Lumbatan LGU extends quick response to Marawi siege victims
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By ROCAYA SUMNDAD OTICAL
Iligan City, Philippines
July 28, 2017
Immediately after the attack of Marawi City on May 23 by the Maute Group and the ISIS, the local government unit of Lumbatan, Lanao del Sur, wasted no time to assist the evacuees who fled the sieged city and found shelter in the municipality.
Town Mayor Allan Lao ordered his fellow municipal workers to provide relief assistance and shelter to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
He said he was glad his constituents were so helpful and cooperative to volunteer in delivering humanitarian assistance to the IDPs. "I thank them for this," the town mayor said.
Mayor Lao told The New Ranao Star that since the siege, the LGU has already spent over 70 percent of its calamity fund. This was used, he said, to the evacuees who found shelter in Lumbatan as well as those who hailed from Lumbatan affected by the crisis.
The remaining 30 percent, he added, was used for the relief goods distributed by the LGU to fellow Maranao home-based evacuees in Iligan and Cagayan de Oro.
Mayor Lao did not leave his municipality except on urgent meetings that concern the Marawi crisis and other equally important matters.
He said Lumbatan LGU also distributed relief goods provided by the ARMM-HEART consisting of 25kls of rice, can goods, noodles, coffee and others. He said they were also able to distribute relief assistance from DSWD 12.
Last May 23, the armed Maute Group and ISIS attacked Marawi. Fights ensued between them and the Armed Forces for more than two months now. And hundreds of thousands have evacuated the city and fled to different areas.
Airstrikes and bombings destroyed homes and buildings and infrastructure in the city. Reports said hundreds were killed in the military, the terrorists and civilians. (TNRS)
