Mindanao Conference on Climate Change
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137 indigenous
Around 136 Teduray families with and average of seven in each household are now in the evacuation centers adding the number of internally displaced persons in the Province of Maguindanao, Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
The evacuation of Indigenous Cultural Communities belonging to the said tribe is a product of the continuing military offensive launched by the Armed Forces of the Philippines against MILF "hostile forces" in Central Mindanao.
The Office for Southern Cultural Communsities- ARMM, the agency promoting and protecting the welfare of Indigenous Cultural Communities in the ARMM have already conducted personal assessment on the situation of the IDP's.
OSCC-ARMM Executive Director Ms. Fatima Kanakan in an interview said that she personally conducted said assessment to immediately see the condition of the evacuees. "most of them are women and children" she said. "And they need immediate support at this point, as they have not brought anything with them when they fled their area.
Quoting the words of the evacuees, she said that " only clothes worn at that time were brought as they could not thought of anything but to escape with the mortar shelling and put their lives to safer ground". The evacuees sought refuge at Sitio Sumangkong, Guindolongan where the Barangay Chairman resides.
Five sitios were affected in the massive operations.
Director Kanakan on her part have already sent communications to concerned agencies to look into the situation of the IDP's and to provide them immediate needs. Communications have been dispatched to DSWD-ARMM through the Provicnial Social Worker Officer of the Province of Maguindanao.
International organizations like IOM and CFSI had also been informed of this renewed number of the IDP's.
"As a coordinating agency, the best that we can do is to facilitate any assistance provided for our people, although we already sent immediate assistance such as rice and medicines to our people in the area" she added.
She hopes that peace will reign soon in the said areas so that the evacuees can return to their places of origin and can work in their farms to sustain their needs.
by: Roger Egas
The evacuation of Indigenous Cultural Communities belonging to the said tribe is a product of the continuing military offensive launched by the Armed Forces of the Philippines against MILF "hostile forces" in Central Mindanao.
The Office for Southern Cultural Communsities- ARMM, the agency promoting and protecting the welfare of Indigenous Cultural Communities in the ARMM have already conducted personal assessment on the situation of the IDP's.
OSCC-ARMM Executive Director Ms. Fatima Kanakan in an interview said that she personally conducted said assessment to immediately see the condition of the evacuees. "most of them are women and children" she said. "And they need immediate support at this point, as they have not brought anything with them when they fled their area.
Quoting the words of the evacuees, she said that " only clothes worn at that time were brought as they could not thought of anything but to escape with the mortar shelling and put their lives to safer ground". The evacuees sought refuge at Sitio Sumangkong, Guindolongan where the Barangay Chairman resides.
Five sitios were affected in the massive operations.
Director Kanakan on her part have already sent communications to concerned agencies to look into the situation of the IDP's and to provide them immediate needs. Communications have been dispatched to DSWD-ARMM through the Provicnial Social Worker Officer of the Province of Maguindanao.
International organizations like IOM and CFSI had also been informed of this renewed number of the IDP's.
"As a coordinating agency, the best that we can do is to facilitate any assistance provided for our people, although we already sent immediate assistance such as rice and medicines to our people in the area" she added.
She hopes that peace will reign soon in the said areas so that the evacuees can return to their places of origin and can work in their farms to sustain their needs.
by: Roger Egas
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