US to provide P234 million for relief, recovery effort for victims of 2017 Marawi siege

July 18, 2019

The United States government will provide P234 million more in humanitarian assistance to boost relief and recovery efforts for persons  affected by the 2017 Marawi conflict.

The US Embassy in Manila said Thursday the new contribution to the Marawi humanitarian response brings the US’s total commitment to Marawi recovery to more than P3.4 billion or $63.6 million.

The  funding, which comes from the US Agency for International Development (USAID), will help around 50,000 internally displaced persons in Marawi and 9,000 in Maguindanao.

“The US government remains committed to supporting the Philippine government in helping restore normalcy in the lives of the Filipinos affected by the Marawi conflict,” US Ambassador Sung Kim said in a statement.

“This new assistance reflects the strong bond between the US and the Philippines as friends, partners, and allies,” he added.

The new US government resources will provide 2,600 individuals with emergency shelter assistance, in addition to the nearly 33,000 individuals who have previously benefitted, the statement stressed.

USAID will deepen its existing efforts within Marawi City and Lanao del Sur province to expand water and sanitation services and enhance safe spaces to protect women and children from exploitation and violence. DMS