Canada announces additional humanitarian assistance to conflict areas in Mindanao

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MANILA—The Government of Canada announced it is providing Cad$ 1.25 million (approx. PhP 43 million) in humanitarian assistance to support those living in conflict areas in Mindanao.

This funding will be provided to Action Against Hunger (ACF) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and will contribute to improve food security, health, living conditions, livelihoods and emergency-preparedness in Zamboanga and Maguindanao.

The funding forms part of the Canadian government’s commitment of Cad$ 331.5 million in humanitarian support to the world’s most vulnerable, recently announced by Canada’s Minister of International Development Marie-Claude Bibeau at the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul, Turkey.

“Canada’s support will help meet immediate life-saving needs and address unprecedented humanitarian challenges, including those in the Philippines,” Canada’s Ambassador to the Philippines Neil Reeder said.

This new funding will help the most vulnerable in more than 32 countries, including the Philippines. Support will be provided to 25 experienced humanitarian partners, including a variety of United Nations humanitarian agencies, the Red Cross and non-governmental organizations, as well as Canadian organizations, that are addressing complex humanitarian situations.

“Given the size of current humanitarian needs, Canada is committed to working with all partners — including those at the local level — to combine our strengths and maximize the impact we have on humanitarian crises. We are especially concerned with women and girls, who are often the most vulnerable in crises. That is why they are at the heart of Canada’s humanitarian response,” Ambassador Reeder added.

Cad$ 500,000 will be provided to the ACF to improve food security for more than 3,000 people displaced by conflict in Zamboanga and Maguindanao. This will include the provision of unconditional cash grants to meet their basic needs, focusing on assisting pregnant and lactating women and households with children aged 6-23 months, and provision of quick impact livelihood support through cash transfers and the appropriate training.

“This is another significant step in lifesaving and humanitarian assistance with the support of the Government of Canada especially to conflict-affected people in Zamboanga and Maguindanao. This makes Canada’s support very unique and strategic in such a critical situation,” ACF International country director Javad Amoozegar said.

The Cad$ 750,000 in assistance to the ICRC will provide medical care and physical rehabilitation to detainees and weapon-wounded patients through six ICRC-trained/supported health facilities, and non-food items to up to 160,000 and food items to up to 50,000 conflict/violence-affected people.

It will also ensure emergency water and sanitation services to up to 33,000 conflict/violence-affected people, cash grants to up to 12,500 conflict/violence-affected people and livelihood inputs to up to 25,000 conflict/violence-affected people. (Approx: Cad$ 1= PhP 35)