During her 5-day visit in the Philippines that started last July 2 until July 6, Her Majesty Queen Sofia of the Kingdom of Spain included in her agenda to meet with humanitarian agencies and organizations. And during her visit to the Climate Change Academy in Bicol she met with the officials of World Food Programme (WFP) and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). Present at the meeting were WFP Deputy Country Director Asaka Nyangara and DSWD Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman where they presented the emergency relief and rehabilitation activities mounted in response to Tropical Storm Sendong (Washi) last December 2011. Queen Sofia was joined by Spanish Secretary of State for International Cooperation Jesus Gracia during the meeting.
The Kingdom of Spain, through its Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional para el Desarrollo (AECID) or Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation is major donor of WFP-Philippines since 2009 and strongly supports the fight against hunger and malnutrition in the country. Spain has given over USD4.5 million (Php190.6 million) to support various WFP programmes including school feeding program, supplementary feeding that benefits children, pregnant and lactating women, food for works and training and rehabilitation and relief projects in the communities affected by natural disasters that is supported and in partnership with DSWD.
WFP is the world’s largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide. Each year, on average, WFP feeds more than 90 million people in more than 70 countries. Here in thePhilippinesit targetsMindanaoby addressing the food security needs of vulnerable people in conflict-affected areas.
