MANILA -- Social Welfare and Development Secretary Esperanza I. Cabral and Officer-in-Charge of United Nations-World Food Programme Mack Ramachandran on Wednesday signed in Manila a letter of understanding for the implementation of the Emergency Operations - Assistance to Conflict-Affected Mindanao Project.
Jesus G. Dureza, Presidential adviser, who witnessed the signing, said the project is in support to the peace process by providing food assistance to conflict-affected areas in Mindanao. It responds to the day-to-day food needs of the people in the area.
About 2.1 million individuals coming from Lanao del Norte, North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Lanao del Sur, and Maguindanao will benefit from the project. The areas were chosen based on the number of conflict-affected municipalities, high poverty incidence, and the presence of internally displaced persons (IDPs).
The project will run from June 2006 to June 2007 with a total estimated budget of 1.35 billion pesos (US $ 27 million). The DSWD and LGUs will also contribute substantially to the project through manpower and resources.
Components of the project are: Social Preparation and Capability Building; Food-for-Work where 822,000 beneficiaries will receive food assistance consisting of 2,500 grams of maize or rice and 250 grams of beans per day for a maximum of 20 days in exchange for time spent working on community projects.
The School Feeding-Food for Education which will provide assistance to 170,000 primary school pupils in grades 1 to 6 consisting 120 kgs of rice per school year; Mother-Child Nutrition Programme for children under two (2) years and for pregnant and lactating women which will assist 37,000 children and 48,000 mothers through rationing of fortified blended food, sugar, and vitamin A enriched vegetable oil for 180 days.
The other components are: Food for Training Program benefiting 90,000 people providing 50 kilograms of maize or rice and five kilograms of beans to those who will participate in training activities for one month; Food for Tuberculosis Patients under treatment which will provide six months of food assistance consisting of 10 kilograms of maize or rice per month for a period of eight months to 3,000 patients; and Reintegration of Ex-Combatants/Demobilized Combatants which will support the reintegration of 4,000 ex-combatants upon the signing of a peace accord and will benefit 24,000 people through the provision of 50 kilograms maize or rice and five kilograms of beans per month for a period of three months.
Helping the DSWD and UN-WFP in implementing the project are the Departments of Education, (DepEd), Health (DOH), OPAPP, Foreign Affairs (DFA), National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), concerned local government units and non-government organizations. (Relief Web)
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