COTABATO CITY—The Bangsamoro Government, through the Ministry of Social Services and Development (MSSD) and the Bangsamoro Rapid Emergency Action on Disaster Incidence (READi), extended humanitarian assistance to the 2,873 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) affected by the recent tensions in Pikit, North Cotabato and two (2) barangays in the Special Geographic Area (SGA) Oct. 11-12, 2022.
The BARMM-READi has extended aid to 780 affected-families of Brgys. Calawag and Ginatilan, while the MSSD distributed the same to 2,093 affected-families of Brgys. Balong, Panicupan, and Macabual of Pikit Cluster 2, SGA.
To strategize response actions and ways to ensure the safety of the people while conducting relief distributions, a series of coordination meetings among the Bangsamoro READi, MSSD, Ministry of Public Order and Safety (MPOS), Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH) along with Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), Ministry of the Interior and Local Government (MILG), and concerned local government units were held.
Accordingly, the displacement of civilians started last Oct. 5, caused by a reported incident in Brgy. Calawag, which lasted for half an hour and de-escalated upon government intervention. Tensions continued in the following days which consequently increased the number of IDPs.
The READi said peace process mechanism is underway and the CCCH is devoted to resolve the matter peacefully. The Bangsamoro Government will continue its relief operations to provide assistance to the affected IDPs. (Datu Norhamidin Mamasainged/BIO)
