MANILA, 21 May 2013 (IRIN) - The oppressive summer heat bore down on this impoverished southern Philippine town on Mindanao Island as thousands gathered to hear a "proxy candidate" of the country's largest Muslim rebel force address the crowd on the eve of recently concluded mid-term elections.

In the crowd were members of the 12,000-strong Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) - this time unarmed in keeping with a promise to the government to help keep peace and order during the 13 May polls.

Families still live in evacuation centers or ‘tent cities’ and in spontaneous settlements in tents or makeshift emergency shelters. The humanitarian appeal is less than half funded.

UNICEF correspondent Chris Niles reports on efforts to get children back to school in the Philippines following Typhoon Bopha.

By Meena Bhandari

Six months after Typhoon Bopha took more than 1,000 lives and displaced more than a million people, teaching and learning are starting up again in elementary schools across affected parts of the Philippines.

15-05-2013 Operational Update No 13/02

More than four months have passed since Eastern Mindanao was hit by a typhoon that destroyed the homes and livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of people. This is an update on what the ICRC is doing to help them get back on their feet again.

The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (Central Office)-Department of Environment and Natural Resources (MGB-DENR) conducted geohazards (landslide and flood) assessment and mapping (1:10,000 scale) of areas within the municipality of Nabunturan on March 11 to 19, 2013. Comprising the geohazards assessment team are geologists from the MGB-Central Office (MGB-CO) namely Mr. Salvio B. Laserna, Ms. Christine Jeiselle G. Guarino, Ms. Vanessa Andrea V. Llagas, Mr. Kevin L. Garas, Mr. Mel Anthony A. Casulla and Ms. Princess Danielle B. Matas.