ARMM provides relief aid to Basilan families affected by conflict

From the Philippine News Agency (Jul 21): ARMM provides relief aid to Basilan families affected by conflict
 

The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) in partnership with the Anak Mindanao partylist has conducted simultaneous medical and relief operation in three municipalities affected by the ongoing military offensive against the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) brigands in Basilan province.

Governor Mujiv Hataman of ARMM led the delivery of humanitarian assistance to the affected families with his wife Anak Mindanao Partylist Representative Sitti Djalia Turabin-Hataman assisting him.

The officials of the Basilan provincial government, region’s Social Welfare and Development department, the ARMM - Humanitarian Emergency Action and Response Team (ARMM-HEART), and the Integrated Provincial Health Office-Basilan joined the two officials in the distribution of the relief assistance.

Myrna Jo Henry, ARMM-HEART information officer, said the relief assistance given to the affected families included rice, noodles, coffee, and sardines as well as medical aid.

At least 3,000 families from the towns of Al-Barka, Tipo-Tipo and Ungkaya Pukan were displaced in the ongoing military offensive against ASG brigands in Basilan.

Henry said the ARMM-HEART convergence team headed by Ramil Masukat, regional disaster risk reduction management officer, has been in the area since July 19 to validate the number of affected families, deliver relief assistance and provide other appropriate interventions.

“The ARMM government will serve another 500 affected families this week,” Henry said.

ARMM-HEART is an emergency rapid response team that provides coordinated actions by all regional line agencies to limit the adverse impact of disasters and conflicts in affected communities.

Haber Asarul, ARMM assemblyman in the lone district of Basilan, said the provincial government headed by Basilan Governor Hajiman Hataman-Saliman provided around 5,000 food packs to the affected families last week.

He said most of the displaced families are from the barangays of Bohe-Piang and Magcawa in Albarka town, Silangkum and Baguindan in Tipo-Tipo, and Sungkayut and Matata in Ungkaya Pukan.

Hataman said the regional government will closely monitor the ongoing military offensive in Basilan to ensure the safety of the affected residents.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=906037