Report from UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
Published on 04 May 2017
Published on 04 May 2017
Download PDF (710.33 KB)HIGHLIGHTS
• Displacement in the Mindanao island provinces of Sulu and Basilan continue.
Local authorities and humanitarian actors tackle challenges of repeated displacement due to conflict and seek permanent solutions.
• The Humanitarian Coordinator in the Philippines, Mr. Ola Almgren highlighted the importance of coordinating humanitarian and development assistance during his visit to Mindanao.
• Frequent earthquakes and subsequent aftershocks jolt the Philippines in April, temporarily displacing communities in the northern and southern regions.
FIGURES
Lanao del Sur Earthquake
# of displaced persons 5,027
# of damaged or destroyed houses 836
(Source: DSWD as of 20 April)
Batangas Earthquake
# of displaced persons 3,578
(Source: DSWD as of 19 April)
Zamboanga Crisis
# of IDPs in transitional sites 7,552
(Source: Zamboanga City Social Welfare and Development Office as of 17 April)
Seeking sustainable peace in Basilan and Sulu
The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), located in the Southern part of the Philippines is composed of the five provinces of Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu, and Tawi-tawi. The ARMM region remains the poorest in the country with the highest poverty incidence of 53.4% recorded in 2015 according to the Philippine Statistics Authority’s Family Income and Expenditure Survey. Protracted conflict over the years has become a major obstacle to sustainable peace and development, leaving families struggling to meet basic necessities and continue their livelihood.
The presence of non-state armed groups reportedly involved in kidnap-for-ransom activities of foreign and local nationals remain a big challenge to the community and Government. In April 2016, the Philippine military stepped up its law enforcement operations against the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) in Al-Barka and Tipo-Tipo municipalities of Basilan. The encounter resulted in the displacement of more than 3,400 people. In Sulu, encounters in the municipalities of Talipao and Maimbung displaced 1,666 people as well as affecting the municipalities of Patikul and Indanan which has seen heavy fighting. Following the proclamation of the President to eradicate the group, sustained military operations are affecting the local population. However, by December of 2016, most of the displaced have returned to their homes. From January 2016 to February 2017, over 68,400 people were displaced in Sulu and Basilan due to conflict.
Renewed conflict and displacement in 2017
In 2017, renewed military operations against the ASG continues. On 27 February, more than 1,500 families from the seven barangays in Al-Barka municipality were displaced. Residents from the barangays of Macalang, Danapah, Linuan, Guinanta, Magcawa and Cailih fled for fear of being caught in the cross fire. Early in March, another firefight was reported in Barangay Cambug, Al-Barka,resulting in the displacement of 8,970 people; and about 600 families were again displaced because of encounter in Sitio Lingasug, Barangay Mangalut, Al-Barka.
According to the Protection Cluster's Mindanao Displacement Dashboard, in Sulu, 1,485 people were displaced from the municipality of Indanan. On 6 March about 4,320 people were displaced from Indanan, Patikul, Parang. Protection monitors on the ground indicated that mortar shelling carried out by the Philippine army triggered fear among civilians, causing them to flee.
The number of agencies that are able to reach some of the population are limited due to access and security issues. Multiple and protracted conflict in Sulu and Basilan are taking a heavy toll on the local population. Assistance from humanitarian actors has been limited for fear of being kidnapped. However, the ARMM Regional Government through its Humanitarian Emergency Action and Response Team (ARMM-HEART), the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Office of Civil Defense at the provincial and municipal levels continue to provide food and relief items. Due to the continuous conflict in the region, the assistance is often not enough to provide the overall well-being of the affected population. Family food packs of five kilos of rice, sardines, instant noodles and coffee are distributed during the onset of the displacement. Families are often left searching for food and other needs during prolonged displacement. As a mitigation measure, families take the risk of returning immediately to their homes as soon as the guns fall silent.
Recovery of livelihood is a major challenge for the return population says the director of Integrated Resource Development for Tri-People, a local NGO. Transportation of relief items is also difficult in the island provinces. Until longer-term interventions can be put forward and implemented in the ARMM, communities from the Mindanao island provinces will continue to suffer frequent displacement, disruption of their daily life and high levels of poverty.
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