COTABATO CITY, Philippines – Visiting United Nations (UN) officials vowed to strengthen and solidify the good re-lationship between the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and the rest of the international humanitarian community during a very recent dinner meeting at the ARMM executive building here.

The visiting delegation consisting of 23 key officials of UN agencies was led by Catherine Bragg, the Assistant Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator of the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

Bragg told host ARMM officials that they came to see for themselves the real situation of the people of the region, and be familiar with their plight especially those who are living in conflict-affected areas in Maguindanao.

ARMM acting Governor Ansaruddin Alonto Adiong, in a message read for him by ARMM Chief of Staff Ernie Masorong, expressed his gratitude to Bragg and her team members for coming and affirming their unwaver-ing support to humanitarian works on thousands of villagers affected by man-made and natural disasters in the region.

Adiong said the quick emergency responses of UN humanitarian agencies have been imperative in the alle-viation of calamities-stricken ARMM communities, especially some towns in Maguindanao.

He was hopeful that the UN delegation was able to meet the expectation of its visit and tour on pre-identified communities in Maguindanao Monday, even as he assured that his 20- month-old administration has been serving as an assertive partner of foreign institutions assisting the autonomous region.

Bragg and her entourage were the latest UN officials to visit the ARMM in group.

Early this year, a team of officials of the UN Executive Board led by its Chairman Jorge Charpentier came and toured various humanitarian intervention centers also in Maguindanao.

In casual talks with journalists, Charpentier expressed “very satisfactory” impression of the coordinated efforts prevailing in conflict-affected ARMM villages and vowed to bring in more assistance.

He credited the Adiong administration for the improved services in UN-assisted communities.

During the dinner meeting, Bragg said her delegation’s visit was a manifestation of their continuing commit-ment to humanitarian concerns in various parts of the globe including the autonomous region, which still reels off from various calamities, both man-made and natural.

The UN delegation consisted of key officials of the OCHA, the Food and Agriculture Organization, United Nations’ International Children’s Fund, World Food Programme, International Committee of the Red Cross, World Health Organization, United Nations High Commission for Refugees, International Organization for Migration, and the Action Contra Famine.

The visitors were received by Masorong, ARMM Cabinet Secretaries Kadil Sinolinding (Health), Baratucal Caudang (Education), Titingalangit Sumagayan (Public Works), Hadja Pombaen Karon-Kader (Social Welfare), and Regional Economic Zone Authority Executive Director Rosslaini Alonto-Sinarimbo