The European Union (EU) is allocating 800,000 euros (approximately P47 million) to support the pandemic response in conflict-affected provinces in Mindanao.

The EU funding, expected to benefit about 70,000 Mindanaoans, will support a consortium of partners on the ground, including Action Against Hunger, CARE International, and Oxfam International, in assisting the vaccination roll-out in the region’s remote areas.

“The unprecedented surge in Covid-19 cases threatens the lives and livelihoods of many in the Philippines, especially those living in remote areas like Mindanao where access to medical care can sometimes be limited,” Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarčič said Friday.

“This funding from the EU will ensure vulnerable and marginalized people receive vital health support to go through this difficult time.”

This includes facilitating access to Covid-19 vaccines and supporting local governments and health care authorities in implementing their inoculation campaign.

The aid will also focus on improving hygiene practices while ensuring that marginalized people in 19 municipalities across Mindanao better understand the benefits of vaccination.

Since early August, the Philippines has experienced a surge in Covid-19 cases, with a record 26,303 daily infections reported on September 11.

The EU said it has noted that this sharp increase in cases has posed a serious threat to the country’s stretched health care system.