ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews/27 January) – Families displaced by the standoff with the Moro National Liberation Front-Misuari faction in September last year will receive additional assistance from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Philippine Red Cross (PRC).
PRC-Zamboanga City Chapter Administrator Victor Liozo, Jr. said Monday that this time those who will receive cash assistance are those whose houses burned during the hostilities.
Liozo said that so far they have identified 7,000 families that will receive cash assistance, the second to be given by the ICRC in partnership with the PRC.
He said the cash assistance was set to be released in the first or second week of February, although they have yet to determine the exact amount for each family.
Last December 18-21, the ICRC and PRC gave a total of P33 million to 5,000 displaced families.
“It’s either higher or lower compared to the first cash assistance given last month,” Liozo said over the telephone.
He said the beneficiaries are from the barangays of Zone IV, Kasanyangan, Mariki, Rio Hondo, Sta. Barbara, Sta. Catalina and from Sitio Puerto Princesa, Layag-Layag and Lihang-Lihang Islands, Barangay Talon-Talon.
They were identified by the local government’s Land Management and Housing Division, City Social Welfare and Development Office and Department of Social Welfare and Development, he added.
He said the provision of cash assistance aims to help address the needs of the displaced families who are still staying in evacuation centers.
