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Philippines
Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines - Emergency Assistance (2014)
DFATD Contribution: $3,000,000
On November 8, 2013, Typhoon Haiyan (locally known as Yolanda) made landfall in the Philippines, a densely populated country of 92 million people. The category five typhoon killed over 6,000 Filipinos, caused 4 million people to be displaced from their homes, and caused severe damage to infrastructure, including homes, roads, schools and health centres. Although many people have already received life-saving humanitarian assistance, significant humanitarian needs remain, including early recovery activities that contribute to building communities that are more resilient.
With DFATD’s support, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is helping up to 1.34 million people affected by Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines, including 558,000 children. The project aims to provide safe drinking water, improve sanitation, provide nutrition and health services, protect children from violence and abuse, and provide education. Project activities include: (1) providing sufficient and safe water for drinking, cooking and personal hygiene; (2) building and repairing appropriately designed toilets to ensure proper sanitation, or the safe treatment and disposal of waste water; (3) providing key hygiene items, such as soap and toothbrushes, to children in schools and in learning spaces; (4) providing supplementary feeding, or extra food to infants, young children and pregnant women beyond the normal ration of their home diets, to prevent undernutrition and malnutrition; (5) vaccinating children aged 6 to 59 months against measles and providing full immunization (according to the World Health Organization’s Expanded Programme on Immunization) to children under one year; (6) establishing child-friendly spaces in which children can play and access the support they need to deal with grief and loss; (7) providing psychosocial support services to children and their caregivers; (8) providing learning materials and supplies for pre-school and school-aged children; and (9) setting up temporary learning spaces for children.
Earthquake in Bohol, Philippines - Emergency Assistance in Water and Sanitation (2013-2014)
DFATD Contribution: $250,000
November 2013 – On 15 October 2013, a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck Bohol, an island province in Central Visayas, Philippines, killing 218 people and injuring 768 people. The earthquake affected more than three million people, displacing more than 350,000 people from their homes. The damage from the earthquake, valued at greater than $53 million, includes more than 60,000 houses, seaports, airports, churches, government and public buildings, schools, and hospitals. Aftershocks, which continued for weeks following the earthquake, caused further damage to vulnerable shelters.
With DFATD's support, UNICEF is providing essential water, sanitation and hygiene activities to ensure that up to 344,300 vulnerable earthquake-affected people have access to clean drinking water and safe sewage treatment and disposal. Some project activities include: (i) coordinating the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) activities of various organizations to ensure accountability and effectiveness; (ii) monitoring water quality and people’s access to WASH services; (iii) installing mobile water treatment units, water bladders to store water safely, water points, and safe drainage from WASH facilities; (iv) rehabilitating water source and supply systems; (v) distributing water and hygiene kits, including such items as toothbrushes and soap; (vi) building, operating and maintaining separate emergency latrines and bathing facilities for women and men, and ensuring safe water disposal; (vii) conducting information sessions to raise awareness of the importance of good hygiene; and (viii) managing solid waste.
Humanitarian Assistance to People Affected by Typhoon Bopha (2013)
DFATD Contribution: $350,000
December 2012 - Typhoon Bopha (local name "Pablo") made landfall on the eastern coast of Mindanao island in southern Philippines on 5 December as a category five typhoon, the most destructive storm to hit the country this year. Typhoon Bopha brought heavy rains and strong winds, leaving a trail of destruction to homes, livelihoods, and critical public infrastructure as it crossed over the southern Philippines. The eastern provinces of Mindanao were the most affected.