To avoid crisis, Lanao del Sur relief agencies rushing relief aid to hostilities-diplaced families

From the Philippine News Agency (Nov 28): To avoid crisis, Lanao del Sur relief agencies rushing relief aid to hostilities-diplaced families

To prevent a humanitarian crisis, relief officials of Lanao del Sur are now rushing to extend help and medical services to families displaced by armed hostilities in the town of Butig.

According to reports from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC), a total of 1,995 families have been affected by skirmishes between a local terrorist group and government forces which began on Saturday.

The terrorist group, Dawlah Islamiya extremists composed of Maute Brothers terrorist gang, stormed the town of Butig, occupied government buildings and raised an Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) flag. The group had pledge allegiance to the international terrorist organization.

Salma Jayne Tamano, Lanao del Sur’s provincial information officer, said this afternoon that the affected families were given initial food rations and are to receive more provisions within the week.

Tamano said Lanny Alonto, Provincial Social Welfare and Development (PSWD) chief, said her office needs volunteers to help relief workers prepare the necessary food provisions and non-food assistance to displaced families.

The Army has been pursuing the Maute terrorist group with about 300 followers in the hinterlands of Butig town, employing air and ground assaults.

Reports have it that the town center had been liberated by government forces but the bandits are still occupying several outlying villages.

There were reports that Omar Maute and his brother, the group leaders, have been seriously injured and are in critical condition.

But military and police officials in the ARMM are yet to confirm the report.

Displaced civilians are now housed in various evacuation sites and are being attended to by the provincial government and other relief agencies of the national government, according to Lanao del Sur Gov. Soraya Alonto Adiong.

Gov. Adiong has assured the provincial government will provide all evacuees with enough relief supplies while they are confined in evacuation sites.

Adiong also directed the Lanao Sur provincial health office to be preemptive against highly communicable diseases common in evacuation sites by providing immunization and other health services.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=943995