ZAMBOANGA CITY – The prices of rice have gone up in Sulu after the provincial government virtually purchased thousands of bags in the market to provide food for over 5,000 families displaced by a massive fire in the capital town of Jolo.
“Prices or rice have gone up from about P750 a bag to nearly a thousand pesos because of artificial shortage of supply,” said villager Mirah Abubakar.
The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office in a report to Sulu Governor Toto Tan said some 5,200 families were affected by the huge fire in Busbus and Walled City.
A bulletin by the Provincial Government said: “As of date, a total of 5,200 families are fire victims, per PDRRMO report. The Office of the Governor Committed to provide a bag of rice to every affected family at thru every possible means as there is no supply of NFA rice for the purpose, leaving no option but to secure commercial rice.”
The Local Price Coordinating Council has confirmed the sudden hike in prices of rice due to the shortage of supply. Malaysian goods from nearby Sabah such as noodles and other basic commodities also increases because of a trading ban by the government since June which resulted to the scarcity of cheap products from Malaysia.
Tan has ordered the purchase of noodles and necessities from supermarkets in Zamboanga City to help feed the victims. He dispatched social workers and hundreds vollunteers to ensure the safety of the fire victims, who are now in several temporary shelters in Jolo. A medical mission was also launched Friday and is continuing in the shelters.
The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) also sent relief goods to the displaced villagers with Governor Mujiv Hataman leading the humanitarian mission following the conflagration on July 24. Hataman distributed rice and other basic necessities and pledged to send more aid.
President Rodrigo Duterte flew to Jolo on July 27 and was welcomed by Tan and they led the government’s relief operation there and promised fire victims more aid to come. He said families left homeless by the conflagration will also receive at least P15,000 and materials to rebuild their homes.
Duterte was also in Zamboanga on July 26 where he visited hundreds of fire victims too and pledged to rebuilt the homes of those displaced by conflagration July 24 in Labuan village.
Former Sulu Governor Sakur Tan also sent out thousands of food packs for fire victims as civil groups and civilians called for more donations. Even the LM Metro Hotel in Zamboanga City has begun a drive and asked residents here for donations for the victims.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in ARMM said it began releasing Friday cash grants to some 1,600 fire victims who are beneficiaries of the government’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program.
Lawyer Laisa Alamia, ARMM Executive Secretary and concurrent DSWD Regional Secretary, said some 1,325 beneficiaries from Busbus; and 290 from Walled City will receive a total of P16,484,400 in cash grants. Day-care and elementary school children will receive P300 each while P500 will be given to every high school student displaced by the fire. Pregnant women who have to undergo prenatal check-ups will also be given P500 each for health allowance.
“What little we can do to alleviate their suffering should be of top most priority now. The extra amount will go a long way for the fire victims,” she said.
The Department of Education (DepEd) in ARMM is also providing psychological first aid to students adversely affected by the huge fire. Lawyer Rasol Mitmug, DepEd Regional Secretary, said they initially conducted psychological first aid to students in Grades one to six to help them cope with psychological trauma in the aftermath of the disaster.
Mitmug said they have yet to verify the total number of students affected by the fire, but initial report shows there were 92 students from Jolo National High School; over 200 students from Sulu National High School; 100 pupils from Mohammad Tulawie Central Elementary School, and 9 pupils in Asturias Elementary School. The Bureau of Fire Protection has begun an investigation into the fire as ordered by Tan to determine its cause and total damage to property. (Mindanao Examiner)
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