QC council mulls P2-M aid for victims of Zamboanga conflict

MANILA, Philippines–A P2-million donation by Quezon City to families displaced by the armed conflict between government forces and members of the Moro National Liberation Front in Zamboanga City is under review by the local council.

Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista has asked the council to authorize the donation by the city government and infuse additional funds to the relief operations being undertaken by the Department of Social Welfare and Development in the affected areas of the city.

The proposed resolution, drafted by councilors Jesus Manuel Suntay, Eufemio Lagumbay, Godofredo Liban II and Victor Ferrer Jr., asked their peers to allow the P2-million financial assistance for the victims of the armed conflict.

The proposal was referred o the council’s committee on laws, rules and internal government in Monday’s regular session.

Under the proposed resolution, the councilors said that the armed clashes caused the forced evacuation of some 130,000 residents from at least six villages in Zamboanga City.

According to the councilors, President Aquino had said that over P3 billion is needed to rehabilitate Zamboanga City and that the national government has encouraged Filipinos to send help to the people in the war-ravaged locality describing their plight as a “humanitarian crisis.”

“Honorable City Mayor Herbert Bautista, as the president of the League of Cities of the Philippines, finds it necessary to extend financial assistance to the victims of existing crisis in Zamboanga City,” they pointed out.

They said the P2-million financial aid will also be used to support efforts by the Department of Social Welfare and Development in the affected villages of Zamboanga City.