UN chief Ban urges foreign donors to step up donations for Yolanda-hit PHL

Visiting United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon on Sunday called on the international community to scale up their aid to the Philippines as the country continues to grapple with the aftermath of super typhoon Yolanda, which battered the central Philippines last month.

At a press conference in Makati City, Ban said only 30 percent of the $791 million it appealed for has been funded.

“We must not allow this to be another forgotten crisis,” said Ban, who toured the typhoon-devastated Tacloban City in Leyte on Saturday as part of his three-day visit to the Philippines.  

“I urge all donors to add to their already generous response so that we can help communities to build back better and safer,” Ban said.

Additional assistance, he said, would help speed up recovery and reconstruction in disaster-hit communities, where many still rely on donations to survive.

Although aid deliveries in affected areas have been scaled up significantly, he said, more people need help.

“They need this support immediately,” Ban said, citing continuing shortage for food, water, sanitation and shelter.

Ban said he met several Manila-based ambassadors from major donor countries to convey the message.

More than a month after the monster storm struck, Ban said the situation in Tacloban remains “dire.”

He noted, however, that he is impressed with the strong resilience of the people there.

“The people are motivated. People are working hard to recover,” he said, adding he was “deeply moved and inspired” by what he saw.

 Yolanda, internationally called Haiyan, was one of the strongest typhoons to hit land with fury and force Filipinos have never seen before. Tsunami-like storm surges swept away and damaged more than a million houses and left more than 6,000 people dead. Bodies continue to be found.

More than 27,000 were injured and 1,700 others remain missing.

The UN said the typhoon has affected at least 14 million people and that it will take several years before the devastated areas could fully recover.

Ban said the Philippine government faces “huge statistical challenge” in carrying out its recovery plan, but assured the country that it can count on the U.N.’s support.

“The UN will continue to support and to stand by with the Filipino people,” Ban said. — BM, GMA News