COTABATO CITY, Philippines - The UN World Food Programme (WFP) is launching Wednesday a food assistance project for families displaced by conflict between government security forces and Muslim separatist rebels in southern Philippines.

Zoharayda Taha, regional social welfare director, said as part of ongoing efforts to address the early recovery needs of internally displaced people, her agency is committing to provide WFP with some 18,800 tonnes of iron-fortified rice.

The program will benefit at least 106,000 families in the provinces of Maguindanao, North Cotabato, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, and Sultan Kudarat.

WFP in the Philippines has been using food assistance and hot meals to boost school enrolment and attendance especially in Mindanao.

WFP's Food for Education programme in the Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao and adjacent areas uses food support as an incentive to promote school attendance and reduce dropouts in conflict-affected areas.