Thousands of evacuees still fleeing from Marawi City to Iligan City to seek refuge with their relatives while other evacuess are staying in an evacuation center in Saguiran, Lanao de Sur. (Photo by: RICHEL. V UMEL / Inquirer Mindanao)
COTABATO CITY — Residents residing along roads leading to Iligan City took extra steps to help people fleeing from hostilities involving the Maute Group and the Abu Sayyaf in Marawi City.
Amir Riga, a Maranaw resident of Baloi, Lanao del Sur, posted on his Facebook page images of volunteers providing free food and water to Maranaws on board all kinds of vehicles.
Amid the drizzle, volunteers called the attention of travelling evacuees who endured about 10 hours of slow traffic out of Marawi to distribute food and water Wednesday night, Riga, an employee of Baloi local government unit, said.
Marawi City residents hurriedly left the city toward Iligan after terrorists stormed the city and set on fire some areas. They also killed at least nine people, military and police said.
Riga’s post reads: “Para sa mga pupunta ng Iligan galing Marawi. Libre po ang pagkain para sa inyo. Titiisin namin yung ulan at pagod basta lang masigurado namin na hindi kayo gutom sa traffic for more than 10 hrs!. Ingat po kayo.”
(“For those going to Iligan to Marawi. There’s free food for you. We will endure rain and being tired just so we can ensure that you won’t get hungry in traffic for more than 10 hours. Take care.”)
He urged the public to donate food, if they can, for displaced families, to local disaster offices and government agencies.
He adds: “Sa mga gustong tumulong, maaari po tayong makipag ugnayan sa mga local na ahensya o pm niyo nalang po ako para po maibigay natin ang inyong tulong sa mga kapatid. Subrang kilangan nila po ay pagkain at malinis na tubig sa mga oras na ito.”
(“For those who want to help, you can coordinate with local agencies or send me a private message so that we can extend your help to our brothers. They badly need food and clean water at this time.”)
As of Thursday morning, more food and water from civilians flooded Riga’s roadside “free food station.”
“Food just coming from unknown people, mostly food, pastil (cooked rice with chicken), boiled eggs and bottled water,” he said. /atm/rga