TENSION RISES IN MINDANAO

The conflict in Mindanao broke when the Supreme Court issued a temporary restraining order to stop the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD) between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). The MOA would ultimately expand the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) by adding 712 villages in the provinces of Sultan Kudarat, Lanao Del Norte and North Cotabato to make up the Bangsamoro homeland.

After weeks of fighting, a total of 105,776 families or 512,719 individuals are directly affected and needing assistance. These are people who either lost their houses, were displaced or those who lost their livelihoods.

According to the NDCC report, 64,404 families or 317,375 persons are being served inside and outside of evacuation centers. 18,554 families or 91,148 individuals are currently staying in 136 evacuations centers, while others are staying with either friends or relatives within the region. Misamis Oriental and Misamis Occidental continue to host 2,355 families or 11,569 persons. To date, there are 58 fatalities and 69 injured.

At least 160 houses were reported totally destroyed while 31 more were reported partially damaged. The total cost on damages in agriculture and infrastructure amounted to P19,451,266.

The total cost of assistance amounted to P45,697,157.47 from various government agencies, local government units and NGOs.