ZAMBOANGA CITY, May 31 (PNA) -- The city
government has transferred another 30 Badjao families from the R.T. Lim
Boulevard known as the “Cawa-Cawa” Boulevard to the transitory site in Sitio
Masepla, Barangay Mampang, east of this city.
They were among the thousands of families
displaced during the siege in September of last year in this city.
Assistant City Administrator Elmeir Apolinario,
who is the head of the temporary shelter cluster, said the transfer on
Wednesday of the 30 families brought the population at the Masepla transitory
site to 137 families since it was opened May 14.
Apolinario said that a total of 30 bunkhouses
will be constructed in Sitio Masepla, which is a former salt bed with an area
of 17 hectares, to accommodate a total of 702 families. It is located near the
shoreline.
However, Apolinario said the transfer of
internally displaced persons (IDPs) have to be gradually done as the
construction of the bunkhouses and other facilities such as latrines, kitchens
as well as installation of light and water are also done by phases by
humanitarian partners of the city government.
He said the bunkhouses are being constructed by
the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in coordination with the
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
He said the IDPs from Cawa-Cawa Boulevard as
well as some from the sports complex are the identified families to occupy the
Masepla transitory site given their cultural preferences.
He emphasized that the transfer takes place
after the conduct of social preparation and after ensuring that the facilities
are in place.
He added that the transfer
of the remaining IDPs at the Cawa-Cawa Boulevard will be done gradually, but
surely and in accordance with existing laws and guidelines.(PNA)
JBP/TPGJR/PJN
JBP/TPGJR/PJN
