Japan Provides Food Aid To Marawi IDPs
The Japanese government has allocated $1.2 million through the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to support the relief operations for the internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Marawi City.
Mats Persson, WFP country director ad interim, on Monday said the funds would benefit at least 38,000 IDPs who are housed in evacuation camps and with their relatives outside of Marawi.
“WFP IS GRATEFUL TO THE GOVERNMENT OF JAPAN FOR THIS VERY TIMELY CONTRIBUTION, WHICH WILL PROVIDE GREAT SUPPORT IN ADDRESSING THE FOOD NEEDS OF COMMUNITIES UPROOTED BY THE CONFLICT IN MARAWI. THIS ENABLES US TO SUSTAIN ONGOING RELIEF AND RECOVERY ASSISTANCE IN THE AREA,” PERSSON SAID.
WFP currently co-chairs the Food Security Cluster of the humanitarian response coordinated by the National Response Pillar of the Philippine Government that operates in Iligan City.
Persson said the WFP has been “closely monitoring and coordinating with national and local government agencies to provide technical and logistics support for the emergency response to the affected communities” since the fighting erupted between government forces and armed militant groups linked to Islamic State on Iraq and Syria (ISIS) on May 23.
“WITH THIS FINANCIAL BOOST FROM JAPAN, WFP CAN EXPAND OPERATIONS TO DIRECTLY PROVIDE AROUND 38,000 DISPLACED PEOPLE OF MARAWI WITH RICE TO COMPLEMENT THE FAMILY PACKAGES AND HYGIENE KITS DISTRIBUTED BY THE GOVERNMENT IN THE NEXT THREE MONTHS,” PERSSON SAID.
Aside from food assistance, the government of Japan also infused $800,000 to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) that will be used to provide support in the areas of water, sanitation, and hygiene.
“Given the importance and closeness of Japan and the Philippines, Japan will continue to explore ways to best support the Philippines government and the people of the Philippines on this matter,” the embassy said.
Meanwhile, the WFP said they have also distributed rice to more than 7,000 affected families. WFP is also providing emergency school meals in Lanao del Sur and Lanao del Norte where displaced school children have been tracked.
The WFP said the rice distribution is to address the plight of the IDPs as they “missed the last planting season.”
“About 70,000 people in farming households have seen their income shrink. And are struggling to secure food due to reduced rice and corn supplies and rising prices, and face further food insecurity if they are unable to resume planting,” WFP said. (DWTW/PNA)
Source: pageone.ph
Mga Komento
Mag-post ng isang Komento