Filipinos extend ‘malasakit’ to Rohingya refugees
The ‘malasakit’ that you are extending to the most vulnerable in the Philippines is also being extended by the Philippine Government to the Rohingya refugees who have fled persecution – a testament that compassion is truly inherent among Filipinos past and present.
The Philippines pledged its continued solidarity and support for Rohingya refugees on 22nd October 2020, during a virtual conference for Sustaining Support for the Rohingya Refugee Response.
“Together with the rest of ASEAN, we will continue to support the delivery of humanitarian assistance to affected populations, including through the UNHCR and the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin, Jr. said during the virtual conference. He also announced the Philippine government’s generous donation of US$100,000 will provide life-saving assistance to Rohingya refugees in Myanmar’s Rakhine State.
A strong tradition of “malasakit”
UNHCR also lauds the Philippines’ continued commitment to accepting refugees, which Sec. Locsin described as an obligation rooted in malasakit, a Filipino term that he defined to mean “caring to the point of sharing the pain” and an “unbridled concern for the wellbeing of others”.
This echoes earlier statements made by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte during the 75th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, where he affirmed that “The doors of the Philippines are open, as they have always been, to everyone fleeing for safety, such as the Rohingyas.”
The Philippines has a strong tradition of welcoming refugees, even prior to becoming a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention. Since the end of World War I, the country has hosted nine waves of refugees and has pledged to enhance its policy, legal and operational framework in support of refugees during the Global Refugee Forum in 2019.
The resilience of the Rohingya
The exile of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar to Bangladesh in 2017 was the largest and fastest refugee influx that the world had seen in a generation. The Rohingya have faced discrimination and persecution for decades, and are the single biggest stateless community in the world today. There are currently 860,000 Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar district, and Malaysia, India, Indonesia, and other countries in the region are together hosting nearly 150,000 Rohingya refugees.
As the crisis enters the 4th year, a renewed pursuit of solutions for displaced and stateless Rohingya communities both within and outside of Myanmar is needed. There is a significant funding gap in the international response to the crisis this year, made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic. Rohingya children and youth need greater access to higher quality education and livelihood opportunities that will enhance their personal growth and make them self-reliant.
Despite these challenges, the resilience of the Rohingya refugees in the face of these difficulties and the COVID-19 pandemic speaks volumes about their capacity to rebuild their lives if given the right support. UNHCR works with partners, donors, and the refugees themselves to distribute soap and masks, ensure access to water, and promote good hygiene practices among the families living in the camps. Community-led projects in which the refugees work together to identify their key priorities are also being supported.
In the refugee camps in Bangladesh, UNHCR is combating COVID-19 and promoting good hygiene practices together with partners, community volunteers, and the refugees themselves. 100,000 bars of soap have been distributed, and more than 78,000 tippy-taps and over 14,500 handwashing devices have been installed. © UNHCR Bangladesh
Laila & Salam collect water at the bottom of a steep slope thanks to a stairs constructed as part of UNHCR 'Community Led Projects' in Rohingya camps. "We were able to vote on the project we wanted in our community. It is really important for women, especially pregnant women". © UNHCR Bangladesh
On top of COVID-19, monsoon rains are threatening the safety of families living in refugee camps in Bangladesh. Rohingya refugee volunteers and UNHCR are working together to repair damaged shelters and other community facilities. © UNHCR Bangladesh/Marin Kajdomcaj
UNHCR continues to distribute jerry cans, soaps and masks to all families in the refugee camps in Bangladesh. Of the 375,000 masks distributed, more than 55% were produced by refugees and local communities through livelihood support projects. © UNHCR Bangladesh
"I have 4 children but there are many more in the community. Before, it was difficult for them to reach their learning centres. This has helped the children & the whole community" said Foriz. This is just 1 of almost 450 Community Led Projects underway in the refugee camps in Bangladesh. © UNHCR Bangladesh
“We will continue to work together to maintain international attention on the Rohingya crisis and to shift from short-term critical interventions, to a more sustained and stable support”, said the closing statement from co-hosts the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), the European Union (EU), United Kingdom and United States.
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Your malasakit ensures that UNHCR can mitigate the spread of COVID-19 while responding to the onslaught of the monsoon season and ensuring that critical activities continue, including health, nutrition, hygiene promotion, construction of health facilities and WASH infrastructures as well as key distributions such as food, LPG and hygiene kits.
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