Arroyo orders massive aid to areas ravaged by MILF attacks

Written by GMANews.TV

Tuesday, 19 August 2008 23:06

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Tuesday directed agencies to provide assistance to all areas in Mindanao affected by recent atrocities committed by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

In a briefing, Press Secretary Jesus G. Dureza said the President asked the agencies to look into the health and welfare of residents, rehabilitation of victims and the repair of damaged infrastructure.

"The President directed Social Welfare Secretary Esperanza I. Cabral and Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III to personally oversee the giving of intervention measures," he said.

"The President also ordered the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) headed by Defense Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro, Jr. to trigger the release of funds for relief and rehabilitation of affected families and other victims."

He said the departments of Education and Public Works and Highways were ordered to inspect, assess and rebuild destroyed structures.

Mr. Dureza said the President has thanked nongovernmental organizations like the Philippine National Red Cross for helping the victims and has urged them to continue supporting the relief operations intended for affected residents.

Meanwhile, Speaker Prospero C. Nograles (1st district, Davao City) has asked Mindanao colleagues to use their pork barrel to provide relief to refugees of the Mindanao conflict.

In a statement, Mr. Nograles said he has tasked Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus B. Rodriguez (2nd district) to assess the situation and find out the extent of needed relief efforts.

Mr. Nograles said he has requested each congressman to give a minimum of P100,000.

WFP assistance

In a related development, the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) will provide an initial 400 metric tons of rice worth $308,000 to assist 96,000 displaced persons for at least one month in North Cotabato.

WFP will sustain the initial response, with the number of WFP targeted families now reduced to some 13,500 (about 81,100 persons) as against the 16,000 families initially identified, as some 35% of families have begun to return home.

WFP provides food support to affected and displaced families, both inside and outside the evacuation centers.

"Commencing Monday, Aug. 11, WFP has so far dispatched 266 tons of rice for 4,210 families in Pikit, 4,046 families in Tulunan and 432 families in Libungan," Stephen Anderson, WFP’s new country director and representative, said in a statement.

WFP staff are currently in the center of the conflict zone conducting validation assessments to help determine a sustained and targeted response. — Alexis Douglas B. Romero, BusinessWorld

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