Philippines: UN relief official in funding appeal for displaced in Mindanao
Philippines: UN relief official in funding appeal for displaced in Mindanao
Heavy rains in the Philippines in June 2011 left scores of homes like this one in Cortabato City, Mindanao, inundated with water
A senior United Nations relief official today called for a surge in financial support to provide humanitarian aid to hundreds of thousands of people driven from their homes by conflict on the Philippine island of Mindanao.
At the launch of the Philippines (Mindanao) Humanitarian Action Plan 2012, Jacqui Badcock, the UN Humanitarian and Resident Coordinator for the Philippines, appealed for $38 million in funding as part of the UN’s ongoing efforts to provide emergency relief, protection and livelihood support to those in Mindanao affected by conflict and natural disasters.
“The situation remains fragile, and the people continue to live in fear and uncertainty,” Ms. Badcock warned in Manila. “Our goal is to help them rebuild their lives as quickly as possible,” she added.
The UN estimates that 680,000 people in central Mindanao are in urgent need of humanitarian aid, with new displacements continuing to occur as a result of sporadic armed fighting and the compounding effects of severe flooding caused by heavy seasonal rains.
“We have strengthened our needs assessment and analysis, and expanded programmatic and geographic areas where organizations work more cohesively,” Ms. Badcock said.
As of 11 December, the 2011 action plan had received 54 per cent of the required support with slow and imbalanced funding being a major concern. The 2012 action plan seeks $38 million to cover 30 projects over the next 12 months.
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* The above story is adapted from materials provided by United Nations (UN)
** More information at United Nations (UN)
