(CNN Philippines) — The Maguindanao provincial board declared a state of calamity on Tuesday (March 3) after ongoing conflict between government forces and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) displaced thousands of civilians from their homes.
According to Asnawi Sinsuat Limbona, member of the Maguindanao Provincial Board, the resolution was approved by all members.
Gov. Esmael Toto Mangudadatu is set to sign the resolution on Wednesday (March 4), Limbona added.
On approval, the resolution will give the executive department the capacity to allocate the provincial calamity fund for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the area.
In the same resolution, the board also appealed to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to help protect civilians, said Limbona and co-provincial board member Bobby Katambak.
Lawyer Laisa Alamia, Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) executive secretary and chairperson of the Humanitarian Emergency Action and Response Team (ARMM-HEART), confirmed that there were about 41,180 IDPs as of 5 p.m. on Tuesday.
So far 8,236 families from 11 of Maguindanao’s 36 municipalities were displaced.
According to Katambak, Gov. Mangudadatu has been attending to the needs of the IDPs. Rehabiliation and relief teams have been deployed.
The provincial board also earlier pushed for the resumption of the congressional deliberations on the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL).
