MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, March 4 --- The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) conducted a humanitarian mission Tuesday, March 3, in the municipalities of Mamasapano, Datu Saudi and Datu Salibo in Maguindanao.
ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman led the humanitarian mission together with local officials and other disaster response partners of the region to give assistance to families displaced by the ongoing joint law enforcement operation of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police against the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in the province.
The mission included food and medical assistance, psychosocial interventions and sessions on mine-risk education.
The military offensive in at least 8 towns has already displaced around 8,300 families or 40,000 individuals. Affected municipalities include Shariff Saydona, Mamasapano, Datu Unsay, Shariff Aguak, Datu Salibo, Rajah Buayan, Datu Hoffer and Datu Saudi.
The fighting has also disrupted the classes of at least 16,000 elementary and secondary students.
In an emergency meeting of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (RDRRMC) on Monday, Hataman emphasized the urgency of responding to the needs of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
He said they are closely coordinating with the national government to ensure that the basic needs of affected individuals will be attended.
Since February 28, the ARMM through its Humanitarian Emergency Action Response Team (HEART) served a total of 7, 208 families plus another 4,323 families from the humanitarian mission Tuesday.
Sapiya Pangadil, 60, of Barangay Tina in Mamasapano town is thankful to the ARMM government for the help, but prays the frequent armed conflict in their place would end so that her seven grandchildren can finish their schooling.
Moreover, Hataman said they will address issues on education and the health of the IDPs staying in evacuation sites. (Bureau of Public Information-ARMM/APB/PIA-10)
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