North Cotabato to save farm animals of families displaced by BIFF-MILF clashes

PIKIT, North Cotabato, Philippines – The provincial government of North Cotabato has taken steps to save the farm and backyard animals of some 10,000 people who have fled the fighting between the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters.

Dr. Rufino Sorupia, the acting provincial veterinarian, said like their masters, animals such as carabaos, cows and goats owned by internally displaced persons, could experience stress or pressure that might weaken or even kill them.

The deaths of farm or backyard animals would also take a toll on the owners, who would struggle to re-establish their livelihoods without those work animals.

“That is why it is also important for us to give attention to these farm and backyard animals so they would not be ill or die at evacuation centers,” Sorupia said, adding that Gov. Emmylou Mendoza has ordered a comprehensive assistance for the evacuees here, which came from the internal villages of Bulol, Inug-ug, Poblacion, Gli-Gli at Batulawan.

Since February 24, the team from the provincial veterinarians office has examined 747 farm or backyard animals owned by the evacuees under the “Sagip-Hayop Program” of the provincial government, Dr. Mary Catherine Mato-Delima, the Veterinarian IV, said.

“We conducted de-worming and administered vitamin supplements to animals that the evacuees brought with them to the evacuation centers,” she said.

Delima said some animals have been found to suffer from various illnesses, which was probably caused by stress when they were herded to evacuation centers at the height of the clashes, which first erupted on February 13, between the Moro Islamic Liberation Front members and BIFF gunmen. (The MILF which is observing a ceasefire with the Philippine government under the peace process eventually gave way to the Philippine Army in pursuit of the BIFF.)

She said they have covered five evacuation centers under the program so far.

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