Statement: Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, Catherine Bragg - Mission to the Philippines (18-23 November 2011)

(Manila, 23 November 2011) Good morning everyone, and thank you for coming.

This week, as you saw in the video, I visited Mindanao for the first time. It was an important opportunity to see and hear first-hand how communities in this part of the Philippines are coping with a protracted humanitarian crisis, brought about by years of armed conflict and other forms of violence, as well as recurring national disasters.

In Mindanao, I met with regional government authorities and aid organizations, as well as people who are receiving assistance, to discuss what more can be done to strengthen the way we respond to emergencies, and to prepare for new ones.

I went to communities where people have been displaced repeatedly over several years, and saw projects assisting them, as well as people who have recently been able to return to their home communities.

Yesterday I returned to Manila, and spoke to United Nations representatives, humanitarian NGOs and members of the diplomatic community, and I will be meeting with government officials later today.

Although the number of displaced people in Mindanao has significantly decreased since 2008, when an estimated 750,000 people were displaced, many communities still remain vulnerable and in need of assistance. Additionally, new displacements continue to occur, partly due to clan violence known as ‘rido’.

Mindanao, like the rest of the Philippines, is prone to frequent natural disasters. In June this year, nearly 860,000 people in Mindanao were affected by severe flooding, caused by heavy monsoon rains. Upon the request of the Government, aid agencies provided emergency food, water, nutrition, shelter and health care to complement national efforts.
The global level United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund quickly released US$5 million for life-saving projects.