As of June 19, the La Salle Academy (LSA) Social Action Office, with the help of various sectors from De La Salle Philippines, has assisted over 3,305 families and 14,270 individuals in various evacuation centers amid the ongoing crisis at Marawi City. Overall, cash donations have reached a total of P707,414.20, with recent expenses totaling to P413, 384.71. These cash donations came from various donors and have been continuously gathered since May 26.
The evacuees are currently housed in several areas such as the Mindanao State University–Iligan Institute of Technology, Brgy. Maria Cristina Evacuation Center, Saguiaran, Lanao Del Sur, Iligan NPC Compound, and Brgy. Tibanga Gym Evacuation Center. Others were home-based evacuees taken care of by LSA. Among some of the donation items being accepted include food, drinks, toiletries, laundry goods, clothes, medicine, and cash.
In an e-mail sent by LSA Social Action Staff Andrew Pamorada to various members of the Lasallian community, he states that the first phase of distribution was focused more on the evacuees in evacuation centers. “We’re now on the second phase of distribution which will be more focused on the home-based evacuees, who usually don’t receive any help,” he adds.
As of press time, the death toll in the Marawi crisis has passed 300, and 400 more soldiers were deployed to the area last June 17. Among these deaths include those from the evacuation centers, wherein evacuees were reported to have suffered from dehydration. In estimate, around 300,000 people have already been displaced due to the crisis, and the military reports that “more than 100 terrorists are still in at least four villages in Marawi City.” According to the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Governor Mujiv Hataman, the region has already spent P35 million in humanitarian aid for the victims of the crisis.
