Slain Marawi soldiers’ families get P1.25 M each

MANILA, Philippines - Entrepreneurs group Go Negosyo Kapatid and other organizations yesterday turned over financial assistance to the families of 101 soldiers slain in the Marawi conflict as a show of gratitude for the heroes’ sacrifices.

Each family received P1.25 million. Of the amount, P250,000 came from Go Negosyo Kapatid and other groups and the P1 million from an anonymous donor. 

“The events that have transpired in Marawi over the past weeks are truly heartbreaking. Many of our brave soldiers have laid down their lives in order to bring safety and peace amid the violence and struggle,” Go Negosyo founder and Presidential Adviser on Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion said. 

“We want to honor these courageous souls by showing that their fellow countrymen – from the government to the business sector – have not forgotten about their ultimate sacrifice…their loved ones who miss them dearly,” Concepcion said.

He said the private sector is committed to help the beneficiaries, not only by providing them with financial assistance, but also by guiding them in creating their livelihood.

Business leaders who donated to the Marawi fund include Manny V. Pangilinan of the PLDT SMART Foundation, Tessie Sy-Coson of BDO and SM Group, Josephine Gotianun Yap of Filinvest, Jaime Zobel de Ayala of Ayala Corp., Alfred Ty of Metrobank Foundation, Jean Henri Lhuillier of Cebuana Lhuillier, Mildred Vitangcol of St. Peter’s Chapel, Alice Eduardo of Sta. Elena Corp., Federico Lopez of First Philippine Holdings, Michael Tan of Asia Brewery and Philippine Airlines, Tony Tan Caktiong of Jollibee Foods Corp., Injap Sia of Double Dragon Properties, Joey Concepcion of RFM Corp., Jojo Concepcion of Concepcion Industries, William Belo of Wilcon Depot, Dennis Uy  of Chelsea Logistics, Santi Araneta of LBC and Sabin Aboitiz of Aboitiz Corp.

Other groups that provided assistance to the bereaved families were PLDT SMART Foundation, Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the DU30 Cabinet Spouses Association. 

President Duterte, former president Gloria Arroyo, Cabinet officials and military and police officials witnessed the turnover ceremony at Malacañang last night.

“Thank you for extending the much needed support for the families of our fallen AFP and PNP troops,” Duterte said. 

“My heart bleeds every time I read briefers and count the number of soldiers who died. I am the one suffering because I was the one who declared martial law and ordered our soldiers to go there to die,” he added.

Duterte vowed to set up a P50-billion trust fund for the education of the children of soldiers. He said he has so far generated P20 billion. 

Non-financial aid

Meanwhile, the government has received non-financial assistance from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for people displaced in the ongoing Marawi conflict.

Adelina Kamal, executive director of the ASEAN coordinating center for humanitarian assistance on disaster management, recently turned over the aid to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

The assistance included relief items and equipment, including four water filtration units, 3,000 hygiene kits and 600 family tents, family kits and kitchen sets.

DSWD Secretary Judy Taguiwalo thanked the ASEAN humanitarian assistance center for their help.

“We hope to continue to strengthen our partnership with them as we realize our goal as One ASEAN,” Taguiwalo said during the turnover ceremony.

The turnover was attended by Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco Jr. and Defense Undersecretary Cesar Yano, chief of Task Force “Bangon Marawi.”

The DSWD field office in Northern Mindanao will immediately distribute the relief assistance.

“We are grateful for the assistance of the ASEAN, especially the AHA center, and we hope that we can work on joint activities and programs from which the Philippines can learn,” Taguiwalo said.

Modern military

Duterte on Monday vowed to build a military over the next two years that could fight on all fronts, by recruiting up to 40,000 soldiers and buying planes and drones to confront communist and Islamist rebels.

The President said security threats in the country had increased and the military needed more troops and modern equipment to meet those challenges. “Today’s demand necessitates an Army that is strong,” Duterte told journalists.

He said he was prepared to “wait it out” before retaking Marawi City from the Islamic State (IS)-inspired rebels because protecting civilians and hostages in the conflict zone was of paramount importance.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has more than 90,000 personnel, 30,000 of them are in the Army and the rest in the Navy, Marines and Air Force.

Military analysts say the AFP needs strategic overhaul and increased funding to modernize for years. – Alexis Romero, Janvic Mateo, Rainier Allan Ronda, Roel Pareño