Wednesday, April 8, 2015

ARMM govt agencies, Army continue extending aid to displaced families in Maguindanao

From the Philippine News Agency (Apr 8): ARMM govt agencies, Army continue extending aid to displaced families in Maguindanao

Humanitarian aid for internally displaced persons continues to be provided by the government concerned agencies as well as the military.

On Tuesday, volunteers from the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), soldiers and civic groups jointly conducted relief operations in the Market Area of Talayan town in Maguindanao which served as temporary homes of thousands of IDPs displaced by armed conflict in Maguindanao's 13 towns.

The Army launched law enforcement operations against the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters which already claimed the lives of 151 Moro armed men and 10 government forces.

Fighting has waned since March 31 when the military terminated the massive operations but vowed to continue small scale offensive to fully neutralize the BIFF.

Displaced folks are reluctant to return to their homes, worried that BIFF bandits could return and rebuild camps in their villages again.

But Capt. Joann Petinglay, speaking for the regional Army unit, said the military has established positions in all former BIFF stronghold in Maguindanao's four adjoining tows of Mamasapano, Shariff Aguak, Datu Shariff Saydona and Datu Saudi Ampatuan.

Maguindanao's 13 municipalities have been placed under state of calamity to maximize the government's relief and rehabilitation efforts in conflict-wracked areas.

The latest relief operations were jointly initiated by the Anak Mindanao (Amin) Partylist, the Army’s 6th Infantry Division and the ARMM's Humanitarian Emergency Assistance and Response Team (HEART).

ARMM-HEART has been spending P2 million a month for relief food supplies of about 120,000 displaced persons.

But about 25,000 evacuees have already returned home after the Army gave the go signal that it was safe for them to go back home.

Tuesday's relief operation was also assisted by the' Kaya Natin' Movement for Good Governance, a non government organization actively supporting the national government's peace process in southern Philippines.

Amin Partylist Rep. Sitti Djalia Turabin-Hataman lauded the military for providing relief assistance and sending in manpower to make the relief distribution easy and manageable.

Petinglay said the Army is now focused on helping IDPs as well as helping their shattered communities due to atrocities committed by the BIFF.

Military doctors also helped the Department of Health in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao attend to the daily health needs of IDPs.

Dr. Kadil Sinolinding Jr, DOH-ARMM regional secretary said at least 90,000 persons remain in evacuation sites in Maguindanao, about 9,000 of whom were pregnant women.

The only child has died in evacuation center and two civilians wounded in the armed conflict.

Health Sec. Janette Garin who visited Maguindanao for three days lauded the health providers, the front liners in humanitarian dislocation in Maguindanao, for a job well done.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=751324

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