Rody visits wake of slain soldiers

ILIGAN CITY, Philippines – President Duterte arrived here yesterday for a briefing on the situation in Marawi City following attacks by the Maute group that he said was being aided by foreign terrorists.

The President visited the troops and delivered a speech at the Philippine Army’s 2nd Mechanized Infantry Brigade in Maria Cristina, and then proceeded to the wake of soldiers killed and visited those wounded during the firefight between government troops and the terrorists.

He also checked on the evacuation center at the gymnasium of Barangay Maria Cristina.

The President placed the entire Mindanao under martial law following the hostilities in Marawi City that displaced residents.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said relief operations were continuing in Marawi City in close coordination with local government units (LGUs) in three affected regions, including the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

“We are hoping for everyone’s safety and to preserve the welfare of the civilians in Marawi and the whole of Mindanao,” DSWD Secretary Judy Taguiwalo said.

As of yesterday, the DSWD said of the 10,000 total food packs prepared for those displaced, 1,700 have reached the operations center in Malabang, Lanao del Sur together with 10,000 plastic mats, 2,934 blankets and 2,704 dignity kits.

DSWD-Field Office 10, on the other hand, provided 136 pieces of blankets, towels, tumblers, slippers and sleeping mats to 136 evacuees staying at the Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology in Tibanga.

It has also provided 260 family food packs (at two packs per family) to 53 displaced families staying at Buruun School of Fisheries; 37 families in Barangay Pagawayan; and 40 families in Barangay Baloi.

According to the DSWD Disaster Response Assistance and Management Bureau, the number of evacuees in Lanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur has increased. Because of this, the LGUs of the provinces have set up additional evacuation centers to accommodate the displaced families.

In Lanao del Norte, two more evacuation centers were opened, including the Gomampong Ali’s Residents in Baloi and the Gomampong Gymnasium, which currently house 37 families or 185 persons.

On the other hand, five more evacuation centers in Saguiaran, Lanao del Sur were set up, including the People’s Plaza, which currently houses 89 families or 445 persons; Old Madrasa with eight families or 40 persons; and Old Masjid, Bureau of Fire Protection Office; and Department of Education kinder room, which houses five families or 25 persons.

To date, there are 112 families or 560 persons staying at evacuation centers in Saguiran.  –  With Rainier Allan Ronda, Sheila Crisostomo