DATU SALIBO, Maguindanao del Sur — At least 1,000 individuals displaced by armed conflict and currently staying in an evacuation center here have received much-needed assistance from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) during a three-day relief operation from June 24 to 26, 2025.
The aid package included cash grants, household items, and hygiene kits. Each family was given Php 4,500 to help meet their immediate needs such as food and basic necessities, as well as essential items for daily living in the evacuation site.
“The families have faced many challenges since they were displaced last year due to armed conflict. We hope that the assistance they have received could help pave the path to their recovery,” said Rim Hajji, head of the ICRC’s Cotabato office.
Many residents of Maguindanao del Sur have been struggling with the effects of ongoing violence that began as early as 2015, compounded by frequent flooding and typhoons that continue to worsen their living conditions and threaten livelihoods.
The Philippine Red Cross, ICRC’s local partner, supported the distribution process to ensure that the aid reached the intended recipients efficiently.
This latest initiative is part of ICRC’s continuing support to conflict-affected communities in Mindanao. In April, the organization also delivered humanitarian assistance to vulnerable families in other parts of the region: more than 260 families in T’boli, South Cotabato received cash grants and livelihood tools; nearly 70 people in Ampatuan, Maguindanao del Sur were provided with cash assistance and corn seeds; and over 140 families in Tapurog, Lanao del Sur benefitted from the distribution of five agricultural machines.
The ICRC is a neutral, impartial, and independent humanitarian organization mandated to protect the lives and dignity of victims of armed conflict and other situations of violence. It provides humanitarian assistance regardless of political affiliation and works to promote awareness and respect for international humanitarian law.