PH hikes contribution to UNHCR

The Philippines has substantially increased its monetary contribution to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) during a pledging session at the UN program’s headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.

According to Deputy Permanent Representative Kristine Leilani Salle, the country’s increased contribution of $150,000 may not sound much to countries that can afford much more, but the amount was 50 percent higher than the country’s previous contributions.

It also excludes the Philippines’ nonmonetary contributions, including assistance to Rohingya people of Myanmar, as well as refugees from Ukraine and Sudan in 2023.

Salle urged members of the international community to pool their resources and direct them to the protection and durable solutions for refugees, stateless persons, asylum seekers, and other displaced people.

“It is for this reason that we are scaling up our contribution, to the best of our national capacity as a middle-income country,” she stated, “especially as it has been our constant call for traditional and nontraditional donors alike to push the boundaries of global burden and responsibility sharing.” —Jacob Lazaro

READ: UNHCR lauds PH for providing safe haven to refugees