• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
About 160 families, composed of 600 individuals, displaced by the series of clashes between Philippine Army troops and New People’s Army rebels in Escalante City and Toboso, Negros Occidental last week, returned to their respective homes on Feb. 23.
Lt. Col. J-Jay Javines, public affairs chief of 3rd Infantry Division, said the security situation has gradually stabilized, following the encounters on Feb. 21 and 22 in Barangay Pinapugasan, Escalante City.
Javines, however, said there are still 53 families and 174 individuals staying at the barangay proper.
He said there have been no more reported sightings of armed rebels in the area.
Government troops continue the clearing operations to ensure the area remains secure, he added.
About 268 families, composed of 1,092 individuals, were provided with P971,364 worth of assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-Western Visayas (Region 6).
“The DSWD Field Office-6 is one in heart with these local government units (LGUs) who respond to armed conflict. We cannot imagine the trauma of families, especially the children, when they hear the exchange of gunfires. Rest assured, our office will continue to help,” Regional Director Carmelo Nochete said in a statement.
The DSWD-6 allocated food and non-food items, consisting of 366 family food packs, 183 hygiene kits, and 183 sleeping kits to augment the initial assistance provided by the LGUs.
Classes, which had been suspended last week in eight villages in Escalante City and all nine barangays in Toboso, are expected to resume today. | GB
