The Office of the Minority Floor Leader (OMiFL), in partnership with the local government unit of Barangay Semut in Akbar, Basilan, provided iftar meals last May 7 for about 400 people — 50 of whom broke fast at the Semut Masjid, while the rest of the meals were delivered to households across the barangay.
With the support of the OMiFL, local staff prepared arroz caldo and local delicacies, paired with watermelon sourced from a local vendor who expressed his gratitude for having sold all of his goods in just one day. The arroz caldo was prepared by a local women’s group that volunteered to help in the preparation of the iftar. Drinks were also provided along with the food that was distributed to residents of Barangay Semut.
One of the women volunteers said, “I’m glad we are able to hold an iftar in the masjid this year, since last year’s Ramadhan was particularly difficult that we couldn’t even give food to our neighbors out of fear due to the pandemic.” Another volunteer said that she is happy for the opportunity to volunteer for the iftar, because it will hopefully give her more reward and blessing during the holy month of Ramadhan.
The Semut LGU, on the other hand, provided packed lunch, fish, sandwiches, and pizza, as well as coffee.
