Four faces of conflict in southern Philippines. Some of the 270,000 residents in Central Mindanao that were displaced by armed conflict between government and MILF forces.Amidst a volatile situation in Central Mindanao brought about by armed conflict between government troops and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels, the Regional Disaster Coordinating Council (RDCC) IX has mapped up preparation and response for the possible upsurge of evacuees in the region.
Top officials of RDCC in Region 9 met in the city yesterday with thirty-five heads of the different government line agencies who are members of the council for a regional cluster preparedness and response planning workshop.
Disaster coordinating council Director Adriano Fuego of Region 9 said the RDCC is preparing for the rise of internally displaced persons due to the situation in Cotabato and Lanao that might escalate in Zamboanga Peninsula.
"So we are preparing what are their (IDPs) needs and more or less we're assessing, determining their needs because we have scenario on the basis of population of three provinces," he told reporters in an interview.
In the event of massive evacuation, disaster or other large-scale emergency, Fuego added that the RDCC and its members will provide a coordinated, comprehensive response and mount a swift and effective action for IDPs.
Asked how high the possibility that the conflict in Central Mindanao will escalate in Western Mindanao, he replied: "When we plan, we based on a worse case scenario and then the worse scenario is it could really come to Region 9."
According to Fuego, the reported sighting and presence of armed men in coastal villages of Zamboanga plus the persisting threats from other group (Abu Sayyaf) are indicators that the region is vulnerable to that kind of situation.
"We are more prone to human-made conflict than the natural disaster so it's hard to control and stop it," he said. "That's why we have the so-called cluster approach to response to it."
As of press time, the number of evacuees in Mindanao, particularly in North Cotabato, Lanao del Norte, and Maguindanao displaced by fighting between government and MILF forces has reportedly reached to more than 270,000.
Top officials of RDCC in Region 9 met in the city yesterday with thirty-five heads of the different government line agencies who are members of the council for a regional cluster preparedness and response planning workshop.
Disaster coordinating council Director Adriano Fuego of Region 9 said the RDCC is preparing for the rise of internally displaced persons due to the situation in Cotabato and Lanao that might escalate in Zamboanga Peninsula.
"So we are preparing what are their (IDPs) needs and more or less we're assessing, determining their needs because we have scenario on the basis of population of three provinces," he told reporters in an interview.
In the event of massive evacuation, disaster or other large-scale emergency, Fuego added that the RDCC and its members will provide a coordinated, comprehensive response and mount a swift and effective action for IDPs.
Asked how high the possibility that the conflict in Central Mindanao will escalate in Western Mindanao, he replied: "When we plan, we based on a worse case scenario and then the worse scenario is it could really come to Region 9."
According to Fuego, the reported sighting and presence of armed men in coastal villages of Zamboanga plus the persisting threats from other group (Abu Sayyaf) are indicators that the region is vulnerable to that kind of situation.
"We are more prone to human-made conflict than the natural disaster so it's hard to control and stop it," he said. "That's why we have the so-called cluster approach to response to it."
As of press time, the number of evacuees in Mindanao, particularly in North Cotabato, Lanao del Norte, and Maguindanao displaced by fighting between government and MILF forces has reportedly reached to more than 270,000.
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