Photo courtesy of EU Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid
The European Union is providing €500,000 (over Php 29 million) to provide vital humanitarian assistance to those affected by a series of armed clashes in the Philippines’ southernmost island of Mindanao. The aid will address the pressing needs of the most affected people in some of the hardest-hit areas in the province of Maguindanao in Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
“The recent violence in Mindanao has caused the already dire humanitarian situation in the area to worsen, with many more forced to live in displacement, adding to those already affected since the start of the conflict in 2017,” said the EU Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarčič, “The EU funding will help our partners on the ground to step up their support, ensuring crucial assistance are provided to those most in need”.
The assistance will support the EU’s existing humanitarian partners – Action Against Hunger, CARE International and Oxfam International — in delivering much-needed assistance to those most affected. The assistance focuses on providing food security as well as ensuring access to clean water, sanitation and good hygiene practices. Other essential relief items will also be distributed.
The EU funding is being made available via the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) of the European Commission.
