AFP assists 128 displaced Filipinos from Sabah

From the Philippine Information Agency (Apr 2): AFP assists 128 displaced Filipinos from Sabah

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has continued to assist hundreds of displaced Filipinos from Sabah who are fleeing from the ongoing tension there.
Col Rodrigo T. Gregorio GSC (INF), Commander PIO of Western Mindanao Command (WesMinCom) disclosed in a press statement that on March 29, 2013, another set of displaced persons from Sabah arrived in Zamboanga City aboard a Philippine Navy vessel, BRP Apolinario Mabini.

With direct instruction from WesMinCom, the said vessel picked up the 128 DPS (displaced persons from Sabah) at Taganak, Tawi-Tawi last March 28 and proceeded to Jolo Pier in Sulu to drop the 55 of the 128 DPS who came from the said province.

Then from Jolo Pier, BRP Apolinario Mabini set out towards Zamboanga City to ferry the remaining 73 DPS and at around 12:40 p.m. of the same day the Apolinario Mabini arrived at Ensign Majini Pier, Naval Station Romulo Espaldon, Lower Calarian, Zamboanga City.

Gregorio said upon the arrival of the DPS at Ensign Majini Pier, personnel from the Crisis Management Committee (CMC) BASULTA (Basilan-Sulu-Tawi-Tawi) were already in the area. The DPS were then transported to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Processing Center at Bargangay Talon-Talon in this city where they would be documented for proper identification.

Since the tension started in Sabah, hundreds of Filipinos fled and arrived in Zamboanga in batches. The displaced Filipinos are mostly from Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi. These provinces have also set up crisis management teams to receive, document, and assist returning Filipinos.

The AFP through the WesMinCom has been ready to provide necessary assistance to those who have been affected by the Sabah crisis, exhausting all its resources, from transportation to manpower to ensure that proper assistance is being provided to DPS.

Team Basilan has also been leading the reception and assistance of returning Basileños. The provincial and local governments, together with the local social welfare personnel and the 104th Sultan” Brigade have provided meals, relief goods, and transportation to the displaced persons. A staff from Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) is also around to encourage displaced Filipinos to enroll in its livelihood skills training program.

http://www.pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?article=1421364804816