Highlights:

- Prices still remain significantly higher compared to last year and long term averages, especially in Eastern and Southern Africa, Asia and Middle East. Overall, the impact on the cost of the food basket remains relatively high.

Description: Update Report on the Landslide incident in Mount Diwata, Monkayo, Compostela Valley

Place of Disaster: Mount Diwata, Monkayo, Compostela Valley

Date and Time: Friday, December 26, 2008 01:00 AM

Summary :

UPDATE REPORT As of December 29, 2008

Two hundred two (202) families composed of 960 persons were displaced.

Eighty-three (83) families with 290 dependents took temporary shelter at the Barangay Hall and Barangay Gym of Mount Diwata while others stay at their relatives houses.

Twelve (12) houses were damaged with

I. Situation Overview

A. Internally Displaced Populations (IDPs) (As of 29 December 2008)

- IDPs Inside evacuation centers slightly decreased from 15,472 to 15,392 families and from 75,893 to 75,426 persons

- IDPs Outside evacuation centers slightly decreased from 48,215 to 47,457 families and from 236,439 to 232,749 persons

- IDPs served inside and outside evacuation centers slightly decreased from 63,687 to 62 849 families and from 312,332 to 308,175 persons

"They think we no longer exist because we are not seen on TV any more. But we're still here," Linog Macalig, a Maranao farmer, said from the town of Piagapo in the province of Lanao del Sur.

"We have appealed to the government but nobody seems to be listening to us. There is no relief assistance. It was only temporary. What can we do?"

Forced to abandon their house amid the war between government troops and separatist rebels, the family is now sheltered in a shabby gymnasium.

Living on a small amount of relief food, there is no way for the family to enjoy ham, salad, pasta, or roasted pig this Christmas.

"It would be just an ordinary day

Two former lawmakers and a Muslim who is part of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's cabinet have been named to a panel that will try to convince the largest Muslim rebel group in the south, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), to lay down their arms.

All three are based in southern Mindanao

IFAD's Executive Board concludes three-day meeting in Rome

Rome, 19 December 2008 - Poverty eradication efforts in 16 developing countries received a boost this week when the IFAD Executive Board approved more than US$197.55 million in loans and US$60.83 in grants.

"The agreement of the Executive Board to this package will enable IFAD to continue to work closely with national governments and partners to help poor rural people in these 16 developing countries build better lives," said IFAD President Lennart Båge.

A rebel statement posted on the website of the Communist Party of the Philippines said New People's Army (NPA) fighters were restrained from initiating offensives to allow the country to celebrate a violence-free Christmas holidays.

"In unity with the Filipino people's holiday traditions, the NPA was instructed to observe truce from Dec. 24

Thousands of internally displaced people (IDPs) are being housed in schools on the southern island following an upsurge in fighting between government forces and the Muslim separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in August.

According to the National Disaster Coordination Council (NDCC), of the more than 300,000 displaced, some 75,000 are staying in evacuation centres, mainly schools.