UN reports 2.5M given food aid

CEBU, Philippines - Officials of the United Nations World Food Program (UN-WFP) yesterday reported that more than 2.5 million typhoon victims in the Visayas have already been given food aid while 10,000 households have received shelter materials.

Frances Kennedy, UN-WFP spokesperson, said in a press briefing yesterday at the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) that the data was gathered in coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

Kennedy said they received a lot of donations, and lauded the positive response of the international community in helping the typhoon victims of Leyte, Samar, Capiz, Iloilo and the neighboring provinces.

The UN-WFP distribu-ted high-energy biscuits to affected communities as well as rice rations handed out through the DSWD.

Kennedy said food assistance to typhoon victims would continue next month, as continuing assessment is still being made to determine the needs of the people.

She said results of the assessment would guide them on their next move.

They will also look into the super typhoon’s impact to farmers and fishermen who were badly affected.

WFP is the world’s lar-gest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide. Last year, WFP food assistance reached more than 97 million people in 80 countries.

Meanwhile, Britain said it would give the Philippines long term support for it to get back on its feet after the devastation wrought by super typhoon Yolanda.

British International Development  Secretary Justine Greening made the announcement after she arrived yesterday afternoon to oversee the distribution of her country’s relief goods to typhoon victims in the Visayas.

Greening visited Roxas City after she arrived at the Mactan Benito Ebuen Air Base and is also expected to visit Tacloban City today to meet with DSWD Secretary Dinky Soliman.

Greening’s main purpose in coming was to supervise United Kingdom’s personnel and equipment in bringing aid to the most remote parts of the Visayas affected by typhoon Yolanda and to help coordinate wider international humanitarian efforts for the Philippines.

British Ambassador to the Philippines Asif Ahmad had said heavy equipment have also arrived to assist the government in clearing roads.

According to Ahmad they were closely coordinating with the Philippine Government in its rehabilitation program, which should start two weeks after the typhoon hit the Visayas area.

The heavy equipment were of help not only at affected areas but also at the Mactan Cebu International Airport.

Ahmad said the forklifts from their country helped unloading relief goods from other countries arrived at the MCIA.

Airport General Mana-ger Nigel Paul Villarete said that with the increasing number of cargos arriving at the airport they need more equipment.

He said that on regular days, more than one hundred tons of cargo arrives at the airport, but since last week close to 500 tons of cargos mostly humanitarian cargoes arrived at the airport.

Villarete als thanked the British government for the heavy equipment presently lend to them in unloading cargoes.

Likiwise, the Cebu Provincial Government also provided one forklift for use at the airport, said Lawyer Ramil Abing, chief of staff of Gov. Hilario Davide III. (FREEMAN)