Heavy floods are worsening the plight of the tens of thousands of civilians displaced by the conflict in Mindanao. The ICRC, in cooperation with the Philippine National Red Cross, continues to help meet basic needs by making available safe drinking water, emergency food and other items. The ICRC has assisted over 120,000 people in Mindanao since 10 August.

Overview

Since mid-September, heavy floods resulting from an exceptionally severe monsoon season have caused further displacement in Mindanao. "This is a double whammy," said Christoph Sutter, the deputy head of the ICRC delegation. "Places like Datu Piang, in Central Mindanao, are literally becoming islands surrounded by water." Datu Piang, with a normal population of 8,000, now has to accommodate around 40,000 people who have been displaced by the conflict or the floods, or both. "All public areas – including mosques, schools, the hospital courtyard and the fish market – are filled to the brim with displaced people," added Sutter.

Several evacuation centres in Datu Piang were flooded recently and the displaced had to move on again. In nearby Mamasapano, displaced people live in makeshift shelters on the highway, the only place still above water. ICRC delegates, working with their counterparts from the Philippines Red Cross, have started to distribute aid in both Datu Piang and Mamasapano.

This situation is making it more difficult for the ICRC to reach the victims. "Even though no one has deliberately prevented the passage of our convoys, we do not have access in some places because of the fighting, and in others because of the floods," said Cedric Piralla, who heads the ICRC’s sub-delegation in Davao. Around 5,000 displaced families in two villages near Mamapasano are now completely isolated by the rising waters. Elsewhere, people in need of help have to walk to ICRC distribution points because trucks carrying relief supplies can no longer use the muddy roads.

Another challenge results from the fact that the displaced have to move about so much. "People are going back to their villages, only to flee again owing to renewed fighting, the floods, or both," said Sutter. Repeated displacement – some people have already had to flee their homes four times since the beginning of 2008 – could seriously undermine coping mechanisms. "The humanitarian situation in Mindanao has had ups and downs for 25 years, but now it is particularly bad," said Dr Robert Paterson, an ICRC medical coordinator.

ICRC/Philippine National Red Cross response

The ICRC works from four locations on Mindanao: two offices in Davao and Zamboanga are complemented by permanent staff in Cotabato City (Maguindanao) and Iligan (Lanao del Norte). Seven to eight teams made up of ICRC and Philippine Red Cross staff carry out their work in the field every day, in coordination with the armed forces and local authorities. They first assess the needs of the displaced, then proceed to distribute aid within days. Since 12 August, they have handed out food and essential household items to more than 84,000 people.

"What we provide, together with the rice jointly distributed by the World Food Programme and the Philippine authorities, represents 1,000 calories, or half the daily nutritional needs of beneficiary families," said Isabelle Bucher, an ICRC economic security delegate. "We are thus very careful not to destroy the existing coping mechanisms and to avoid a massive influx of food, which could result in the collapse of local markets." In some cases, the same families have already benefited from a second monthly distribution. The beneficiaries include both the displaced people sheltering in evacuation centres and those living with host families.

The ICRC has also been providing clean water and sanitation for more than 40,000 displaced people. Even before the current crisis, ICRC delegates had set up water and sanitation facilities in locations thought likely to receive displaced persons, which did eventually receive them. Additional work is also under way.

"When there is an emergency, the first priority is not a health response per se," said Dr Paterson. "If you make sure there is adequate water, waste disposal, shelter and food, you mostly avoid illness, and a health response is less necessary." Nonetheless, some measures, such as vaccination against measles, are still needed given the fact that large numbers of people are living together. Measles can disable or even kill children, especially when they are weakened – which most are, according to Dr Paterson. He added that "the response of all those involved – governments and humanitarian agencies – has been impressive, especially when it comes to spontaneous vaccination against measles." The ICRC has supported health-care facilities and provided assistance for individual war-wounded and displaced people.

ICRC delegates are monitoring the situation of people detained in connection with the conflict. In addition, they are documenting allegations that insufficient precautions have been taken to protect civilians from the effects of the fighting in Central Mindanao. The ICRC is discussing these issues on a bilateral basis with the parties to the conflict.

Finally, the ICRC is set to launch a poster campaign in conflict-affected areas in Mindanao warning the population of the danger of unexploded ordnance.

The emergency operation of the ICRC and the Philippine Red Cross complements the efforts of Philippine government agencies and of other international organizations.

ICRC in Mindanao: facts and figures

Since the beginning of the crisis on 10 August 2008, the ICRC has:

• doubled its personnel in Mindanao, where it now has 53 staff members, including drivers;
• delivered food and essential household items to 84,000 people in North Cotabato, Maguindanao, Lanao del Norte and Sarangani;
• provided clean water and sanitation for more than 40,000 people in North Cotabato, Maguindanao and Lanao del Norte. This involved building or protecting 10 shallow wells equipped with hand pumps, installing bladder tanks, repairing a water distribution network in a school, covering the cost of water and electricity, and building latrines;
• provided six health-care centres in Mindanao with medicines and supplies, and provided around 100 people, including war-wounded and displaced people, with individual assistance;
• set up a warehouse in Davao from which it can deliver up to 3,000 food rations or kits of household essentials every day.

ICRC activities elsewhere in the Philippines continue. In particular, the organization is monitoring the consequences on civilians of the conflict between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the New People's Army in Southern Luzon and the Visayas (Central Philippines). ICRC delegates meet the affected families, including victims of violations of international humanitarian law and people displaced by the fighting, and raise the organization’s concerns with the parties to the conflict. Other activities include water and sanitation projects in behalf of areas severely affected by the conflict.

The ICRC also visits people in custody, and supports water, health and habitat improvements in 26 jails benefiting around 14,000 inmates. It has also given hygiene items to over 7,500 detainees in eight jails since the beginning of 2008. A family visit programme has enabled more than 400 families to visit detained relatives in various locations.

The ICRC regularly carries out activities intended to raise awareness of international humanitarian law and basic humanitarian principles. In September alone, it has held several events on this topic, including a three-day seminar attended by 21 senior police officers.

The ICRC cooperates with the Philippines Red Cross on a daily basis in Mindanao and elsewhere in the archipelago.