Mindanao Earthquake

Lord Swire Excerpts

Wednesday 10th June 2026 Lords Chamber

[Lord Lemos (Lab)]

With respect, I do not think we are just offering the ambassador’s sympathy. We stand ready to help and have ensured that our commitments to humanitarian assistance have been protected, so I am afraid that I do not quite accept the characterisation the noble Lord puts forward. On the Bangsamoro peace process, it is an important commitment that the UK has been heavily involved in, supported by my noble friend Lord McConnell, and we will continue to be actively engaged in that.

[Lord Swire (Con)]

My Lords, the British people can be proud of the part we have played over the years in bringing relative peace to that part of the world. Can the Minister, though, reassure us that we will do everything we can to preserve the peace in that area in case it is knocked a bit by the recent humanitarian problems we have seen resulting from this earthquake?

[Lord Lemos (Lab)]

I reassure the noble Lord that we are not receiving any reports—I checked this specifically—of problems with aid from the Philippines Government reaching the affected communities in the Bangsamoro area. We are committed to supporting the peace process in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and will continue to do that even once this disaster is behind us.