ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanao Examiner / Dec. 22, 2013) – President Benigno Aquino flew to Zamboanga City on Sunday and briefly inspected temporary government shelters now occupied by hundreds of war refugees.
Aquino, in his 8-minute speech before a controlled crowd of refugees at the sports complex, assured them of the government’s rehabilitation efforts, saying his administration is working closely with various agencies to rebuild houses destroyed during three weeks of street battles between separatist rebels and security forces in September.
Reading from his speech, Aquino, who was heavily guarded, spoke from a makeshift stage, showed posters of houses and structures of what he claims to be the government’s answer to the housing woes of the refugees, who are being forced to relocate away from their villages damaged by war.
“Naka-angkla ang atin plano sa isang malinaw na estratehiya. Ang estratehiya ay simpleng-simple. Hindi lang natin gustong burahin ang bakas ng nangyaring karahasan at hangad rin natin isulong ang ganap na pagbangon ng Zamboanga.”
“Sisigurihin natin na hindi na kayo muling mahaharap sa parehong banta at peligro. Sa kabila ng matinding pinsala na dulot ng trahedya ay binubuksan natin ang mga pagkakataon upang ihatid kayo sa ligtas at mas mabuti at mas maasyos na kalagayan,” he said.
Aquino, accompanied by Mayor Maria Isabelle Salazar, said the government has already spent some P273.8 million in relief aid and cash-for-work program for over 120,000 people displaced by the fighting and that he allocated an additional P3.5 billion for the rehabilitation efforts here.
After his speech, Aquino, who came from Compostela Valley province, hurriedly left leaving behind many refugees and their leaders, and local journalists who wanted to ask questions to the President.
One refugee said: “I wanted to ask him about our dire situation here. We have no food and the government only gives us one pack a week and this is not even enough to feed a small family.”
Salazar praised Aquino for his support to Zamboanga’s effort in rebuilding the city from the destruction left by the fighting that killed and wounded over 400 people. “Thank you for your leadership and for giving the people of Zamboanga hope and confidence to rise again,” she said. (Mindanao Examiner)
20