16K students, 350 teachers affected by Maguindanao skirmishes

COTABATO CITY – A total of 16,590 students and 350 teachers have been affected by ongoing clashes between government forces and Islamic State-linked Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in four towns in Maguindanao province’s second district.

Merriam Kawit, Maguindanao 2nd District schools’ division superintendent, said the affected schools are in the towns of Rajah Buayan, Mamasapano, Shariff Saydona Mustapha, and Datu Paglas.

“We are still waiting for advice from our superiors as to when we could resume classes in the affected areas,” she said over a local radio station Friday.

Kawit has called on both sides to "at least spare the children and schools” from the skirmishes, saying they have suffered enough from being displaced alone.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DSWD-ARMM) said it has recorded 12,040 families or some 50,000 individuals that have been displaced since the start of the clashes on July 1.

ARMM Executive Secretary Laisa Alamia, concurrent DSWD-ARMM chief, enumerated the breakdown of the displaced families per town-- Shariff Saydona Mustapha (1,106); Shariff Aguak (1,049); Datu Saudi Ampatuan (1,685); Datu Paglas (1,912); and Datu Unsay and Buluan (6,288).

“Despite the conflict, however, the DSWD-ARMM has monitored ‘zero’ civilian casualties so far in the field,” Alamia told newsmen during a press conference here Friday.

She said that ARMM’s Humanitarian Emergency Assistance Response Team has already prepositioned relief goods up for delivery soon to the affected areas.

“Initially, the local government units, together with DSWD workers, are providing relief assistance to the evacuees,” Alamia said.

Aside from the military-BIFF clashes, several low-lying towns in Maguindanao, particularly Northern Kabuntalan, Datu Piang, parts of Datu Salibo, Mamasapano, and Rajah Buayan, are facing problems on flooding brought about by the  inclement weather. (PNA)