Muslim autonomous region spends P12-M a week for Maguindanao evacuees

COTABATO CITY, March 11 — The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) on Wednesday said it is spending Php 12 million a week on food packs alone to support more than 70,000 individuals displaced in the ongoing military law enforcement operations against the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters in Maguindanao.

ARMM’s humanitarian emergency team reported a total of 14,517 displaced families or 72,585 persons from 11 affected towns in the province as of March 11.

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Amilbahar S. Mawallil, ARMM Executive director of the Bureau of Public Information.

The affected towns include Mamasapano, Datu Salibo, Shariff Saidona Mustapaha, Shariff Aguak, Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Talayan, Datu Anggal, Midtimbang, Guindulungan, Datu Unsay, Talitay and Rajah Buayan.

Amilbahar Mawallil, executive director of ARMM’s Bureau of Public Information, said each food pack, which contains rations of rice, sardines and noodles, costs Php 450 and sustains a family for three days per standards used by the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

A family of evacuees, he said, needs at least two food packs a week to get by. The figure does not include the cost of other forms of assistance and the logistics.

On Wednesday, all 14,517 displaced families were targeted for relief. Earlier on March 3, 9,434 displaced families were served. Aside from food packs, ARMM is also extending non-food items like tarpaulin, water jars, blankets and mosquito nets, among others.(PNA)

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