Datu Piang, Maguindanao—Disaster workers have had to face twin challenges in families fleeing flooded homes and areas of persuasive military offensives against suspected lairs of local extremists in Maguindanao.
Bangsamoro Chief Minister Ahod Balawag Murad Ebrahim yesterday deployed his government’s Disaster Risk-Reduction Management Council workers to serve close to 600 families displaced either by massive flooding in five municipalities, or by persuasive military operations on extremists holed in interior villages.
Interior and local government Minister Naguib Sinarimbo of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao said the region’s trained DRRMC workers were deployed both on rescue operation and for humanitarian works to areas affected by floods and armed conflict.
Sinarimbo said 236 families have left homes in Barangay Bakat in Rajah Buayan, and 590 more families have evacuated in Barangay Ganta in Datu Piang, Maguindanao.
DRRMC-BARMM workers dubbed Rapid Emergency Assistance to Disaster Initiative were also out to rescue residents believed being barred from fleeing by extremists believed positioned in Barangay Dasawaw, an interior village in Datu Piang town.
Ebrahim has created READI under Executive Order No.12 and is provided with funds drawn from his office.
Sinarimbo said BARMM’s READI placed under his office is served by humanitarian personnel trained on rescue operations in emergency situations.
He said the team was planning on another strategy to get in touch with residents and officials of Dasawaw village, after a “no-go” military advisory had prevented them to move in on Friday.
Sinarimbo said military personnel had escorted his team of READI workers but that they were prevented from proceeding on road to Dasawaw village.
