NORTH COTABATO, Philippines – In response to the recent internal displacement of people in the town of Pikit, Community and Family Services International (CFSI) supported UNHCR in providing relief items to 965 families on 18 May. The items were also provided in light of the need for additional protection against the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19).
CFSI staff (left) hands core relief items to an internally displaced person (right) as additional protection amid the COVID-19 situation.
Tarpaulins for temporary shelters were distributed in replacement to their makeshift huts made of light materials. Other items handed over include portable solar lamps, blankets, sleeping mats, mosquito nets, and hygiene kits for protection and specific needs of the affected families.
The displaced individuals are currently taking refuge in Brgy. Batulawan covered court, Batulawan Elementary School, and Cotabato Foundation College. They came from three barangays in Pikit town that were heavily affected by the firefight of two commanders affiliated with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).
On 24 March, the firefight started in Brgy. Balongis due to a family feud on political and land control disputes. The clash recurred twice with incident reported last May that led more families to flee their houses and seek refuge to evacuation centers.
The distribution of core relief items is under CFSI’s Mindanao Protection Project (MPP) that aims to enable Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and those at risk of displacement to take concrete steps towards durable solutions. The MPP is implemented in partnership with UNHCR covering the areas of Central, Northern, and Western Mindanao, Philippines. CFSI and UNHCR are working closely with the Ministry of Social Services and Development as well as with other key stakeholders in BARMM and local government units outside BARMM to ensure the centrality of protection in all humanitarian responses.
To know more about MPP, visit https://cfsi.ph/mindanao-protection-project-mpp-project-brief/. #
(With reports from Alizain Tahir, CFSI Project Coordinator for Mindanao Protection Project)
CFSI and UNHCR work hand in hand in bringing core relief items to IDPs in Pikit, North Cotabato.
UNHCR provided the relief items for distribution to IDPs.
CFSI staff (right) instructs beneficiaries to observe proper social distancing before the distribution.