Philippines

With a population of over 103 million people, The Philippines is one of the most highly populated nations in the world. Sadly more than 8.5 million people are living on less than $1.90 (£1.40) a day and the frequent threat of natural disasters and food insecurity are an ongoing problem. We assist local communities by providing much-needed disaster and food relief.

At present, around seven million people across The Philippines are living on less than $1.90 (£1.40 a day), with many people not receiving adequate nutrition. Armed conflict and frequent natural hazards, including natural and climate-related disasters such as drought, flooding, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions, continue to have a hugely devastating impact on the local population.

Climate change is exacerbating the risk of disaster as communities are having to adapt to their changing environment, which is increasingly threatening the stability of local communities reliant upon agriculture and with fragile infrastructure.

Each year The Philippines is hit on average by 20 typhoons. For the 25-30% of the population reliant on agriculture, this has an especially detrimental effect.

Life is challenging for families across The Philippines:

• Around a quarter of the population do not have access to basic sanitation facilities (World Bank, 2018)
• Over a quarter of the population are living in poverty (UNDP, 2019)
• The Philippines is affected by around 20 typhoons a year (WFP, 2019)
• Over a third of children (aged 6 months – 5 years) suffer from chronic malnutrition (WFP, 2019)

Islamic Relief in Philippines

Islamic Relief has responded to a number of natural disasters across The Philippines. When Typhoon Haiyan struck in 2013, as part of the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) – a UK based INGO coalition – we raised a total of £90 million, reaching over four million people.

We provided tents and tarpaulins to 4,500 homeless families and helped distribute food and water to over 32,000 households – around 160,000 people. We then provided farmers with seeds, fertiliser, and tools to take advantage of the rice planting season to enable families to grow food and start to earn a living again. We also worked to resolve the widespread problem of insufficient clean drinking water by installing a number of rainwater harvest tanks on the island.

In 2018 when the country was then hit by Typhoon Mangkhut, we were on the ground providing critical aid for displaced families. In addition to our emergency response work, we also continue to provide much-needed Qurbani and Ramadan food aid as part of our global seasonal programmes.