ensure that all women shall be protected from all forms of violence as provided for in existing laws. Agencies of government shall give priority to the defense and protection of women against gender-based violence and help women attain justice and healing. (MCW) Chapter IV., Section 10. ‘Women Affected by Disasters, Calamities, and Other Crisis Situations.’ Women have the right to protection and security in times of disasters, calamities, and other crisis situations especially in all phases of relief, recovery, rehabilitation, and construction efforts. The State shall provide for immediate humanitarian assistance, allocation of resources, and early resettlement, if necessary. It shall also address the particular needs of women from a gender perspective to ensure their full protection from sexual exploitation and other sexual and gender-based violence committed against them. Responses to disaster situations shall include the provision of services, such as psychosocial support, livelihood support, education, psychological health, and comprehensive health services, including protection during pregnancy. (IRR) Rule IV., Section 13. ‘Women Affected by Disasters, Calamities, and Other Crisis Situations.’ Women have the right to protection and security in times of disasters, calamities and other crisis situations especially in all phases of relief, recovery, rehabilitation, and reconstruction efforts. The State shall provide for immediate humanitarian assistance, allocation of resources, and early resettlements, if necessary. It shall also address the particular needs of women from a gender perspective to ensure their full protection from sexual exploitation and other gender-based violence committed against them. Responses to disaster situations shall include the provision of services, such as psychosocial support, livelihood support, education, and comprehensive health services, including protection during pregnancy. Republic Act No. 8972 or the ‘Solo Parents’ Welfare Act’ of 2000: It is a policy that calls for a comprehensive package services to address the needs of a Solo Parent and their immediate family, who are below the poverty threshold. Which is provided by different institutions of the State to promote and strengthen the Filipino family. Republic Act 10121 or the ‘Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act’ (PDRRMA) of 2010: In responding to disaster and managing recovery, the Act ensures women and children that there will be an efficient mechanism and immediate delivery of food, shelter, and medical supplies – especially for internally displaced mothers. An effort to create a safe space where they can breastfeed, care and nurture their babies, and give support to each other 105. Understanding the Local This section describes the geographical context of Marawi City before the armed conflict and offers a brief historical background to some of the factors affecting the current situation of IDPs there. It aims to contextualize the narratives, experiences, and situation of the IDPs, gathered in the mission. Using the analysis of Canuday (2006) on IDPs in Mindanao 106, it challenges the notion that IDPs are not objects of charity; but rather a rights claim-holder. Unlike Cadunay, this section argue against the use of the word ‘bakwit’107 in describing IDPs – specific to the Marawi Crisis – because it denotes indignity for the affected people 108. To do this, the section will lay out general demographics of the Marawi city before it became a battle ground for the armed conflict; second, it would take broad historical points to establish the deep-seated biases regarding Muslim communities of Mindanao; lastly, it takes note of the history of internal 105 See: Republic Act 101211 or the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010, Section 12 (c) (16). 106 Canuday, “This essay makes a case against representations of internally displaced persons as helpless victims or mere survivors of wars without denying their horrendous experience of being caught in armed conflicts. In recognizing human agency, I examined the persistence and creativity of the displaced in dealing with 35 years of on and off displacement in Central Mindanao. The displaced produced new relations in and beyond their respective communities, including negotiating and collaborating with government, military and rebels during the time when humanitarian organizations were not present in conflict areas. In dealing with displacement, displaced persons continuously reordered their lives and social relations, ushering in new socio-political arrangements that enabled them to evacuate, return and rebuild their communities. Their actions in transforming difficult conditions to new realities can be viewed as the power of the displaced.” 107 Bakwit is a colloquial word for evacuees. Throughout Maranao history, it became a derogatory word describing internally displaced person. 108 See: Appendix F, specifically Nihaya, Naharah, and Princess from Marinaut and Rororagus’s narratives. 13