Australia to extend P12-M aid for families in Mindanao

Australia will provide over P12 million in humanitarian assistance to families affected by the conflict in Mindanao, particularly in the provinces of North Cotabato and Lanao del Norte.

Australian Ambassador Rod Smith said the assistance amounting to about A$320,000 “addresses the needs of people uprooted from their homes and separated from their means of livelihood because of the conflict.”

Smith said the assistance will include essential items like water and sanitation facilities, food, and counselling services in evacuation centers.

“Australia hopes that people displaced by the conflict are able to return home as soon as possible, and the efforts of the government, donors and NGOs can resume the focus on peace building and development,” he said.

The Australian government is working with the United Nations, the National Disaster Coordinating Council, donors and international and local organizations to coordinate efforts for the humanitarian response.

The assistance, extended through the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), will be made available through the Government of the Philippines-United Nations Multi-donor Program (GoP-UNMDP) Action for Conflict Transformation (ACT) for Peace.

Australia has been the largest donor to the GoP-UNMDP since 1997 with contributions of P1.3 billion (about A$34.4 million) until 2010.

The ACT for Peace Program, the fourth phase of the GoP-UNMDP, aims to strengthen and sustain peace-building efforts in Mindanao following the 1996 peace agreement between the government and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).

The Mindanao Economic Development Council and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) government are carrying out the program.

Australia is a long-standing development partner of the Philippines and the second largest bilateral grant aid donor. In 2008-2009, the Australian government will provide an estimated P4.4 billion (about A$109.3 million) in development assistance, focusing on the key pillars of economic growth – basic education, and national stability and human security.