Evacuees get P22M worth of relief goods from US group

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – The Asia America Initiative (AAI), a US-based non-profit non-government organization, conducted last week a four-day relief activities dubbed as "mission of hope and peace." The AAI team found thousands of evacuees housed at evacuation centers in need of medical care and food supplies as well as sanitation and clean water. It distributed P22-million worth of medicines and other relief goods, as well as toys to the children who are temporarily sheltered on evacuation centers in Iligan City and in the provinces of Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur and North Cotabato. "They had little more than clothes on their backs and with the largest population being infants and small children," AAI President Albert Santoli said. "In some cases, we had to purchase forks and spoons because they do not even have basic tools for survival," Santoli added. Thousands of evacuees are housed at the different evacuation centers when they fled their homes after hostilities broke out following the attacks staged by the breakaway factions of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) renegade groups are led by Ameril Umbra Kato alias Commander Kato and Abdullah Macapaar alias Commander Bravo. "They fear going back to their homes because of the growing threat of on-going armed conflict and terror attacks," Santoli said. Evacuees are housed at public schools and barangay multi-purpose centers. Some are in muddy fields or staying with impoverished relatives. AAI Philippines Country Director and Coordinator Rohaniza Sumndad said officials and doctors at the evacuation centers have requested for trauma counseling, especially for children exposed to extreme violence like the murder of family members. Sumndad said they have donated stuffed toys to help comfort the children at evacuation centers since the social workers in the evacuation centers have recommended that the healing activities could take the form of simple children's games. The four-day mission of hope and peace conducted by the AAI was supported by student organizations and a variety of businesses, private organizations and local government. Sumndad said they also inaugurated last week a "Gardens of Peace" project in Lanao del Sur. The project involves vegetable and flower gardening in public schools in partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP), Department of Education and the Provincial Government. – Sun.Star Zamboanga