Mindanao gets additional P54-M from Canada to aid displaced people

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MANILA — Canada announced on Tuesday that it is providing an additional Cad $ 1,500,000 or about PHP54 million in humanitarian assistance funding for people displaced and affected by conflict in Mindanao.

The funding, its embassy in Manila said, will be channeled to international organizations already working in the area to address the humanitarian needs of thousands of internally displaced people or IDPs living in conflict-affected areas in Mindanao.

“One of the agreements announced when Prime Minister Harper and President Aquino met in Ottawa last month was the commitment of additional funding to help those displaced by conflict in Zamboanga City and other parts of Mindanao,” Canada’s ambassador to the Philippines Neil Reeder said.

The funds, the envoy added, will support the work of Canada’s experienced partners “in meeting priority humanitarian needs, including to enhance the nutritional and emergency food status of displaced people, improve emergency shelters, support emergency preparedness efforts and protection services and to help restart lost livelihoods.”

Funding are as follows:

International Committee of the Red Cross – Cad $ 750,000 (PHP27 million)

International Organization for Migration – Cad $ 250,000 (PHP9 million)

Action Against Hunger – Cad $ 500,000 (PHP18 million)

“This additional funding demonstrates Canada’s continuing commitment to build on our strong ties with the Philippines,” Reeder said.

Since last year, and including this announcement, Canada has allocated a total Cad $ 3.5 million in humanitarian funding to displaced populations in conflict-affected areas in Mindanao.

Canada designated the Philippines as “a country of focus” for international development efforts in June 2014.