26 November 2013  -  Fresh from her visit to the Philippines, United Nations (UN) Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Valerie Amos briefed foreign Missions to the UN of the ongoing emergency relief efforts being coordinated in the Philippines by the UN, as a consequence of the effects of super Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) which hit the country two weeks ago.

Saying that “a massive disaster like this requires a massive response,” Ms. Amos emphasized how “the international community has demonstrated great solidarity with the people of the Philippines” and thanked countries for the assistance which has helped the United Nation and humanitarian organizations provide vital supplies, logistics teams and equipment.  

Praising the strength and resilience of the Filipino people, she mentioned how she had seen and heard “harrowing tales of desperate need and profound loss” but also how she heard reports of “immense bravery and heart-warming compassion.”  

Ms. Amos further stated how she had seen for herself the quick actions taken after the typhoon by the Philippine Government, Philippine Red Cross and other national and provincial agencies, with the support of the international community.  

Confirming that “the Philippines has one of the best disaster management systems in the world”, she nevertheless clarified that “the sheer scale of this typhoon and the storm surge which accompanied it in some places would have tested any country.” 

She mentioned how the Philippines had suffered up to four calamities in the previous three months, including the major earthquake in Bohol which preceded Typhoon Haiyan, but praised the excellent civil-military cooperation in the relief efforts which was “a good example of best practices” during this type of emergencies.
In closing, the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator further announced that the humanitarian appeal previously launched in the amount of US$301 million had been raised to US$348 million, due to the work that still needed to be undertaken, and hoped for the continued generous response of donors around the world.

Representatives from the US, Australia, Italy, France, Russia, Israel, Japan, China, Sweden, Ireland and the European Union took turns in thanking Ms. Amos for the work being undertaken, and reiterated their deep sadness over what happened in the Philippines, while joining in the praise for the resilience of the Filipino people and acknowledging the efforts being undertaken by Philippine authorities and agencies in the ongoing relief and rehabilitation efforts.  They pledged their continued support for these efforts and hoped that the current crisis would serve as a lesson to the world on the need for increased disaster preparedness and response to climate change.

Speaking for the Philippine Mission, Deputy Permanent Representative Eduardo A. de Vega thanked Ms. Amos and the international community for their support for the Filipino people, saying that “While we are overwhelmed by the magnitude of this disaster, we are similarly overwhelmed by the incredible solidarity demonstrated by the international community for our people.”  
 

He briefed Missions on the Aquino Administration’s relief and rehabilitation plans centered on rebuilding infrastructure, restoring social services, and assisting the affected population, including small-scale farmers and fisherman, in restoring their livelihood activities.   Quoting from famous American author and humanitarian Helen Keller, Mr. de Vega stated that “although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of suffering” and declared that “thanks to the help of the international community, the Filipino people with our known resilience will recover from this tragedy.” END