Evacuees selling rations

Samira Ali Gutoc

ILIGAN City–For excluded evacuees or those without relief and disaster assistance and family access cards, please report to Grievance Committee, Task Force Bangon Marawi.

There’s discovery and gratitude even shock in the many stories of travail I hear from Marawi survivors.

Gratitude in that some people are understanding enough to “lilip” (sneak in some donation to my hand) some amount for infinitea, wink, thanks Jamel.

And to all those asking, no word yet on the transfer of residents to Marawi, except on damage assessment by the Office of Civil Defense (OCD).

But first at Robinsons’ Iligan, for those women who need to pray, I suggest looking into the vacant space at the breastfeeding room beside the restroom at the 2nd floor, past the escalator.

On the 64-dollar question if the dead were indeed Omar or Hapilon, we leave it to authorities and their forensics.

So the rumor, este story, aside from money overflowing in the hands of the terror groups, is the fact that Lanao lakeside boats, because of their much-demand around these unreachable parts of Marawi, are able to transport some passengers for a high amount of money. It is not the usual hundreds of pesos a trip.

On updates on internally displaced persons, Jamel Barataman of the office of Armm Assemblyman Amenodin Sumagayan says there is a need for camp management support for the evacuation center in Saguiaran beside the school there. Sumagayan is focusing on the children’s needs and will finance psychosocial support.

I am thankful that a friend in the Senate is able to provide information on Marawi budget support but we note that P10 billion will not be enough for all things needed.

We recall last week that Reps. Mauyag Jun Papandayan and Pedro Acharon (LGU Committee) in the meeting presided by Rep. Ruby Sahali (Tawi-tawi) reminded us that concerns for legislative oversight be submitted to their offices so they can urge concerned agencies to act on them. On the plenary on the side, we also thank Reps. Khalid and Abdullah Dimaporo (Lanao del Norte) for the support for Lanao del Norte evacuees.

Iligan City-based accountant Macadato urges serious looking into microfinance that Development Bank of the Philippines is offering support for Marawi projects.

The driver of the car I rode tells me some evacuees are selling their rice rations (even cans of sardine are piling and being sold). Cash is something of urgency, and this is how other bakwits find a way.

Some updates:

On Dafac issues – transfer of one IDP to another site. Revalidation can be done at the level of the local government units. LGU then submits it to the Department of Social Welfare and Development in the region which will submit the final list to the national office of the DSWD. This will strengthen instruction to camp managers for case management and or endorsement.

Report of excluded IDPs can be addressed through grievance committee. IDP can approach camp managers and DSWD on field.

Lanao del Sur’s Social Welfare Development Office is conducting revalidation. Priority is to include the excluded IDP in Dafac.

On issue of psychosocial counselling, trafficking, formation of a volunteer group that will report trafficking as there are existing groups focusing on child protection and gender-based violence, and women.

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Thanks Ma’am Amina Rasul for the invitation to Jakarta, to speak at the Conference of Women’s Knowlege on the theme: women, radicalism-terrorism and sexual violence. I have to be at an Army Advisory Board Meeting at Fort Bonifacio on Oct. 24.

(Samira Ali Gutoc-Tomawis, Ll.B., co-founder of the Young Moro Professionals resigned as Commissioner of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission in late May, days after the Marawi Crisis started, citing personal reasons and policy questions. Samira is one of the organizers of the Ranao Rescue Team, a group set up to respond to the crisis.)