In a world of global challenges, continued poverty, inequity, and increasing vulnerability to disasters and disease, IFRC - with its global network - works to accomplish its Global Agenda, partnering with local community and civil society to prevent and alleviate human suffering from disasters, diseases and public health emergencies.

In brief

Programme purpose:

The programmes for 2009 [as outlined in Philippines Country Plan 2009-2010] were in support of the Philippine

An analysis of the very latest, peer-reviewed science indicates that many predictions at the upper end of the IPCC's forecasts are becoming ever more likely.

Meanwhile, the newly emerging science points to some events thought likely to occur in longer-term time horizons, as already happening or set to happen far sooner than had previously been thought.

"Urgent financial and material support is needed to strengthen the health response to this humanitarian crisis and reduce the suffering so many people are facing," said Dr Soe Nyunt-U, the World Health Organization's representative to the Philippines.

In brief

Programme summary:

The 2009-2010 appeal is in support of the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC) plan. The national society's plan focuses on organizational development with the primary purpose of increasing the PNRC and local community ("barangay") capacity to address the most urgent situations of vulnerability by maximizing the highly potential resources that PNRC has: its volunteers. The PNRC initiative known as Project 143 reinforces the presence of PNRC in all 42,000 barangays in the country.

The heavy rains unleashed by the two back-to back-typhoons earlier this month are generally not expected until June.

However, according to specialists, climate change will disrupt the planting calendar, affecting the quality of crops and ultimately the economy.

"Farmers have to learn to adapt

I. Situation Overview

A. Chronology of Typhoon Dante (KUJIRA)

April 29, 2009

5 AM- two low pressure areas (LPAs) were monitored at 80 km northeast of Catanduanes and 480 km west of Mindoro.

5 PM - two LPAs were located at 140 km east of Albay and 280 km northwest of Mindoro.

April 30, 2009

11 AM -TD "CRISING" developed from LPA west of Mindoro while the other LPA was located in the vicinity of Albay.

May 1, 2009

5 PM - the LPA near Albay developed to

I. Weather Update

Intensified Typhoon "DANTE" continues to move farther away from the country. At 10:00PM, 5 May 2009, it was located at 1,340 kms east of Basco, Batanes (19.4ºN, 135.7ºE). Its maximum sustained winds is 140 kph near the center with gustiness of up to 170 kph, moving east northeast at 22 kph. Typhoon "DANTE" is expected to be at 1,720 kms east northeast of Aparri, Cagayan by tomorrow morning. With this development and unless recurvature occurs, this is the final bulletin on this weather disturbance.

The death toll from a typhoon that lashed the Philippines rose to 27, with over 54,000 people left homeless, the government said Wednesday, as they warned of a new storm gathering in the South China Sea.

State weather forecasts said Typhoon Kujira has now blown out of the Philippines after dumping heavy rains and causing floods and landslides in the eastern Bicol region at the weekend.

Twenty-one of the casualties were recorded in the town of Magallanes in Sorsogon province, where a landslide buried