PFC Marvien Aguipo (PA), who was wounded during the Feb. 18 clash with members of the terrorist group Dawlah Islamiyah-Maute, receives on his hospital bed P250,000 financial and livelihood assistance from Speaker Martin Romualdez. It handed over to him recently by Cagayan de Oro 1st district Rep. Lordan Suan. (Speaker’s office)

As promised, the Office of House Speaker Martin Romualdez has extended over P4 million worth of financial, educational, and livelihood assistance to the families of the slain and wounded soldiers from the Feb. 18 firefight with Dawlah Islamiyah-Maute terrorists in Lanao del Norte. 

This was bared Sunday, March 10 by Deputy Majority Leader for Communications ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo, who noted that the amount was taken from the Speaker's personal calamity and emergency funds. 

A total of 12 families--including those from the six perished soldiers--have benefitted from the distribution of aid, which began during the last week of February. 

“The amount was released to them as per the instructions of President Bongbong Marcos Jr. Hindi po nito mababayaran ang buhay na nawala o ang pinsalang dulot ng digmaan, pero sana ay makatulong ito sa pamilya ng ating mga magigiting na sundalo,” Tulfo said. 

(This may not be able to bring back the lives that were lost or the damage caused by war, but hopefully this helps out the families of our valorous soldiers.) 

Tulfo said the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), and Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) will also provide livelihood and educational assistance to the victims and their dependents, as instructed by President Marcos. 

"Nararapat lamang na suportahan natin sila at ang kanilang mga mahal sa buhay sa panahon ng pangangailangan (It's only right that we support them and their loved ones during their time of need),” Speaker Romualdez said. 

Romualdez had earlier disclosed that President Marcos directed him to provide financial aid to the families of Corporal Rey Anthony Salvador, Corporal Reland Tapinit, Corporal Rodel Mobida, Private First Class (PFC) Arnel Tornito, Private Micharl John Lumingkit, and Private James Porras who all died during the clash with extremists. 

The directive also included providing aid to those wounded, namely Corporal Jaymark Remotigue, PFC Marvien Aguipo, Private Amiril Sakinal, Corporal Rey Mark Limare, Corporal Ernil Quiñones and Private Nazareno Provido. 

Reports said that the extremist group clashed with soldiers from the 44th Infantry Batallion in Barangay Ramain, Munai town in Lanao del Norte, leading to the death of six soldiers and the wounding of six others. 

Tulfo said that for the families of the six fallen soldier-heroes, namely Salvador, Tapinit, Mobida, Tornito, Lumingkit, and Porras, an aid package worth up to P430,000 was granted to them. The package included P300,000 in cash aid, P30,000 in schooling aid for each child, and P100,000 in livelihood assistance. 

Agusan del Sur 1st district Rep. Alfelito Bascug and Zamboanga City 1st district Rep. Khymer Adan Olaso turned over the financial packages to the families of Porras, Salvador, and Lumingkit respectively. 

Zamboanga del Sur 1st district Rep. Divina Grace Yu gave the financial aid to the loved ones of Lumingkit and Tornito. Yu and Zamboanga del Sur 2nd district Rep. Jeyzel Victoria Yu turned over the cash assistance to the family of Mobida. 

Meanwhile, Lanao del Norte 2nd district Rep. Sittie Aminah Dimaporo turned over the aid to the family of Tapinit. 

For the six wounded soldiers and their families, Cagayan de Oro 1st district Rep. Lordan Suan turned over the amount of P150,000 as cash aid, P30,000 in schooling aid for each child, and P100,000 in livelihood assistance. Two of the wounded soldier have a child, while the other four had none.