By Noel Punzalan/Philippine News Agency
COTABATO CITY — The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao’s (BARMM) emergency response unit has served over 800 families displaced by the ongoing skirmishes between government forces and the Islamic State-inspired Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in Maguindanao.
Myrna Jocelyn Henry, Rapid Emergency Action On Disaster Incidence (READI-BARMM) spokesperson, said that as of Wednesday, beneficiaries of the relief assistance have reached 569 families from Barangay Ganta and another 236 families in Barangay Bakat, both of Shariff Saydona Mustapha town.
“The initial relief goods included 10 kilos of rice, 10 pieces of instant coffee sachets, and four cans each of corned beef and sardines per family,” Henry said in an interview.
Leading the distribution was Interior and Local Government Minister Naguib Sinarimbo, concurrent head of READI-BARMM, who noted that more relief assistance would be given to the displaced families in the coming days.
The displacement arose from the continuing military operation against the BIFF in the so-called “SPMS box” that refers to the adjoining towns of Shariff Aguak, Pagatin (Datu Saudi), Mamasapano and Datu Salibo.
Nine BIFF radicals and a government trooper were so far reported killed in clashes that began on July 25.
Henry said that READI-BARMM is mandated to respond and provide relief assistance to at least 20 percent of the affected population within 72 hours after the occurrence of either man-made and natural calamity, provided the security sector gives them the go-signal.
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