Cotabato City (CNN Philippines) — Thousands of residents in the two lumad communities in Maguindanao affected by the drought received their relief assistance on Thursday (March 17) from the provincial government and from the Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO).
About 17,000 residents from the municipality of North Upi benefited from the assistance. They received relief packs with rice, noodles sardines, coffee, sugar, and fresh fish.
According to Governor Esmael Mangudadatu, 75 percent of the said municipality was heavily affected by the prolonged dry spell and required aid from the government.
He added that to sustain the intervention to the communities, they already requested for the assistance of the national government.
The provincial chief executive also added that almost all of the 36 municipalities of Maguindanao has suffered from the effects of the calamity.
Mangudadatu said that they were already preparing to conduct cloud seeding operations throughout the entire province.
Meanwhile the IPHO Maguindanao led by Dr. Tahik Sulaik, simultaneously conducted relief operations, medical and dental services, and blood letting programs to the residents of South Upi municipality, which is also affected by the dry spell.
Sulaik mentioned that their operations were part of their celebration of the international women’s month.
Most of the recipients of the program were senior citizens and children.
