ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanao Examiner / Sept. 22, 2013) – Sulu province on Sunday handed over to Zamboanga City over P3 million in initial aid to help feed over 100,000 refugees who fled the fighting between military and rebel forces.
Sulu Governor Totoh Tan and his mother Hajja Nurinisah Tan, who heads the Sulu Provincial Women’s Council led, handed over some P1.5 million in cash and relief goods to Zamboanga Mayor Maria Isabelle Salazar and Councilwoman Myra Abubakar, who is in-charge of donations.
Vice Governor Sakur Tan – who was one of those who actively raised donation funds for Zamboanga – lent his cargo boat to transport the relief aid, which included hundreds of bags of rice, noodles, bottled war, canned goods, clothing and blankets, and medicines and vitamins.
At least 8 huge trucks were used to haul all the relief goods from the pier.
“This is the first batch of relief aid that we are giving to Zamboanga. This aid came from the provincial government, including from the mayors of the 19 municipalities of Sulu, and various civil society groups and nongovernmental organizations,” Governor Tan told reporters.
Governor Tan and his mother, accompanied by some of the provincial legislators and members of the women’s council also met separately with Salazar and expressed their sympathy to the humanitarian crisis in Zamboanga.
Mrs. Tan said they more relief aid is expected to arrive in Zamboanga as they continue to pool donations in Sulu.
“We consider Zamboanga as our second home. Many from Sulu are staying and studying in Zamboanga because of its proximity to our province and so we really wanted to help Zamboanga and the people affected by this conflict and we hope this would end soon, peacefully,” she said.
Salazar was all praised to the people of Sulu and the provincial government because despite being also affected by the fighting, officials still managed to send a boat load of relief aid for the refugees. All sea and air travels to Sulu have been suspended for two weeks now.
“We are so grateful to Mother (Nurunisah Tan) and to Governor Totoh Tan and all those behind this effort and the people of Sulu and we really appreciate it very much,” Salazar said.
Vice Governor Sakur Tan, who was also one of those who actively raised donation fund, lent his cargo boat to transport the relief aid, which included hundreds of bags of rice, noodles, bottled war, canned goods, clothing and blankets, and medicines and vitamins.
The Tans are known philanthropist in Sulu and of the most respected family in southern Philippines.
“In behalf of the City Government and our Mayor Salazar and members of the City Council, we would like to thank the Sulu provincial government as well as the NGOs and the Sulu Provincial Women’s Council for these important donations. All these will benefit our refugees,” Abubakar said. (Mindanao Examiner)
20