ICRC News 28 / 27-Jul-00

Philippines/Mindanao
ICRC steps up assistance for displaced people

An upsurge in fighting between the Philippine armed forces and the Moro
Islamic Liberation Front in the past few months on the island of Mindanao
has caused tens of thousands of civilians to flee their homes.

The  ICRC office in Davao, the Iargest city in Mindanao, has been working
closely with the Philippine Red Cross to provide assistance for 10,450
families that have been displaced within the provinces of North Cotabato,
Bukidnon, Maguindanao, Sarangani and North and South Lanao. Since January,
nearly 63,000 people temporarily accommodated in 48 evacuation centres have
thus received food and other items according to needs. 

In addition, latrines have been built to prevent the outbreak of disease,
water pumps and pipes have been rehabilitated in 14 centres sheltering a
total of 17,000 people, and instruction in basic health care has been given
by Red Cross volunteers to over 4,000 people living in three others. The
ICRC and the National Society are also providing medicine for the makeshift
hospital in Parang, Maguindanao, which treated up to 350 patients a day at
the height of the exodus.

Some schools are being used as evacuation centres and the Red Cross has
therefore built over 55 temporary classrooms to enable nearly 3,000
schoolchildren to resume classes. Some 20,000 pupils are also to receive
notebooks printed with basic Red Cross information.
The ICRC reopened its office in Davao in June 1999. Two delegates and five
local staff are currently addressing humanitarian needs on the island.

Further information: Corinne Adam, ICRC Geneva, tel. ++ 41 22 730 22 24


During the weekend of 29 - 30 July 2000, for all information please call
the press officer on duty Roland Sidler, on (mobile) 41 79 217 32 58
and
on Tuesday 1. August (national holiday) please call Francoise Derron, duty
press officer, on (mobile) 41 79 217 32 03