UN to assist ARMM IDPs in early recovery, livelihood programs

ARMM Executive Secretary Oscar Sampulna Sr. (left) assures the United Nations that the ARMM Regional Government will work collectively with the UN system to completely rebuild the plight of IDPs brought by skirmishes and recent flooding in the region. UN officials Jacqui Badcock and Matthew Serventy (2nd and 3rd from left) paid visit at the Office of the Regional Governor on September 9 to collaborate with regional government’s strategies in ensuring IDPs security. The UN pledges to provide various assistance to the regional government especially on early recovery and livelihood issues. Also present in the meeting are TMS Director Ramil Masukat and BPI Director Samson Gogo.


COTABATO CITY – The United Nations (UN) assures the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Regional Government that it would extend various assistance to completely rebuild distressing plight of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) affected by recent sporadic skirmishes and flooding in different areas of the region, according to a UN official in her visit to the Office of the Regional Governor on September 08.

Jacqui Badcock, UN Resident Coordinator, consulted several representatives of ARMM line agencies particularly Regional Disaster Coordinating Committee (RDCC), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Office of Civil Defense (OCD) and Technical Management Services (TMS) to comprehend ARMM Regional Government’s strategy in ensuring IDPs security.

She also wanted to grasp how the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) implement the Suspension of Military Operations (SOMO) and Suspension of Military Actions (SOMA), respectively, but reiterated, “we are willing to assist you in any ways.”

Ramil Masukat, TMS Director, said that the ARMM Regional Government had already submitted its early recovery and rehabilitation plans to DSWD Central Office and now awaiting response.

“There’s no guarantee if there will never be skirmishes again in their communities. That is why, we worry the situation of IDPs here particularly in the province of Maguindanao,” Masukat said.

Masukat disclosed that “while waiting for DSWD’s reply,” the Provincial Planning and Development Office (PPDO) will be meeting the Peace and Development Officers (MPDOs) of different municipalities in Maguindanao to design urgent programs for IDPs plight.

A two-day Strategic Planning session with UN and social welfare officers (MSWDOs) of different municipalities in Maguindanao was also proposed.

Further, Humanitarian Affairs Officer Matthew Serventy of UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) suggested strengthening the cluster system approach of the regional government to ensure consolidation of data, actions taken and other plans of different ARMM line agencies.

He also proposed that “if cluster trainings will be pushed through,” ARMM regional government may focus on two settings -- armed conflict and disaster response -- “from regional level down to provincial [level] to immediately take actions if clashes and flooding will occur.”

In the end, Badcock reassures that the United Nations is keen in assisting the ARMM Regional Government and that it would provide technical assistance “especially on early recovery and livelihood issues.”

Lawyer Oscar Sampulna Sr., ARMM Executive Secretary, in response, said that the ARMM Regional Government promises to collectively work with the UN system and that consolidated data from ARMM line agencies are organized for review and reference.

ARMM Regional Governor Datu Zaldy Uy Ampatuan, also the chair of RDCC, directed beforehand all ARMM line agencies to utilize resources and exhaust means to warrant the protection of IDPs in evacuation centers as well as victims of flooding that recently plagued the region. (BPI-ARMM*)