ZAMBOANGA CITY – Over 1,000 families displaced by rebel attacks in Zamboanga City in southern Philippines would stand to benefit from a customized cash transfer launched by ACF International-Action Against Hunger.
Suresh Murugesu, ACF International technical coordinator, said they have stepped up the program to better respond to the needs of vulnerable people affected by the conflict in 2013.
He said the ACF International launched the customized cash transfer program here with the generous support from the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), Foreign Affairs Trade and Development Canada (DFATD) and European Commission Humanitarian Aid (ECHO).
The cash-based intervention currently provide support to over 1035 families staying at different transitory sites for displaced families affected by the conflict, according to Murugesu.
With funds from DFATD the project covers 550 beneficiaries, ECHO with 375, and AECID with 110 beneficiaries from among households who have pregnant and lactating mother, single parent, with malnourished children, or with disabled and older persons and chronic illnesses were consciously prioritized.
Murugesu said the program has facilitated responses covering basic needs through conditional vouchers or grants. ACF International has also been conscious the program’s impacts on men and women by assessing the effect of cash transfer intervention on gender power relations.
“Cash transfer programming forms a significant part of ACF’s work in fighting under nutrition, and is an emerging response mechanism in food security and livelihoods, nutrition and health, water, sanitation and hygiene sectors. Capacity building support was provided to ensure appropriate skills needed to sustain their livelihoods. Partner beneficiaries were encouraged to lead income generating activities to meet their basic needs,” Murugesu told the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner.
Since the 1990’s, cash transfer programs have become an essential core element of ACF’s integrated approach in fighting hunger and malnutrition, mostly facilitating food security and livelihoods, and water and sanitation activities for and with the community and participating households, with increased coverage and scale since 2003 globally.
In its range of support to Zamboanga, ACF is closely working with the City Government of Zamboanga, the Philippines Health Insurance, JABU-JABU, Ateneo de Zamboanga University, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Social Welfare and Development for its educational social and economic services designed for displaced families who benefited from the cash transfer program.
The local government said it would close down the Joaquin F. Enriquez Memorial Sports Complex which is being used as temporary shelters for war victims in Zamboanga City.Some 400 families inside the sports complex would have to be relocated to Masepla in Mampang village, site of a housing facility for refugees.
The government will close the sports complex to pave way for its renovation.
Many war victims have been relocated to other transitory sites in different areas in Zamboanga, but many were also opposing this, saying, it would be very difficult for them to continue with their livelihoods.
Most of the refugees were native Badjao who rely on fishing for their daily sustenance. They also complained that there is no electricity and water supply in the transitory sites. The local government earlier said it would clear the sport complex before the end of June, but extended this to allow the transfer of all refugees to Masepla and in Buggoc in Kasanyangan village.
“We told them that utility services like water and electricity can only be connected to the temporary shelters (at Masepla in Mampang) once there are already occupants. Otherwise, the materials will again be stolen as in the past,” Elmeir Apolinario, the City Administrator, said.
Rebel forces from Basilan and Sulu provinces under the command of Habier Malik, an aide of Moro National Liberation Front chieftain Nur Misuari, stormed Zamboanga on September 9, 2013 and took over 200 people hostage and used them as shield against government soldiers and policemen. More than 400 people were killed and wounded in the fighting that lasted three weeks. The battle displaced over 120,000 residents.
Misuari, who signed a peace accord with Manila in 1996, accused the Aquino government of reneging on the peal deal and launched a new rebellion, the second in more than a decade. In 2001, loyal forces of Misuari also attacked military bases in Zamboanga City and Jolo town in Sulu province and the clashes killed over 100 people.
Misuari, who fled to Malaysia after the siege failed, was arrested and jailed, but eventually released by then President Gloria Arroyo after he pledged loyalty and support to the politician. He is now at large and hiding in Sulu, one of five provinces under the Muslim autonomous region in Mindanao. (Mindanao Examiner)
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