EU donates over P150M aid to Phl
MANILA — The European Commission will provide P150 million or •3 million in humanitarian aid for the victims of the humanitarian crises in the Philippines.
The European Union said it is dividing the humanitarian aid funding particularly for those affected by Typhoon Nona ( International name: Melor) and the conflict in Mindanao. Nona devastated several provinces in southern Luzon and east- ern Visayas in mid-December 2015 as it made five landfalls across the country while the “forgotten crisis” in Mindanao destroyed the livelihoods and displaced an estimated 495,000 people since 2012 with the armed groups fighting against the government.
The bloc said • 1.5 million will be allotted to the essential support for Nona victims which includes food and shelter assistance, livelihood re- sources, cash as well as the other non-food relief items while the other half will be delivered to provide protection and livelihood, support to conflict-torn areas through food, shelter education, basic health services and assuring potable water, sanitation and hygiene of the people.
The Commission’s Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection department will channel the latest EU, classified the conflict in Mindanao as a “for- gotten criis” due to the lack of humanitarian support from t he i nternational community despites its immense region needs.
The latest EU funding reached a total of • 98.4 million humanitarian aid in the country since its first humanitarian operations in 1997.
On December, EU Ambassador Franz Jessen said the EU decided to boost its funding t o support t he peace and development in Mindanao.