ARMM gov’t spends P12M a week to care for ‘bakwits’

By Funny Pearl A. Gajunera
The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) spends P12 million per week for the evacuees affected by the all-out offensive of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) against the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF).
But Anak Mindanao (AMin) Rep. Sitti Djalia Hataman said the P12 million budget per week is still not enough to sustain the needs of the more than 125,000 evacuees – referred to as ‘bakwits’ – in Central Mindanao.
“Ngayon kasi umaabot na ng 125,000 displaced individuals, yung budget ng ARMM per week para sa mga evacuees nasa P12 million na, kulang pa rin,” she said.
The AFP’s offensive against the BIFF was ordered by AFP Chief Gen Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. and started on February 25, a month after the Mamasapano incident that killed 44 Special Action Force (SAF) troopers, 18 Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) members, and five civilians.
Hataman joined peace groups in asking for a stop to the war in Central Mindanao, saying civilians are the most affected by the conflict.
Hataman earlier said one day of war is equivalent to months of recovery for the community.
Latest records showed that 2,288 of the 125,302 affected individuals are pregnant women.
Sixty-three schools were reportedly affected by the conflict, with 22 being abandoned because of the massive evacuation due to the military operations.