OPAPRU’s Duyog Ramadan delivers rice aid to transitory sites

About 197 families in Dulay Proper temporary shelter benefit from the rice distribution of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) through its Duyog Ramadan program. (Michael John Paclar/PIA-Lanao del Sur)

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur--In line with the celebration of the holy month of Ramadan, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) through its Duyog Ramadan program and in close coordination with the Task Force Bangon Marawi (TFBM) delivered sacks of rice to internally displaced persons (IDPs) currently situated in temporary shelters. 

Such an initiative benefited at least 197 households from Dulay Proper transitory shelter Wednesday, April 27.

Prior to this, some 119 families residing in Bakwit village in the municipality of Matunggao in the province of Lanao del Norte who also became fire victims in the previous month received their share Tuesday, April 26.

With the effort of the program, recipients conveyed their gratitude to the OPAPRU, stating that this is timely especially since they need food for this month. 

“Maraming maraming salamat… Talagang masaya kami. Talagang tinutulungan nila ang Dulay Proper kasi talagang mahirap dito... Talagang nakakaiyak ang pagbigay ng [OPAPRU]. Sila ang first time na nagbigay sa amin sa Ramadan,” said IDP Hadja Noronisa Abdullah from Dulay Proper transitory shelter.

[Thank you so much… We are really happy. They are really helping us here in Dulay Proper because it is so difficult here… I really want to cry with the giving of [OPAPRU]. They are the first ones to give to us during Ramadan.]

Omar Mondas who is a displaced person at the same site expressed his gratefulness as well as looked forward to the end of Ramadan with rice already.

“Manalamat kami sa [OPAPRU] at sa lahat. Ang tulong ninyo ay importante sa amin para sa Eidul-Fitr. Manalamat kami sa nakuha naming rice,” he said.

[We would like to thank OPAPP and everyone. Your help is important to us for the Eidul-Fitr. We are thankful for the rice we received.]

 

Dulay Proper transitory shelter IDP Sittienor Pascan Macadaub, on the other hand, extended her delightedness noting that the sacks of rice will ease their struggle with the absence of sufficient livelihood among residents in the area. 

“Nagpapasalamat kami sa [OPAPRU] sa bigay nila sa amin. Malaking tulong ito sa aming mga nakatira dito sa Dulay kasi walang business dito. Wala kaming kabuhayan dito. Nahihirapan kami dito. Sa ibinigay na rice, talagang makakatulong ito. Nagpapasalamat kami talaga… Malaking tulong ito kasi buwan ng Ramadan. Ito lang ang natanggap naming blessing,” she said. 

We are thanking [OPAPRU] for what they have given to us. This is a big help for us living here in Dulay because there are no businesses here. We do not have a livelihood here. We are having difficulty here. With the rice given, it can really help us. We are really thankful… This is a big help because it is the month of Ramadan. This is the only blessing that we received.]

Apart from the rice aid, the OPAPRU likewise spearheaded a peace conversation for the residents to address their issues and concerns on the ground while an Iftar was hosted afterward. (CRG/PIA-Lanao del Sur)