UN Humanitarian Chief Calls for Continued Support to Meet Millions of People’s Needs four Months After Typhoon Haiyan

(Manila/New York, 27 February 2014): United Nations Humanitarian Chief Valerie Amos concluded a two-day visit to the Philippines today, calling on the international community to continue supporting critical humanitarian efforts in the country where significant needs remain, four months after Typhoon Haiyan struck.

“There is huge progress,” said Ms. Amos, who had previously visited the affected areas twice in November in the first ten days after the disaster. “In Tacloban, streets that were piled high with debris are now jammed with traffic. Numerous small businesses have reopened. Children are back in schools that reopened at the start of the year. Women and men continue to make every effort to rebuild their lives.”

“We always talk of the resilience of the Filipino people. They are indeed leading the way in recovery efforts. But during my visit I also saw how much remains to be done,” she said. “Millions of people still require urgent assistance. We need to ensure that the gains that we have made thus far are not rolled back. Many in communities that were devastated are only now at the beginning of the difficult process of recovery.”

Aid efforts were scaled up soon after the disaster to provide life-saving support in affected areas. UN agencies and humanitarian partners worked with the Government to provide food, water, shelter and health care. More than half a million families received tents and tarpaulins, and partners put in place emergency employment programmes, including efforts to clear rubble, to help people get back on their feet.

The typhoon destroyed or damaged more than 1 million homes and left some 4 million people homeless, many of them still in need of housing and help with relocation. The agricultural and fishing industries were severely affected, limiting people’s ability to produce food and earn an income.

Humanitarian organizations in the Philippines are now prioritizing efforts to help people find long-term sustainable housing solutions. People also need jobs. The year-long Typhoon Haiyan Strategic Response Plan, which was launched in November, has received 46 per cent of the US$788 million that humanitarian organizations urgently need to implement immediate and longer-term efforts.

“We cannot afford to be complacent. We have to help the Government and people build back safer so that the next massive storm does not bring the terrible levels of devastation that we saw with Haiyan,” said Ms. Amos.

For further information, please call:
Russell Geekie, OCHA Philippines, geekie@un.org, +63 0927 898 7513
Anne Skatvedt, OCHA Philippines, skatvedt@un.org, +63 927 633 4287
Devi Palanivelu, OCHA New York, palanivelu@un.org, +1 917 650 9782
OCHA press releases are available at www.unocha.org or www.reliefweb.int.