Sabah refugees to be included in CCT program

ZAMBOANGA CITY , Philippines   â€“ The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will include thousands of Filipinos displaced by the armed conflict in Sabah in the government’s conditional cash transfer (CCT) program.

Sulu Gov. Sakur Tan said the DSWD approved Task Force Sulu’s proposal to include the refugees in the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program.

From March 7 to April 5, Task Force Sulu listed at least 4,064 refugees who sailed from Sabah to Sulu by batches on motorboats. Most of the evacuees are women, children and minors, the Sulu Area Coordinating Center said.

The list of names of evacuees who are qualified for the cash transfer program will be submitted to the DSWD national office as directed by Tan.

Tan said he is also working to include the evacuees in the livelihood programs of the Department of Agriculture and in the cash-for-work program of the government.

The armed conflict erupted in Sabah after more than 200 followers of the Sulu sultanate led by Agbimuddin Kiram, younger brother of Sultan Jamalul Kiram III, landed in Lahad Datu to stake their claim over Sabah last February.

The standoff displaced thousands of Filipinos who had been staying in Sabah following reported threats and abuses by Malaysian security forces.