Marawi evacuees reach Bicol, appeal for help

NAGA CITY—Naima Nurudin is appealing for assistance for a group of Marawi City residents now staying in this city in Camarines Sur province, amid the trauma that they suffered as they fled the fighting in their hometown.

According to Nurudin, 22, they stayed for two weeks in Cagayan de Oro City without food and decided to travel more than 1,000 kilometers by bus to Naga for two days to escape the fighting in Marawi, where government troops have been battling terrorists for almost two months now.

Nurudin is staying in an apartment that a cousin rents in Barangay Triangulo here.

She said her group fled the city when their village was bombed. She said they rented a vehicle for P10,000 going to Cagayan de Oro City to escape the fighting.
Long journey

With only limited provisions and personal belongings they could carry, they decided to take the long journey to this city where their relatives were living.

“In Marawi, if you do not die from bombs or bullets, you will die of hunger,” Nurudin said.

Armela Bongca-Paki, 40, the evacuees’ host, said feeding 16 adults and 24 children and minors had become a daily challenge.

Bongca-Paki said her relatives arrived last week, many of them sick.

At least three children continue to suffer from trauma, all of them refusing to speak or interact with others.

Nurudin said Analoding Bongca, 26, a father of five, was taken to a local hospital for internal bleeding, which she suspected to have been triggered by exhaustion and stress when the family fled the city.

Bombs along their path

She said Bongca carried his four young children on his back while his wife held their 6-month-old baby as they fled while bombs exploded along their path.

Bongca-Paki, who made a living by selling assorted items in the city center, said she had run out of money and that they still needed about P20,000 for the medication and hospital bills of Bongca, who was taken to Bicol Medical Center.

The local police sent the evacuees relief goods consisting of rice, instant noodles, biscuits and used clothes last week.

According to Senior Supt. Jonathan Panganiban, Naga police director, the village chief of Barangay Triangulo has been coordinating with his office regarding the assistance for evacuees.

Florencio Mongoso Jr., Naga City administrator, said Mayor John Bongat instructed village chiefs to monitor the situation and needs of the evacuees.

He said Bongat also asked Panganiban to document the evacuees, check their background and identify the services that the city government would extend. —JUAN ESCANDOR JR.