PHILIPPINES — One month after Typhoon Haiyan made landfall in the Visayas, the UN Refugee Agency is scaling up its emergency response efforts for tens of thousands of families who remain displaced and the growing needs of the affected communities.
A total of $19.2 million is sought to address primary protection issues as well as the continued provision of life-saving assistance for Typhoon Haiyan survivors. The amount is increased from the initial budget of $10 million announced in the aftermath of the typhoon on November 8 as the UNHCR aims to expand its humanitarian assistance to 300,000 people who have been affected and displaced by the typhoon with shelter and non-food items (NFIs) for families and individuals with specific needs, and protection services in affected communities, according to a revised appeal launched by UNHCR on Monday, December 2.
With this supplementary budget, UNHCR will boost the distribution of life-saving supplies to the vulnerable among the people affected by the typhoon, raising stocks from 1,400 to 100,000 plastic sheets, 2,500 to 10,000 tents, an additional19,000 solar lanterns that can also recharge mobile phones, and basic household items such as kitchen utensils, blankets, jerry cans. It will also address logistic needs including transport, distribution and delivery costs, and the deployments and activities under the Protection Cluster, which UNHCR co-leads with the Philippine government.
The new appeal bumps up an inter-agency plea for $348 million published in November by the various United Nations agencies involved in the response efforts—UNOCHA, UNDP, IOM, WHO, WFP, UNICEF, FAO and other partners.
“Almost a month after the typhoon, its effects show no sign of abating. Today, more than ever, protection and humanitarian assistance are needed to ensure that no more lives will be taken by the consequences of this devastating typhoon,” said Bernard Kerblat, UNHCR Representative in the Philippines.
The latest government estimates put the typhoon’s death toll at 5,670, while 1,761 remain missing and 3.6 million displaced (National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council) mainly in the hardest-hit Eastern and Western Visayas regions. Every day, 5,000 persons are believed to be leaving disaster-affected areas for urban centers such as Cebu and Manila to find aid and family members. To date, the government has reported that some 18,016 displaced people or 4,352 families in Haiyan-hit islands Samar and Leyte flocked to Manila.
This secondary movement, and the potential relocation of people from affected sites and 1,104 evacuation centers, require further support in the areas of protection, shelter, and non-food items.
In its revised appeal, UNHCR said the lack of emergency shelter not only exposes displaced individuals to the elements, but also to protection problems such as sexual and gender-based violence, putting at risk especially those with specific needs, such as the elderly, female-headed households, child-headed households, the disabled, victims of violence and indigenous communities in remote areas.
“We will continue to cooperate with the government, the shelter and logistic clusters, and other agencies as well as bilateral aid providers to make sure that this additional aid gets to the people, and to the ones who need it the most,” added Kerblat.
To date, UNHCR has received contributions worth $8.3 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), the private sector, and the Japanese and Norwegian governments.
Contact persons:
Marmie Liquigan (Manila), External Relations/PSFR, [email protected], +639189208765
Johanna Morden (Manila), External Relations, [email protected], +639173055573
Kent Bolisay (Tacloban), External Relations, [email protected], +639294577645
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