81 children, parents reunite briefly at Marawi jail

COTABATO CITY — At least 81 children were reunited with their parents, who are serving prison terms, in a heartfelt reunion in Marawi City on Thursday, November 14. The event was organized by the Ministry of Social Services and Development of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

BARMM’s social services minister, Raisa Jajurie, told reporters on Monday, November 18, that the event, held at the Marawi City jail in Marawi City, the capital of Lanao del Sur, was facilitated with the help of different agencies under the Bangsamoro government and the region’s health ministry. 

All of the 81 children who participated in the activity received essential supplies, including tumblers, umbrellas and hygiene kits, supplied by the office of Jajurie and the Ministry of Health-BARMM, according to Marawi City officials.

The BARMM government’s outreach activity at the newly expanded Marawi City jail, touted as a model detention facility in Lanao del Sur province, was organized for the 81 children and their parents, who are now persons deprived of liberty, to get reunited even just for a few hours.

Johynne Amilyn Nasa, who is MSSD-BARMM’s regional focal person for child and youth welfare program, said their activity at the Marawi City jail was part of the observance in the autonomous region of the 2024 Bangsamoro Children’s Month, launched two weeks ago.