BAGUIO CITY — Some 68 personnel and volunteers of an organization helping internally displaced persons in Marawi on Saturday joined the commemoration of the 121st Rizal Day in this city.
Salic Ibrahim, chief executive officer of the Maranao People Development Center Inc (MARADECA), said the visit is part of the ongoing psycho social intervention for their personnel who during the Marawi siege served their fellow residents at the evacuation centers.
“We are also displaced like the others from Marawi but we came together and decided to help because there were others who needed help. Maraming may kailangan ng tulong at dahil kami rin ayaw naming manghina (There were many who needed help and we wanted to also boost our morale),” he said on the sidelines of the commemoration activity.
He explained that for many months, their people aided others to continue on hoping for the best, giving them morale support.
With the end of Marawi conflict, the group decided to take advantage of the holidays for them to rest and relax, and to join the city’s celebration of the martyrdom of our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal.
“Victims din kami, marami sa amin nawalan ng bahay, nasunog, nadisplace, na loot ang mga bahay at nawalan ng importanteng mga gamit,” (We are also victims, many of us lost their homes through fire and were displaced, we lost our valuables when they were looted)” but they continued to gain strength from their situation by helping fellow Maranaos recover from the emotional and psychological effect brought about by the war.
From Marawi, they travelled to the northern part of the country, dropped by Alaminos in Pangasinan, Vigan City in Ilocos Sur, Laoag City in Ilocos Norte and they arrived in Baguio after midnight of December 30.
“We decided to come to the north para maiba naman ang ating atmosphere (we decided to visit the North as a change in atmosphere) and also connect with other people outside our place.”
He said that the psycho-social intervention activity, specifically the trip to the northern part of the Philippines is jointly funded by MARADECA donors and from the personal fund of those who were able to join the trip, aimed at rejuvenating the drive of their personnel and members to continue doing community service.
MARADECA has 168 staff members but some were unable to join in Baguio City.
In the city, the group will be toured by a counterpart non-government organization to the different tourist attractions like the Philippine Military Academy and at the strawberry farms in La Trinidad, Benguet.
In the evening of December 31, they will travel back to Manila straight to Marawi for the new year. (PNA)
