Massive relief effort under way

Saying Supertyphoon “Yolanda” could not bring Filipinos to their knees, Malacañang has set a massive relief, rescue and rehabilitation effort in the aftermath of one of the strongest typhoons in world history.

Accompanied by seven Cabinet officials, President Aquino on Sunday flew to Tacloban City in Leyte province and to Roxas City in Capiz province to lead the distribution of relief supplies and personally assess the extent of the damage caused by Yolanda.

The United Nations said it expected the death toll from the supertyphoon to rise and that it was sending emergency supplies to the stricken nation, as Pope Francis called on Catholics on Sunday to provide “concrete help” to the hundreds of thousands of people rendered homeless by the typhoon.

More than 60,000 people joined the Pope in his own prayer for the victims during his traditional Sunday Mass in St. Peter’s Square, a day after he tweeted his solidarity with the Philippines.

“Sadly, there are many, many victims and the damage is huge,” Francis said, speaking from a third-floor window of the papal palace. “Let us try to provide concrete help.”

Amid the devastation, foreign governments and groups rushed to provide relief assistance and deployed teams to help the government make a rapid assessment of worst-hit areas.

The governments of the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and Germany, as well as international groups, such as the European Union, UN Children’s Fund (Unicef) and World Bank, offered not only their sympathy to the Philippines for the loss of lives and massive destruction but also their readiness to help.

Aquino’s deputy spokesperson, Abigail Valte, said the priority was to send “medical teams, rescue units and equipment, technical personnel and relief goods” to the badly hit areas.

“[No] matter how heavy the calamity, we have always managed to pick ourselves up and get back to our normal lives,” Valte said in a media briefing on Radyo ng Bayan.

The US government, through its acting ambassador, Charge d’Affaires Brian Goldbeck, announced the availability of $100,000 to provide health, water and sanitation support to those affected by the storm.

“USAID Office of Foreign Assistance and Mission representatives have already been deployed at various locales throughout the affected areas and determined the damage is severe in multiple locations,” the US Embassy said in Manila on its website.

US choppers, planes

A Pentagon statement said US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel would make helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft and surface maritime search-and-rescue equipment available after a request from the Philippines government.

The British government, through its Overseas Development Secretary Justine Greening, announced a package of up to 4 million pounds, or P276 million, as humanitarian response to the typhoon.

“My thoughts are with the people of the Philippines and, in particular, to those who have lost loved ones,” Greening said in a statement.

British Ambassador Asif Ahmad said “the speed and efficiency of action in the days ahead… can save lives and provide security and comfort to those affected.”

Shelter items

British assistance includes a rapid-response facility that can provide up to 500,000 people with humanitarian aid, including access to clean water and shelter items, such as plastic sheeting and household items, from the stockpile of humanitarian items at a UK warehouse in Dubai.

The United Kingdom will also send another team of humanitarian experts to join three others already in the country to coordinate international response.

Canada said it was working with Canadian and international humanitarian partners to determine what assistance was needed, as it announced it would provide up to C$5 million in support of these organizations. This would provide emergency shelter, food, water, livelihood support and other essential services.

“The destruction is alarming and Canada will continue to ensure needs are being met,” Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird said in a statement.

Germany will deploy emergency and relief response to the country.

German nongovernment organization World Vision and the International Search and Rescue Team (Isar Germany) donated 23 tons of relief aid consisting of water, food, hygiene and medical kits. The goods were due to arrive Sundday on a Lufthansa flight.

Isar Germany is also sending a medical team of 24 doctors and nurses to the hardest-hit regions. They will bring in up to 2 tons of medical supplies provided by Action Medeor, a German relief organization, and will set up medical tents that can accommodate up to 1,000 persons a day.

Australia will provide an initial P15.5 million in relief supplies, said Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop.

Australian Ambassador Bill Tweddell said his government would distribute emergency family kits, which include sleeping bags, blankets and water containers, through the Philippine Red Cross and reproductive health kits through the UN Population Fund.

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said the EC had sent a team to assist Philippine authorities. “We stand ready to contribute with urgent relief and assistance if so required in this hour of need,” Barroso said.

The Unicef commended the government for its preventive measures but said it was concerned about the disaster’s impact on children. Forty percent of the some four million people affected by the typhoon were children under 18 years old, according to its Philippine representative, Tomoo Hozumi.

Saying “a friend in need is a friend indeed,” Taiwan announced a donation of P8.6 million to support the postdisaster relief efforts and rehabilitation in the typhoon-ravaged areas.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe sent a message to Aquino expressing condolences and sympathies for the loss of many lives and for the many people affected by the disaster.

In a statement from the Japanese Embassy, Abe said his country would extend any necessary assistance to the Philippines.—With a report from AFP