Sinarimboโs office, 13,316 residents in Cotabato City and Moro communities in Pahamuddin have received assistance through Ramadhan outreach activities that began three days before the fasting season started.
Community leaders say these efforts highlight the spirit of service, solidarity, and compassion that defines the observance of Ramadhan across Bangsamoro communities.
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