Mamasapano folks get ARMM humanitarian aid

COTABATO CITY - Over 25,000 families displaced by the Mamasapano conflict in 2015 received assistance from the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) through its Humanitarian Emergency Action and Response Team (HEART).

ARMM-HEART, one of the flagship programs of regional governor Mujiv Hataman, aims at providing humanitarian assistance and development interventions to families affected by law enforcement operations launched by the military in Maguindanao after the Mamasapano incident. It also provides assistance to internally displaced persons (IDPS) affected by natural and human-induced disasters in the region.

Jo Henry, ARMMHEART communications officer, recalled that as soon as they received the news on the Mamasapano clash between rebels and police commandos in the morning of January 25, 2015, ARMM started monitoring the condition on the ground and sent a team to respond to the situation.

Since then, ARMMHEART had reached the 15 municipalities inside the so-called ‘SPMS box’, which include the adjoining towns of Sharrif Aguak, Pagatin (Datu Saudi), Mamasapano and Datu Salibo. These towns, which were adversely affected by the clashes, were given humanitarian assistance as well as capacity-building training on disaster preparedness and response.

ARMM-HEART has conducted activities such as Rapid Disaster Needs Assessment, Hazard Incident Management, and Water Rescue Training in target areas. The number of IDPS, meanwhile, reached 96,240 who all received food and non-food items. In partnership with other organizations, the office also conducted a series of psycho-social interventions with students in some schools near conflict areas.

Last year, 30 responders from ARMM-HEART rescue team as well as from other line agencies and the focal persons from the 15 municipalities underwent training courses on Disaster Response and Rescue and Basic Life Support.

“This is important, so that the local communities will be well-equipped with proper skills in times of need. Mamasapano is different now, we no longer have evacuues as a result of armed conflict,” Henry quoted Mamasapano Mayor Benzhar Ampatuan as saying.

Aside from medical missions, distributions of seeds and farm imports, ARMM-HEART will be holding a Mine Risk Education briefing, which will address concerns on unexploded ordnances in areas left by rebels.