European Union (EU) Ambassador Luc Véron will visit the EU development and humanitarian projects and engage with local interlocutors in Central and Northern Mindanao from November 15 to 19.
In a statement, Véron said that his visit is a reaffirmation of the commitment of the European Union in the peace process and development in Mindanao through an inclusive and comprehensive approach.
The EU supports the political settlement by providing a humanitarian and human rights law expert to the International Monitoring Team that monitors the implementation of all the agreements signed by the parties, including the 2014 peace agreement.
During his first regional outreach in Mindanao, the EU Ambassador will meet with officials from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), IMT Deputy Head of Mission First Admiral Yusman bin Ostaldi RMN, Bangsamoro Transition Authority Parliament Speaker Ali Pangalian Balindong, and local government officials and humanitarian and development partners from Cotabato, Marawi, Iligan, Lanao del Sur and Lanao del Norte.
Together with the BARMM, the Delegation of the European Union to the Philippines will also formally launch on November 15 the five-Support to Bangsamoro Transition (SUBATRA) Programme. The P1.5-billion program aims to help BARMM lay the foundation for lasting peace and development in the region by strengthening the capacities of its institutions during the transition period.
Ambassador Véron’s meeting with officials from the BARMM and other stakeholders is linked to the program “Peace and Development in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao” wherein the EU provides P1.4 billion to improve the social cohesion and resiliency of communities while addressing the health, social and economic impact of COVID-19 in the region.
New actions are likewise being planned to support the transformation of Moro Islamic Liberation Front camps into peaceful and productive communities.
According to the EU, Véron will engage with partners and stakeholders of humanitarian actions and COVID-19 response in Cotabato City and Lanao provinces.
While in Marawi and Pantar, he will interact with schoolchildren of the Education in “Emergencies Project” in the Sagonsongan temporary transition site and Darul Fitya Litahfidel Qur-an Toril, and meet with Lanao Del Sur Governor Mamintal Alonto Adiong, Lanao Del Norte Governor Imelda Dimaporo, and education and other government officials.
"Through its humanitarian and development support, the EU has been spot on in addressing the impact of COVID-19 among vulnerable groups in Mindanao," the EU said in a statement.
Around P1.4 billion has been allocated to improve the social cohesion and resiliency of communities in the BARMM, and to address the health, social and economic impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the region. It also seeks to consolidate the hard-won peace by supporting the new administration, the parliament, the judicial system, and civil society through the transition.
The EU program Rise Mindanao focuses on the immediate priority of food security by supporting agro-cooperatives and strengthening the service delivery of local authorities. With the European Union providing P2 billion, this program aims to provide job opportunities for farmers, women, youth, and indigenous people.
Through partner civil society organizations (CSOs), the EU is also working on COVID-19 information campaigns. Advocacy materials to inform communities on how to prevent the virus and cope with COVID-19 are being developed. Multi-lingual videos and infographics are being produced and disseminated widely, in particular to youth and women, to increase public understanding of COVID-19,
In the last five years, the EU has provided a total of P1.2 billion in humanitarian aid: P596 million in emergency response; P380 million in disaster preparedness, and P221 million in education in emergencies.