Evacuees staying in the capitol building in Marawi City are in need of more food as Eid al-Fitr, the end of Ramadan, draws near, a crisis official said Friday.
“We are actually in need of provisions. The immediate concern is food (because) by the end of Ramadan, we have to distribute food three times a day,” Zia Alonto Adiong, Marawi Crisis Management Committee spokesperson, said in an interview on ANC’s Headstart.
The end of Ramadan is an important religious holiday where Muslims break their month-long fasting and feast with their families.
Adiong said the local government spent P8 million for the month-long supply of food and other commodities for 475 families staying in the provincial capitol and about 1,000 families staying with their relatives in nearby towns.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development on Thursday said Ramadan food packs containing ingredients for stir-fried noodles and fruit salad will be distributed to Muslim evacuees on Monday.
A P1,000 Ramadan cash assistance will also be given to each family to help them cope with Muslim traditions, DSWD Secretary Judy Taguiwalo said.
Marawi City’s population of more than 200,000 were forced to leave their homes and businesses after armed men waving black extremist flags torched buildings, shot non-Muslims, and overran the Islamic City last month.
As of June 21, at least 276 terrorists, 67 government troops, and 26 civilians have been killed due to the month-long fighting in the city, once the center of commerce in Lanao del Sur.
Source: ABS-CBN NEWS