(Eagle News Service) – Lanao del Sur Crisis Management Committee spokesperson Zia Alonto Adiong thanked the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church of Christ) for its help in providing food and non-food provisions to Marawi evacuees.
Adiong, who is also the Lanao del Sur first district assemblyman, said that the 100,000 relief items provided by the INC recently have benefited all the evacuees from Marawi City who were staying in Baloi and Iligan City.
He particularly thanked INC Executive Minister Brother Eduardo V. Manalo for the INC’s help.
“Nais ko pong magpasalamat sa kabuuan po ng Iglesia Ni Cristo, lalong lalo na kay Kapatid na Eduardo, sa pagbibigay ng 100,000 food items – non-food at food provisions – para po tulong sa ating mga evacuees sa Marawi City. Marami pong nabigyan nitong food packs na ito. Lahat po ng mga evacuees sa giyera sa Balo-i, pati po sa Iligan City, ay na-service na po nitong tulong na naibigay ng Iglesia Ni Cristo,” said Adiong, who is also an alumnus of New Era University.
He noted that the “humanitarian crisis” in Marawi brought about by the ongoing armed conflict has led to a “tremendous loss of lives and properties and has caused unimaginable sufferings and pain to our people who are continuously braving the harsh conditions in evacuation centers.”
In fact, he said since the May 23 attack in Marawi City, the tally of Internally Displaced Persons of Marawi City and Lanao del Sur has reached “a staggering number of 583,000.”
He said the “home-based IDPs” were now scattered across the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, CARAGA region, Region X, Region XII, Region VI and Region VII.
“We would like to take the occasion of the Iglesia ni Cristo 103rd founding anniversary celebration to convey our utmost gratitude for the humanitarian support they have extended to our evacuees at the Baloi and Saguiaran evacuation sites,” he said in an official statement released by the Provincial Crisis Management Committee of Lanao del Sur on Thursday, July 27, on the 103rd anniversary of the INC.
Adiong said “it is in these challenging times faced by the Maranao people” that the INC offered them its help, “dictated by the spirit of common good and our shared belief of God…”
“On behalf of the Provincial Crisis Management Committee of Lanao del Sur, we are eternally grateful to the Iglesia ni Cristo under the stewardship of Executive Minister Bro. Eduardo Villanueva Manalo, and we join the world in congratulating the INC faithfuls across the globe for keeping true in spirit and in deeds with the teachings of their faith,” he added.
The Iglesia Ni Cristo’s Lingap sa Mamamayan or Aid to Humanity starting July 11 was held in evacuation centers in Iligan City and Balo-i.
Before the activity, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Mindanao Crisis Committee have already identified about 95,000 individuals needing assistance in these evacuation centers, including children.
The Metro Manila Muslim Community for Justice and Peace, through its chairman Datu Basher “Bong” Alonto, had initially requested assistance from INC Executive Minister Brother Eduardo V. Manalo for the victims of the Marawi siege.
Immediately, INC mobilized its people and resources to help the Marawi evacuees.