The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) was urged to develop a culture of recognition of individual achievements, often erroneously credited to other people. residents.
Bangsamoro Member of Parliament Naguib Sinarimbo, author of the Salamat Excellence Award for Leadership (SEAL), said aside from local government officials, BARMM recognition is also in order for professionals and other individuals “whose works bring honor to the region.”
Interim Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua has recently signed the Bangsamoro SEAL Act into law,
For BARMM workers, a citation system should be developed independent of the Civil Service Commission merit-based awarding scheme that the constitutional body has developed over the years.
Sinarimbo particularly cited a Maguindanaon nurse from Kabuntalan, Maguindanao del Norte whose paper had been published by the prestigious TEPHINET, a global network of Field Epidemiology Training Programs (FETFs), based in Georgia, United States.
The TEPHINET has since July published an epidemiology surveillance paper titled, “Dried Puffer Fish Poisoning in Lamitan City, Basilan, Philippines – July 2024,” principally authored by Bai Almirah Raguia, and co-authored by Ahmad-Fawadz Israel; Mohammad Al-Mospin Milanes; Noria Juanday; Aya Al-Ani; Jocelyn Cabarles and Jasper Kent Ola—all registered nurses from BARMM.
Sinarimbo said he was set to deliver a privilege speech and sponsor a resolution alongside citations for deserving Moro individuals. But his attempts failed due to lack of quorum in the Parliament during the last campaign period for the slated polls, but which were cancelled by a recent Supreme Court ruling on BARMM Parliament’s reapportionment of six Sulu parliamentary districts..
The acceptance by the TEPHINET of the BARMM nurses’ paper has accorded their team led by Raguia an invitation to the Second SAFETYNET Scientific Conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, initially for poster presentation, slated for Sept. 22-26, 2025.
In her social media post, Raguia acknowledged the collaborative technical support provided her team by the Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (RESU), an office in MOH assigned to conduct investigation during outbreak; the Field Epidemiology Training Program (FETP), a capacity building program designed for personnel of epidemiology and surveillance units; the City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (CESU), an office in City LGU assigned to conduct investigation during outbreak; the City Health Office (CHO); and the Center for Health and Development (CHD), an office under the Department of Health activated in every region except in BARMM MOH.
A decade ago, the 2014 Fisheries Administrative Order No. 249 banned the sale and distribution of raw and processed puffer fish.
The studies find that on July 30, a social media post alerted the City Health Office of Lamitan on deaths of two children under 10 years-old and four people hospitalized due to severe vomiting and paralysis after eating “butingga” (puffer fish). A local fisherman caught a 4 kilogram “butingga” on July 26 and a local “expert” prepared and dried the fish for three days and distributed it for consumption by neighbors. This investigation determined the occurrence of the outbreak and assisted the local health unit to respond accordingly.
“Descriptive study was conducted through key informant interview using a standard questionnaire. A suspect case was any previously well individual who had ingested dried puffer fish who may or may not have developed any signs and symptoms of poisoning – weakness, dizziness, vomiting, numbness of extremities, seizure and difficulty of breathing. Investigators reviewed clinical records of cases. Residents discarded remaining dried fish prior to investigation resulting to non-confirmation of the toxin,” the paper stated.
The paper added: “Results: Twelve residents from three households consumed the dried “butingga”. Within nine hours after intake, 50 percent of the suspect cases started to develop signs of respiratory distress and neurotoxicity such as weakness of extremities, dizziness and vomiting. Ages of cases ranged from 2-58 years old (median 11 years). Majority (67%) belonged to the < 15 years age group. Most (75%) were male. All were hospitalized with two under 10-year-old children who died about 15 hours after ingestion.
And finally, the Conclusion is: “A puffer fish poisoning outbreak occurred in Lamitan City, Basilan. Confirmation of tetrodotoxin in fish meat was not done; but signs and symptoms of cases were consistent with puffer fish poisoning. The local “expert” who processed the fish was not trained under a formal certification program. Increased awareness of the community on the provisions of the policy is important in engaging the public in its enforcement. Local officials were oriented on the administrative order. Financial assistance was given to affected families. We highly recommended strict adherence of the policy which is vital in preventing morbidity and mortality from puffer fish poisoning.”
TEPHINET which is based in Georgia is developing, connecting, and mobilizing a global workforce to strengthen public health systems and advance health security, according to its website.
