Zamboanga City – Five years after the Siege
More than five years after the Zamboanga siege in 2013, 1,080 persons (216 families) remain in five (5) transitory sites (TS) out of the 119,714 persons (23,794 families) displaced at the onset of the conflict. 2,250 persons (or 450 families) are being hosted by their friends and relatives as of May 2019.
Those in the Transitory Sites remain in difficult conditions due to the old, if not damaged, bunkhouses in Buggoc, Rio Hondo, Kasanyangan, and Mampang. Aside from dilapidated bunkhouses and boardwalks, IDPs continue to face other protection issues such as poor sanitation & hygiene, safety & security risks, and limited access to educational and livelihood opportunities. Women, children, and persons with specific needs (PWSN) are particularly vulnerable.
The report provides an overview of the efforts made by UNHCR to address protection needs of IDPs in Zamboanga city over the last 5 years. The document also highlights current protection issues with regard to shelter, livelihood, humanitarian assistance and access to education, with special focus on the way forward to support IDPs in different accommodation settings (Transitory sites & home-based).
