Situation Overview
The Philippines remains prone to natural hazards including typhoons, earthquake and volcanoes. 2015 is currently experiencing an El Niño event and 16-20 typhoons of category 3 or higher, that may impact the Philippines, are predicted during the current typhoon season (June – November).
In addition to natural hazards, the long running armed conflict in Mindanao continues and a law enforcement operation launched by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) against the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in Central Mindanao in February 2015 displaced over 125,000 people. The situation in the Sulu Archipelago in South Western Mindanao continued to be highly insecure, with children affected by fighting between lawless armed groups, family feuding and high levels of criminality. The ongoing conflict continues to exclude children in Mindanao from the benefits of economic growth experienced in other regions of the Philippines, and the region has the lowest rates for completion of elementary school and access to sanitation, and has the highest rates of malnutrition. Following fighting in late 2013 in Zamboanga there remains a total of 17,023 people displaced and elevated rates of malnutrition have been identified amongst Internally Displaced Populations (IDPs). The peace process remains intact, however there has been growing uncertainty over the passage of the ‘Bangsamoro Basic Law’ – which is a key part of the peace process. If the peace process fails there would be an increased risk of large-scale displacement.