Philippines: Typhoon Chan-hom - May 2009

According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration 3 Nock-Ten (Nina) (PAGASA), the Philippines is prone to tropical cyclones due to its geographical location which generally produce heavy rains, flooding of large areas and also strong winds which result in heavy casualties to human life and destruction to crops and properties. On average, the country is frequented by 20 tropical cyclones annually, almost half of which made landfall.

By Joseph B. Zambrano

BAGUIO CITY, April 16 (PIA) -- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has allocated funds for the construction of core shelter units for the victims of typhoons Emong, Juan, and Peping.

DSWD has set P46.4 million under the Core Shelter Assistance Program (CSAP) for the construction of 801 core shelter units.

According the DSWD regional director Leonardo C. Reynoso, 232 units have been completed and handed over to beneficiaries while 266 units are being constructed and 303 units are up for construction.

In brief

This annual report focuses on the work of the Asia Pacific zone office in 2009 to provide leadership and guidance to the International Federation efforts to increase the impact of Asia Pacific national societies' humanitarian activities. 2009 has been a very busy but productive period as the zone office has responded to multiple disasters simultaneously, while carrying forward several new initiatives designed to increase the impact of its work with Asia Pacific national societies.

This report covers the period 1 January to 31December 2009.

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 Red Cross (PRC) plan which focuses on …

Japanese Ambassador Makoto Katsura and Secretary of Foreign Affairs Alberto Romulo signed and exchanged notes for two (2) ODA loans and three (3) grant aid projects on March 15, 2010 at the Department of Foreign Affairs.

The signing and exchanging of notes officially marked the appropriation of approximately 23.1 billion yen (approximately 11.8 billion pesos) for the two (2) loans, namely, the Development Policy Support Program 3 (DPSP3) and the Emergency Budget Support Japanese ODA Loan.

MANILA, PHILIPPINES - The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is giving further assistance to an ongoing Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) technical assistance project designed to give civil servants the skills to manage and promote regional cooperation and integration activities.

ADB is providing a $1.4 million grant from its Technical Assistance Special Fund for the fourth phase of the Phnom Penh Plan for Development Management.

Dagupan City (19 February) -- Some 256 families of Sitio Aplaya in Barangay Pangapisan Norte in Lingayen finally received assistance more than a year after typhoon Emong hit the province.

Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr. led the distribution of shelter repair kit in partnership with Habitat for Humanity Philippines and the conduct of medical mission, relief distribution and food for work and feeding program.

Espino admitted that the program to help the residents of Sitio Aplaya was long overdue because efforts he said were hampered by the onslaught of more typhoons.

by Vency D.

by Vency D. Bulayungan

Lagawe, Ifugao (12 December) -- 50 families from six municipalities here each received P70,000.00 worth of construction materials from the national government through the Core Shelter Assistance Program (CSAP).

Living on an island in the balmy tropics of the western Pacific, the residents of the Philippines are accustomed to tropical storms. The storms can form at any time of the year, and they frequently impact the island nation as they track west across the Pacific. This image illustrates how much rain the Philippines received from tropical cyclones between May and October in 2009. In that period, 12 named storms poured heavy rain over the Philippines.

by Vency D. Bulayungan

Lagawe, Ifugao (14 November) -- The Provincial Government here and the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) awarded P560,000.00 to victims of typhoon Emong.

Governor Teddy Baguilat Jr.

Battered by conflict and flooding, hundreds of thousands of people in the Philippines have been displaced and face multiple health risks. In this episode we look at how WHO is working to respond to the enormous health challenges they face.

Listen to this episode - duration 00:06:35 [mp3 3.8Mb]

Transcript of the podcast

Veronica Riemer: You're listening to the WHO podcast, and my name is Veronica Riemer.

4 SEPTEMBER, 2009 ¦ MANILA/GENEVA- Battered by conflict and flooding, hundreds of thousands of people in the southern Philippines island of Mindanao have been displaced from their homes and face multiple health risks, including malnutrition, diarrhoea, respiratory illness and psychosocial trauma.

"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.

WHO is

The Australian Government will provide approximately Php123 million for three new projects that will further strengthen the Philippines' capacity to adapt to effects of climate change and reduce the risks of natural disasters, Australian Ambassador to the Philippines Rod Smith announced today.

"Australia supports the Philippine Government's efforts in disaster risk reduction.

This report covers the period 1 January to 30 June 2009.

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.

Geneva, 18 June, 2009 - The World Health Organization and UNICEF today called on governments to strengthen risk reduction measures in four key areas so that health and education systems are able to cope with disasters, including the risks from climate change.

by Rutchie Cabahug-Aguhob

Cagayan de Oro City (2 June) -- At least four tropical cyclones are expected to enter/develop in the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) in the month of June, this year.

This is indicated in the "Seasonal Climate Outlook for the Philippines from January to June, 2009" of the Climate Monitoring and Prediction Center (CLIMPC), Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) that monitors and gives updates on the atmospheric and oceanic conditions affecting the country.

"The southwest monsoon (SW) is …

EU pledges US$144 million to FAO's Initiative on Soaring Food Prices (ISFP)

Responding to food security concerns in developing countries which have been compounded by the global economic meltdown, the European Union (EU) has committed €106 million (US$144 million) to FAO's efforts in support of farmers hardest hit by the food and economic crisis.

Lingayen, Pangasinan (27 May) -- The provincial government may be ready to help in the repair and rehabilitation of typhoon-damaged school buildings in western Pangasinan but is reluctant to spearhead the effort without clearance from the Department of Education.

In a letter to Director Ligaya Soledad T. Miguel of DepEd Regional office, Gov. Amado Espino, Jr.