Residents of Barangay Carabalan, Himamaylan, leave their homes as armed clashes between government and rebel forces continue.*Mary Jane Faduga photo
The number of evacuees in Himamaylan City increased to 16,976 following the latest clash between government and rebel forces in Barangay Carabalan, Provincial Social Welfare Officer Merle Garcia said on Tuesday, October 11.
The number increased by 1,952 persons from Monday when the evacuees were at 15,024.
Romeo Nanta, alias Ka Juanito Magbanua, commanding officer of the New People’s Army Regional Operational Command – Negros and the spokesperson of the Apolinario Gatmaitan Command, was killed in an encounter in Sitio Medel, Brgy Carabalan, at 5:25 p.m. Monday, the Army reported.
It was the fifth encounter in Carabalan since Thursday that has driven residents to flee in fear.
Garcia said they expected the evacuees to increase following the latest clash.
As of noon Tuesday there were 3,650 families with 16,976 members from three barangays in 18 evacuation centers in Himamaylan, she said.
However, the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) personnel could only go to five of the evacuations centers. The rest of the evacuation centers were inaccessible for security reasons, she said.
The evacuees from Barangay Carabalan were 14,705 individuals or 3,168 families, Barangay Cabadiangan – 2,166 of 454 families, and Brgy 3 – 105 or 28 families, Garcia said.
The Carabalan encounter site is about 10 to 15 kilometers from the city proper, Himamaylan Mayor Raymund Tongson said.
He said the declaration of a state of calamity in Himamaylan on Monday has allowed the city government to allocate P1.7 million to assist the evacuees but they have ample funds if more is needed.
CAPITOL AID
The Negros Occidental provincial government has also been sending food packs and hygiene kits to Himamaylan for the evacuees, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said on Tuesday.
The Provincial Health Office is also sending doctors and nurses to the evacuations centers and water sources are being checked to prevent an outbreak of diseases, he said.
The PSWDO personnel were in Himamaylan to deliver aid, Diaz addded.
“We are hoping and praying that the clashes between the AFP and NPA will soon come to an end so the evacuees can return to their homes,” he said.
MINGO MEALS
The Negrense Volunteers for Change has delivered 4,216 MingoMeals to 683 children in six evacuation centers in Himamaylan, NVC president Millie Kilayko said.
“We’re continuing to raise funds for a second round,” she said.
“When the NVC Foundation team visited evacuation centers in Himamaylan this weekend, our intention was to bring nutritional support to children whose little lives are traumatized by war. However, some adults were too hungry and took MingoMeals themselves,” she said.*