The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has released, as of March 10, a total of P22,661,450 worth of food packs and non-food items to assist families affected by the ongoing armed conflict in Maguindanao and North Cotabato.
This includes family food packs; non-food items such as mats made of water lily, water jugs, laminated sacks, and malong.
DSWD-Field Office XII released these relief supplies either through the DSWD-Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) or through concerned local government units (LGUs) as well as through the Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH) – Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP).
DSWD also continues to closely monitor the situation of families in the nine towns of Maguindanao and the town of Pikit in North Cotabato.
A total of 16,420 families or 82,100 persons were affected by the continuing armed conflict in the towns of Datu Salibo, Pagalungan, Shariff Saydona, Mamasapano, Datu Unsay, Shariff Aguak, Raja Buayan, Datu Hoffer, and Datu Saudi Ampatuan.
Of the total, 11,269 families or 56,345 persons are staying in 44 evacuation centers set-up by the LGUs. The number of evacuation centers is down from 49 since the armed conflicts started. Affected families staying outside evacuation centers are also being assisted.
Breakdown of affected families per municipality are:
Datu Salibo with 2,268 families composed of 11,340 persons;
Pagalungan with 1,820 families or 9,100 persons
Shariff Saydona with 1,864 families or 9,320 persons;
Mamasapano with 4,297 families composed of 21,485 persons;
Datu Unsay with 224 families or 1,120 persons;
Shariff Aguak with 1,381 families or 6,905 persons;
Raja Buayan with 255 families or 1,275 persons;
Datu Hoffer with 49 families or 245 persons;
Datu Saudi Ampatuan with 1,062 families with 5,310 persons; and,
Pikit with 3,200 families or 16,000 persons.
Likewise, DSWD Field Office XII has released 1,100 additional family food packs for distribution to the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF) through CCCH- OPAPP.
“Our DSWD Field Office XII is working closely with the concerned LGUs and DSWD-ARMM for the speedy and safe delivery of the goods as well as for additional augmentation assistance, as necessary,” DSWD Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman said. ###
