PAGTUTULUNGAN.ORG: Aquino Government Hails new study on the Impact of Central Mindanao Conflict and Displacement

Research commissioned by the World Bank and World Food Programme notes persistent challenges after displaced households return to their homes.

Cycles of violent conflict in Central Mindanao have resulted in the mass displacement of nearly a million people from their homes over the past 12 years. In 2003, tens of thousands were displaced by armed conflict and, more recently, thousands of families had to leave their homes yet again when fighting escalated in parts of Zamboanga Sibugay and Basilan in October 2011. Currently, several thousand people across Mindanao remain displaced, particularly in Maguindanao. 

Disrupting livelihoods are presenting major challenges to both affected families and the government, these concerns do not necessarily end with the return of displaced individuals to their places of origin, a study by the World Bank (WB) and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) during a launch at the Human Development and Poverty Reduction Cabinet Cluster revealed.

PAGTUTULUNGAN.ORG: WFP and JICA support Sendong Survivors in Remote Iligan Villages‏

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Chief Representative Takahiro Sasaki (far right) and U.N. World Food Programme (WFP) Philippines Representative and Country Director Stephen Anderson (second from left) recently visited remote villages of Lanipao, Dulag, Kalilangan and Panoroganan in Iligan City, accessible only by motorcycle, to jointly distribute food, cooking utensils and other items to 750 families who were highly affected by Tropical Storm Sendong (international name “Washi”) in December 2011.  JICA and WFP provided this humanitarian support in partnership with the local government of Iligan City and the Bangsamoro Development Authority, and also with the participation of the International Monitoring Team and the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.    

Photo Credit: WFP/Marilou Morales Cezar/Philippines

PAGTUTULUNGAN.ORG: WFP Receives Generous Donation from Pizza Hut -Taco Bell For Sendong Survivors and Programmes in Mindanao

Through the Yum! Brands World Hunger Relief campaign, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell restaurants in the Philippines have contributed Php 6.1 million (US$144,000) to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) for its activities in Mindanao. The donation will support the on-going relief and early recovery operation for victims of Tropical Storm Washi (Sendong) and school meals programme in conflict-affected areas of central Mindanao.

“We are deeply impressed with the dedication of Pizza Hut and Taco Bell staff who actively promoted the World Hunger Relief campaign in their restaurants, and in the process raised generous support to help fight hunger,” said WFP Philippines Country Director and Representative Stephen Anderson. “We are also grateful that they extended their campaign to seek additional assistance for Tropical Storm Washi survivors.”  

About 155 Pizza Hut and Taco Bell restaurants, which are part of the Yum! Brands chain, collected donations throughout the country during a campaign from November 2011 to January 2012. As part of the campaign, Taco Bell donated Php 10 to WFP from each purchase of a special meal dedicated to supporting school meals programmes. Contributions were also collected in nationally distributed donation boxes.

PAGTUTULUNGAN.ORG: WFP Continues Relief for Washi (Sendong) Victims

Photo Credit: WFP/Voltaire Domingo/Philippines

WFP Assists in the Philippine Government’s Tropical Storm Washi Efforts Philippine President Benigno Aquino III, Vice President Jejomar Binay, and Department of Social Welfare and Development Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman are joined by World Food Programme Regional Director for Asia Kenro Oshidari, WFP Philippines Country Director and Representative Stephen Anderson, WFP Philippines Iligan City sub-office head Baicon Macaraya, and WFP National Ambassador Against Hunger KC Concepcion during groundbreaking rites at the Barangay Sta. Elena relocation site at Iligan City. WFP is supporting the government's relief and early recovery efforts for persons highly affected by Tropical Storm Washi. 

For more details see: http://www.wfp.org/rss Twitter: @wfp_asia and @wfp_philippines and @wfp_media Facebook: WFP Philippines

Also we like to encourage you to send your own videos about WFP and how hunger can be the most solvable problem today. Will post my video very soon! Now we have fellow blogger Flow Galindez to share his thoughts.

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