Refugees from Marawi now 252T

CEBU, Philippines - Based on reports received by the Department of Social Welfare and Development Disaster Response Operations Monitoring and Information Center, as of June 9, 2017 a total of 252,638 persons comprising 52,460 families have been displaced by the armed conflict in Marawi City.

A total of 63 evacuation centers in Region 10 and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao are currently open with 4,254 families or 20,652 persons taking shelter.

Due to the ongoing mass displacement, relief operations for Marawi residents, who are still in different evacuation centers, need immediate attention.

“This is not a one-time thing. The people lost their homes. They have no food, no livelihood. And they are still in the evacuation centers. They need us,” said Kristine Marie Uytengsu Dino, wife of Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Dino.

As of last June 3 2,000 bags of relief goods have been distributed in Marawi and on June 8 another 2,000 pails of relief goods were flown to Cagayan de Oro and the goods were distributed on the same day to the evacuees.

Just recently, DSWD sent another 5,100 family food packs other than the 40,000 that had been distributed. However, these relief goods are not enough to accommodate all of the victims, they said.

Donations from anywhere in Central Visayas can be coursed through the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas. OPAV will then coordinate with the Central Command and the 2nd Air Division to transport the donated goods, OPAV chief of staff Jonji Gonzales said.

The DU30 Cabinet Spouses Association Inc. are also helping with the donation by calling for more donors of halal food.

Mrs. Dino said if individuals or groups from Cebu and the Visayas would like to donate food for the people of Marawi through the DU30 Cabinet Spouses Association, they should make sure the food is halal.

“Para makaon g’yud, donors can donate either sardines or tuna or anything that is not pork and has no pork and pork oil ingredients, and no alcohol mixed in the food,” she said.

Donors are for requested to give rice or noodles with no meat flavoring, ready-to-eat food like sardines in cans with easy-open tabs, powdered milk, and bottled water.

Useful non-food items like medicines, blankets, malongs, mats, clothes, toiletries, diapers, and first-aid kits are also needed.

“Pangatlong araw after na nangyari yung atake sa Marawi, nagkusang loob na magsabi na baka pwedeng tumulong ang Cabinet spouses (in the relief operations),” said Bai Norhata Alonto, wife of Mindanao Development Authority Chairman Secretary Datu Abul Khayr Dangcal Alonto, in an interview over GMA News TV.

The packing, loading to the Air Force planes, and distribution to the evacuees in different evacuation centers have been personally overseen by the spouses of the Cabinet members. —/BRP (FREEMAN)