The Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said that the national government has given US$ 200,000 (about P11.1 million) towards the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) in 2023.

Permanent Representative to the UN Antonio Lagdameo made the announcement at the CERF High-Level Pledging Event (HLPE) for 2023 on December 9, 2022.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA) organized the event with the goal of mobilizing financial resources to guarantee that CERF is well-positioned as one of the most efficient finance instruments for providing life-saving, time-sensitive humanitarian assistance.

“Our pledge is an indication of our commitment to humanitarian action and of our responsible membership in the community of nations,” Lagdameo said. “Being one of the world’s most at-risk countries, the Philippines invests in disaster preparedness and early warning systems at national and local levels, through strong engagement with international humanitarian organizations, civil society, and the private sector.”

He encouraged other developing countries to support the UN OCHA and contribute to CERF, which is one of the most effective and fastest mechanisms available to UN agencies and their partners in countries affected by emergencies.

In 2022, CERF played a pivotal role in meeting the ever-rising humanitarian needs of people caught up in crises.

As of November 2022, it allocated more than USD 700 million to support millions of people in need of urgent assistance in about 40 countries, the second-highest amount released from CERF after the record-breaking 2020 when US$ 848 million was disbursed.

When Super Typhoon Odette (international name Rai) pummeled coastal communities in the Philippines in December 2021, CERF allocated US$ 12 million to provide life-saving humanitarian assistance to the most affected people, the DFA said.

News article: https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1190713