GMA pledges $.2M for Afghan fund

President Arroyo has pledged $200,000 for a United Nations (UN) fund to feed and shelter millions of refugees in and around Afghanistan, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said yesterday.

DFA spokesman Victoriano Lecaros said the money will be drawn from the President’s contingency fund and go to the UN Emergency Donor Alert for Afghanistan.

"The President approved the release of P200,000 in response to UN appeals," Lecaros said. "More than anything the donation will address housing and food concerns. This is for humanitarian reasons."

He explained the emergency fund will be used to buy food, build shelters and improve living conditions in communities to encourage more than 7 million displaced Afghans to return to their homes. – Pia Lee-Brago