Australian ambassador visits Zambo

THE ZAMBOANGA City government thanked Australia for its support following the visit of Ambassador Steven Robinson here recently.

Mayor Beng Climaco with the dignitaries from the Australian Embassy led by Ambassador Steven Robinson and Eufemia Catoliin, of the National Museum. (Bong Serondo)

Climaco hosted a dinner for Robinson’s group and led them to a tour of the Zamboanga Museum with Eufemia Catolin, the museum administrator; and at the shrine of the Real Fuerte de Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Zaragoza. 

The Australian Government had previously provided at least P30 million in emergency aid for families affected by the humanitarian crisis in 2013 after Moro National Liberation Front members loyal to Nur Misuari attacked Zamboanga City.

The aid helped address the needs, including resumption of early learning and educational services, and provision of critical psychosocial support to affected children, including food, sleeping mats, mosquito nets, blankets, water containers, kitchen and hygiene kits for people left homeless by the conflict.

The Australian Government made these items available through partnerships with the Philippine Red Cross, the World Food Programme, and the United Nations Population Fund.

The Australian government also turned over permanent homes to 45 families in Barangay Tulungatung under the Zamboanga Recovery Project (ZRP) in February 2016. The turnover of 45 homes in Tulungatung came after the turnover of 35 homes to families in Barangay San Roque under the ZRP, where another 15 families received support from Australia to build permanent houses on their own land.

The Australian Government provided A$3million (P102 million) for the implementation of the ZRP, which aims to support families who have been internally displaced during the MNLF siege. (Zamboanga Post)