The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and its concerned field offices continue to coordinate closely with the local government units (LGUs) of Regions X, XII, and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) for the continuous provision of relief assistance to families displaced by the ongoing armed conflict in Marawi City, Lanao del Sur between the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and members of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS)-affiliated Maute Group and Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG).

“Patuloy po ang pagtulong ng DSWD sa mga concerned LGUs para saklolohan ang mga kababayan nating apektado ng operasyong militar at armadong tunggalian doon. Hangad po natin ang kaligtasan at lagi’t lagi ay mapangalagaan ang kapakanan ng mga sibilyan sa Marawi at sa buong Mindanao (The DSWD continues to assist concerned LGUs to provide aid to our fellow citizens affected by the military operations. We are hoping for everyone’s safety and to preserve the welfare of the civilians in Marawi and the whole of Mindanao),” DSWD Secretary Judy M. Taguiwalo said.

Sec. Taguiwalo also explained that since Marawi is in ARMM, the DSWD -ARMM is the first responder while DSWD-central and its Field Offices XI and XII, due to their proximity, provide resource augmentation to the autonomous region.

“Hiwalay po na ahensya ang DSWD- ARMM sa DSWD national government. Iba po ang Secretary ng DSWD-ARMM. May independence at autonomy po sila. Hiwalay ang budget nila, at hindi sila sa ilalim ng aming departamento. Gayunpaman, mahigpit ang tulungan ng DSWD national at ng DSWD-ARMM (DSWD-ARMM is separate from DSWD national government. Its secretary is different and it also has its own budget. Nonetheless, we maintain close coordination especially in delivering services to affected communities),” Sec. Taguiwalo further explained.

DSWD Field Office-XII has been assisting in the delivery of the relief augmentation composed of 10,000 family food packs and food and non-food items (FNFIs) from the Department’s National Resource Operations Center (NROC) in Pasay City to the newly-opened operations center in Malabang, Lanao Del Sur.

To date, of the 10,000 total food packs, 1,700 have already reached the Malabang operations center, together with 10,000 plastic mats, 2,934 blankets at 2,704 dignity kits.

DSWD- Field Office X, on the other hand, provided 136 pieces of blankets, towels, tumblers, slippers, and sleeping mats to 136 evacuees staying at the Mindanao State University- Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT) in Tibanga, Iligan City.

It has also provided 260 family food packs (at 2 packs per family) to 53 displaced families staying at Buruun School of Fisheries; 37 families in Pagawayan Brgy Hall, Bacolod City; and 40 families in Baloi, Brgy Hall.

Staff from the field office also assisted the LGU of Bacolod, headed by Engr. Joselito Miquiabas, in distributing relief goods from the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines with Representative Rico Guangco to the displaced families staying in the city.

Meanwhile, Iligan City Representative Freddie Siao also extended aid in the form of six sacks of rice; four boxes of noodles; and four boxes of sardines.

More evacuation centers

According to the 9AM report of the DSWD-Disaster Response Assistance and Management Bureau (DReAMB), the number of evacuees in Lanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur has increased. Because of this, the LGUs of the provinces have set up additional evacuation centers (ECs) to accommodate the displaced families.

In Lanao Del Norte, two more ECs were opened including the Gomampong Ali’s Residents in Baloi and the Gomampong Gymnasium, which currently house 37 families or 185 persons.

On the other hand, five more ECs in Saguiaran, Lanao del Sur were set up, including the People’s Plaza, which currently houses 89 families or 445 persons; Old Madrasa with eight families or 40 persons; and Old Masjid, Bureau of Fire Protection Office; and, Department of Education Kinder Room, which houses five families or 25 persons each.

To date, there are 112 families or 560 persons staying at evacuation centers in Saguiran.

Other earlier identified evacuation centers include the Lanao Del Sur Provincial Capitol, Iligan School of Fisheries Gymnasium, Saguiran Municipal Hall, and the MSU-IIT CASS Building.

Staff from the DSWD field offices continue to validate the number of evacuees staying in the evacuation centers.

More aid to arrive

The DSWD-Central Office, through the DReAMB, has prepared requests for sub-allotment and transfer of funds to Field Office XII amounting to P8,200,000 and Field Office in Region VII amounting to P19,080,000 intended for the purchase of 40,000 food packs and for handling and hauling of the goods.

The Department will also send additional 10,000 food packs to Iligan City today to be sourced from the Visayas Disaster Response Center (VDRC). It will also send staff from its disaster response bureau to provide technical assistance and resource augmentation (TARA) on the disaster response operations in Iligan City.

Sec. Taguiwalo continues to call on the public to help those affected by the crisis.

“Mga kababayan, tayo sa ating mga komunidad ang unang-unang dapat magtulungan at sumaklolo sa isa’t-isa. Madalas ay hindi agad-agad dumarating ang tulong ng lokal at pambansang pamahalaan sa panahon ng sakuna o emergency, kaya habang wala pa ang kanilang tulong, huwag tayong panghinaan ng loob at sa halip ay tayo na mismo ang umaksyon at magtaguyod sa kagalingan ng ating mga komunidad (We, in our communities, must be the first to respond and help those affected by the crisis. Help from the local and national government do not always arrive immediately. While we are waiting for these assistance, we must not lose hope and instead do our part to help our communities),” she said.#