Fire displaces Maguindanao folk

MAGUINDANAO, Philippines – Last Wednesday’s fire that razed more than a hundred houses and killed three villagers in Datu Odin Sinsuat town here has dislocated 108 poor families, according to authorities.

Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Vice Gov. Haroun Al-Rashid Lucman said the most pressing problem they face now is the rebuilding of the village in Lower Taviran district that was totally ravaged by fire.

“Some of the fire victims are internally displaced people from other areas who decided to relocate to the Taviran area after having been displaced by past armed conflicts in their respective hometowns,” Lucman said.

The affected families are now cramped in public schools in Lower Taviran, a farming community.