Philippines -  IOM is stepping up its humanitarian assistance to Mindanao in the Southern Philippines after receiving USD 1 million from the Government of Japan. The funds will be used to help people affected by the crisis triggered by the recent armed conflict in Zamboanga City. 

The action will be implemented in close partnership with the Philippines’ Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and in coordination with UN humanitarian country team members.  The Japanese funding comes on top of an initial USD 1 million drawdown from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) last week.

The project will benefit almost 20,000 families in existing evacuation sites in Zamboanga City with camp management support, non-food items, and emergency shelter. Humanitarian messaging activities are also envisaged to help prevent the spillover of violence and communal tensions to other regions of Mindanao.

“Over 100,000 women, men and children originally displaced by the armed conflict are being displaced again by the continuing rains and floods in the evacuation sites in Zamboanga City,” said Marco Boasso, IOM Philippines Chief of Mission, welcoming the announcement of fresh funding.

IOM – the co-lead agency with the DSWD in camp coordination and camp management and emergency shelter – recently joined a UN country team heads of agencies needs assessment to Zamboanga City, and is currently working alongside DSWD and the local government to clear floodwater from the evacuation sites and move displaced families to safety.

For more information please contact

Conrad Navidad
IOM Mindanao
Tel. + 63 908 8654543
Email: cnavidad@iom.int

or

Romina Sta Clara
Tel. +63 917 5456418
Email: rstaclara@iom.int