In Brief
Operations Update no. 3; Period covered: 20 December 2006 - 15 January 2007; Appeal target: 10,547,314 (USD 8,637,057 or EUR 6,587,671): Appeal coverage: 66.2% (click here for the contributions list) (click here for the live version)
Appeal history:
Preliminary emergency appeal launched on 2 October 2006 for CHF 5,704,261 (USD 4,563,408 or EUR 3,610,292) to assist 126,000 beneficiaries for three months.
Appeal revised on 19 October 2006 to update plans and extend the operation timeframe to nine months.
Appeal relaunched on 4 December 2006 to incorporate needs of successive typhoons, for a sum of CHF 8,833,789 (USD 7,318,798 or EUR 5,552,350) to assist 200,000 people for nine months.
Appeal revised on 20 December 2006 for CHF 10,547,314 (USD 8,637,057 or EUR 6,587,671) to assist 1,030,000 beneficiaries for nine months.
Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) allocated: CHF 100,000 in September 2006, CHF 100,000 in November 2006.
Operational Summary:
While Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC) volunteers have been working round the clock to respond to the emergency relief needs of the communities affected by the succession of destructive typhoons, the Federationsupported efforts aim to help the most vulnerable people meet their early recovery needs. Providing them with decent shelter, adequate sanitation and access to health and care is a top priority. The Red Cross is targeting the most vulnerable households, who do not have the capacity to rebuild.
Donor response to the appeal has been good and the Federation takes this opportunity to thank its partners for their valued contributions. Gaps, however, remain and more funds are needed to reach all targeted communities.
Background
The Philippines has been severely affected by a series of typhoons over the past four months. Typhoon Durian, the most destructive, hit the western coast on 30 November 2006. Heavy rains triggered massive flooding, land and mudslides. Together with the associated high winds, they caused loss of life, destruction and damage to homes, infrastructure and agriculture in 62 of the country's 79 provinces. It is estimated that over 2.5 million people were affected (source: PNRC Disaster Management Service, 15 January 2007).
Typhoons are not uncommon in the Philippines. A striking feature of this year's disaster was its frequency and scale. Storms affected extremely broad areas including remote islands and mountain regions. They left many people struggling to recover. Whole villages were buried by mud. A number of schools, hospitals, houses, water refilling stations and municipal water supply chains were damaged. The communications and power networks across central Philippines were also badly affected. The people who have been hardest hit are the poorest of the poor. The latest information on the impact of the five typhoons in 2006 is detailed in the table below.
For further information specifically related to this operation please contact:
Philippine National Red Cross: Corazon Alma De Leon, secretary-general, phone: +63 2 527 08 54, email: hsl@skynet.net or Bejamin Delfin II (manager of disaster management services, phone: + 63 2 444 0103; email: benjamindelfin@yahoo.com
Federation country delegation in the Philippines: Roger Bracke, Federation head of delegation, phone: +63 917 880 6844 (office) or +63 2 527 6227 (mobile); email: roger.bracke@ifrc.org
Federation Southeast Asia regional delegation in Thailand: Bekele Geleta, head of regional delegation, phone: + 66 2 661 8201 ext 100, bekele.geleta@ifrc.org or Alan Bradbury, regional programme coordinator, phone: + 66 2 661 8201, email: alan.bradbury@ifrc.org or Michael Annear, head of regional disaster management unit, phone: + 66 2 661 8201, email: michael.annear@ifrc.org
Federation Secretariat in Geneva (Asia Pacific Department): Gert Venghaus, regional officer, phone: + 41 22 730 42 58; fax: +4122 733 0395; email gert.venghaus@ifrc.org or Sabine Feuglet, senior assistant, phone: +41 22 730 4349; fax: +41 22 733 0395, email: sabine.feuglet@ifrc.org