Government announces emergency assistance to the Philippines
The Government today announced that funding of €400,000 is being made available to assist victims of the recent typhoons and tropical storms in the Philippines. The funding will be provided to address the immediate emergency humanitarian and rehabilitation needs of those worst affected by the flash floods and landslides.
Announcing the assistance, Minister of State for Development Cooperation and Human Rights, Conor Lenihan TD, stated
“The recent successive typhoons and tropical depressions in the Philippines have further devastated vulnerable communities in the regions affected. The Irish Government will work with partners including, the UN and the Red Cross, to assist in meeting the emergency humanitarian needs for the relief of the communities affected, in order to re-establish basic facilities and other essential services as soon as possible”.
According to the most recent estimates, over 760 people have died, about 800 people are missing. 30,000 homes have been damaged or destroyed. Immediate emergency and rehabilitation needs include the provision of food, shelter and repairs to roads in order to provide access for the delivery of aid. The Irish assistance will be channelled mainly through the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) which has overall responsibility for coordinating the UN Agencies' response and the International Federation of the Red Cross which is responding to the disaster and which has the capacity on the ground to deliver humanitarian aid effectively.
Note for Editors
The latest figures on the impact of the successive typhoons and tropical depressions provided are that 762 have died, 667 have been injured, 787 are missing, 12,758 houses have been destroyed and 18,189have been damaged. Areas most affected are the Aurora Province and Quezon Province. Recent UN reports indicate a need for more relief items as current Government's stocks are not enough to meet the demand for the coming weeks. The expected opening up of access roads to the affected areas will expedite the distribution of relief items. Priority relief items remain to be food, potable water, paediatric medicines, water and sanitation facilities, power generators, and shelters.
