MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur (PIA)--The Ministry of Social Services and Development (MSSD) has allocated P87,530,000.00 cash assistance for the internally displaced persons (IDPs) from Marawi City’s most affected area (MAA).

The initial payout started last week August 11-12 wherein 636 beneficiaries received P5,000.00 each.

MSSD has targeted a total of 17,506 household beneficiaries covering 24 barangays from the MAA. These include barangays Lumbac Madaya, Sangcay Dansalan, Norhaya Village, Datu Naga, Kapantaran, Lilod Madaya, Raya Madaya I and II, Sabala Manao, Sabala Manao Proper, Moncado Colony, Moncado Kadingilan, Dansalan, Datu sa Dansalan, Bubong Lilod Madaya, Lumbac Marinaut, Marinaut East and West, South Madaya proper, Tolali, Tuca Marinaut, Wawalayan Marinaut, Boggolo Poblacion, and Barangay Daguduban.

According to MSSD Minister Atty. Raissa Jajurie, the financial aid is part of the Ministry’s interventions for the MAA IDPs. 

“Hanggang ngayon ay naghihirap pa rin ang mga IDPs and of course itong pandemic hindi lang health issue, economic issues din ito […] and so much more for the IDPs na kinailangan nilang lumikas dahil nasira ang kanilang kabuhayan, nasira ang kanilang mga bahay at mga pinag-ipunan. Kaya kakailanganin nila talaga ng suporta mula sa gobyerno,”she said.

[Until now, IDPs are still suffering and of course, this pandemic is not only a health issue, it is also an economic issue […] and so much more for the IDPs who had to evacuate because their livelihoods were destroyed, their houses and homes were destroyed. So they will really need support from the government.]

Jajurie said the cash aims to support the IDPs’ daily needs especially in this time of the pandemic.

The MSSD Minister also explained that when they made and submitted the proposal in 2019, the list was only 17,506 and that was the number included in the budget proposal that was approved.

“Yung mga IDPs na hindi po naisama sa unang listahan ng 17,506 IDPs na hindi naisama sa Kathanor ay maaaring mabigyan pa rin ng kahalintulad na halagang P5,000.00 sa ilalim ng Marawi Rehabilitation Program (MRP). Kasalukuyang isinasagawa ng MSSD at MRP ang identification at validation ng mga potential beneficiaries,” she said.

[Those IDPs who were not included in the first list of 17,506 IDPs who were not included in Kathanor can still be given a similar amount of P5,000.00 under the Marawi Rehabilitation Program (MRP). MSSD and MRP are currently conducting the identification and validation of potential beneficiaries.]

MRP is part of the Bangsamoro Government’s commitment to the recovery, reconstruction, and rehabilitation of Marawi City based on the approved committee report made by the Bangsamoro Transitions Authority’s Special Committee on Marawi.

Aside from the cash assistance, the ministry is also implementing other programs in Lanao del Sur province such as the B-CARES (Bangsamoro Critical Assistance in Response to Emergency Situation) Program, Sagip Kabuhayan Program, Kupkop Program, Kalinga para sa may Kapansanan Program, and others.

The payout will run until November 2021 to cater to all of the targeted beneficiaries. (Bangsamoro Information Office)