Displaced People Of Marawi To Receive Food Assistance From Japan
MANILA – Around 38,000 displaced Filipinos affected by the ongoing conflict in Marawi City will receive food assistance thanks to a $1.2 million contribution from the Government of Japan to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to support the ongoing relief operations in Mindanao.
“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,” said Mats Persson, WFP Country Director ad interim.
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.
After fighting began on 23 May in Marawi City between government forces and armed militant groups linked to Islamic State, WFP began closely monitoring and coordinating with national and local government agencies to provide technical and logistics support for the emergency response to the affected communities.
“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,” added Persson.
Having missed the last planting season, about 70,000 people in farming households have seen their income shrink, 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.
More than 2 months after the armed conflict started in Marawi, WFP has 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.
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WFP is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide, delivering food assistance in emergencies and working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience. Each year, WFP assists some 80 million people in around 80 countries.
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For more information please contact (email address: aprilcarlen.ardona@wfp.org):
April Carlen Ardoña, WFP/Philippines, Tel. +63 (02) 833-6229 local 2441, Mob. +63 917-880-9368