BUTUAN CITY – The government’s hunger mitigation program continues as more than 100,000 persons affected by crisis situations have been served in northeastern, northern and southern Mindanao.

Most of the individuals served were those affected by conflict, manmade and natural disasters.

Officials of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in northern and northeastern
Mindanao regions said most of the estimated 65,000 persons were given financial aid, shelter and food.

Hand-in-hand, the DSWD, local government units (LGUs), Philippine Red Cross, and other concerned government agencies and non-government organizations helped the affected persons or families.

Also in northeastern Mindanao, the DSWD, along with the LGUs already served the evacuees in 15 cultural communities in Lianga, Surigao del Sur.

The DSWD also provided medicines, foods, and financial assistance to residents affected by clashes between the government forces and communist insurgents in other areas in the region.

Officials of the DSWD in the Caraga Region and northern Mindanao are still continuing their hunger mitigation and poverty alleviation programs in far-flung areas, it was learned.

Aside from disaster victims, the DSWD Crisis Intervention Unit also assisted women and children in especially difficult circumstances, senior citizens, victims of illegal recruitment, persons with disability, and repatriates.

In a related development, the DSWD also reported that at least 34,915 persons or families also received immediate assistance in southern Mindanao.

According to DSWD-Core Shelter Assistance Program (CSAP), about 293 core shelter units have been funded by the government in areas of Maco, Tubaon, Kinuban, Tarragona, and in Poblacion, Bansalan, all in southern Mindanao region.