Taguig OKs P1.5-M aid for Marawi

The Taguig City council has approved the release of P1.5 million in calamity assistance to besieged Marawi City. “We are very eager in helping our brothers and sisters. We want them to feel that they are not alone in this battle. We want this simple act to give them hope in their hearts,” Mayor Lani Cayetano said in a statement on Thursday. The council resolution noted that Marawi had been declared under a state of calamity after the Islamic State-inspired Maute group attacked the city in May. The conflict has displaced over 30,000 families or roughly 140,000 individuals and had severely damaged properties. Cayetano urged the public to pray for restoration of peace in Marawi and to extend a helping hand in whatever way they can. —Erika Sauler