Foreign donations for 'Ondoy' victims still pouring in

MANILA, Philippines - Foreign donations continue to pour in for victims of tropical storm “Ondoy.”

Ondoy dumped the heaviest rains in more than four decades in Metro Manila and outlying areas, killing at least 298 people and displacing some three million residents. More than 300,000 people are staying in evacuation centers desperately needing basic supplies like food and water.

Italy sent generators, water tanks and other non-food items to the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC) yesterday morning.

Twenty-three generators were turned over by Ambassador Rubens Anna Fedele with Dr. Leandro Zontini and Alfredo Moretti from the Italian embassy.

“There were still many communities and evacuation centers without electricity. We cannot say when the electricity will be back in these areas. We will put up generators in evacuation centers and communities without electricity so that people there may continue with their daily living,” the PNRC said.

The Italian embassy also donated eight water tanks and water pumps to provide potable water to evacuation centers and communities without water.

“We have already put up water bladders, which can contain 10,000 liters of potable water with tap stands in seven evacuation centers in Metro Manila. Yet there is still an increasing demand for potable water from other evacuation centers and with these water tanks, we will be able provide other evacuation centers with potable water,” the PNRC said.

Italy also donated 900 kitchen sets, 4,200 blankets, three inflatable boats, 3,000 jerry cans or water containers and other non-food items such as clothes, shoes, towels, and sanitation materials.

Italy has also allocated 50,000 euros to the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) Disaster Response and Emergency Fund.

Brazil also turned over their donation of $70,000 for Ondoy victims.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo acknowledged the Brazilian government’s donation during a call by Brazilian Ambassador Alcides Prates.

Brazil responded to the UN Secretary-General’s call for international humanitarian aid for the victims of Ondoy.

The donation is being coursed through the UN Resident Coordinator and the UNDP Country Director in the Philippines. The Brazilian embassy in Manila is coordinating with these offices on the nature of assistance to be earmarked from the donation.

Meanwhile, the Korean government announced an additional funding of $250,000 for Ondoy victims, bringing its total to $600,000.

The Korean National Red Cross donated cash equivalent to approximately $50,000 to the PNRC.

Yoido Full Gospel by Senior Reverend Lee Young-hoon through the Korean NGO Good People, also donated emergency relief goods equivalent to $200,000. Good People conducts international development assistance activities.

Aside from the Korean government, OIC Co. Ltd. chairman and CEO Mr. Lee Soo-young donated $50,000 cash to the PNRC to contribute to the humanitarian relief and rehabilitation of the victims affected by Ondoy and “Pepeng.”

Meanwhile, Hewlett Packard Co. Foundation announced that it has made a donation of P16 million to the American Red Cross International Response Fund to assist with disaster relief efforts in the wake of Ondoy.

Government welcomes UN’s flash appeal

The government welcomed yesterday the Flash Appeal issued by the United Nations calling on the international community to extend emergency assistance to the Philippines.

“We welcome and support the Flash Appeal issued by the United Nations to help our fellow Filipinos who have been victims of typhoon Ondoy. The Philippine government is grateful for the help being extended to us by the United Nations in these trying times.

“We particularly extend our gratitude to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon for his and the UN’s assistance and quick response,” said Foreign Affairs Secretary Romulo.

Romulo met with the UN Secretary General, Undersecretary General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes, and other UN officials last Sept. 28 to relay President Arroyo’s appeal for international humanitarian assistance following the devastation caused by Ondoy.

During their meeting, the UN Secretary General stated that the UN would consider issuing a flash appeal to both member states and international NGOs.

The United Nations said a request has been made to the Central Emergency Response Fund to address the most urgent needs, while the international humanitarian community including NGOs, the International Organization for Migration and United Nations agencies, are seeking $74,021,809 to address the immediate needs of approximately one million typhoon victims.

US military contingent to leave

US Ambassador Kristie Kenney said yesterday some of the US troops assisting in the ongoing humanitarian operations in areas devastated by tropical storm Ondoy in Metro Manila and nearby provinces would leave the country tomorrow as the emergency winds down.

In a radio interview over dzRH, Kenney said the US military assistance will end tomorrow with some of the troops to return to the military base in Japan but the other personnel will stay in the country to participate in the forthcoming RP-US joint military exercises dubbed as Phiblex (Philippine Bilateral Exercises).

“They’re actually leaving on Saturday because the emergency part is winding down. The AFP, after a few more days of work, can handle the rest that needs help. Our military assistance part will end on Saturday and some of them will stay for the exercises at Fort Magsaysay that they’re planning to do. The rest will go back to Japan,” Kenney said.

Kenney said she saw the Filipino traits of being appreciative and resilient in the evacuation centers she visited.

“I visited other relief centers in other places around the world and the difference is really the Pinoy character. On the first days I visited an evacuation site I expected people to be tired, angry, depressed and I saw people who are happy, who wanted to shake hands, to say hello, very resilient but also I have to say very appreciative,” she added.

She said people were coming and stopping US military members to say thank you.

“And I think that’s a great national characteristic, resilient, but also to appreciate when people help you. It’s the bayanihan spirit. I was really impressed with that,” she said.

During their brief stay here, the US troops conducted five medical and dental missions treating 4,000 sick evacuees as well as performing 320 dental extractions of displaced residents in the flood-stricken areas of Marikina, Pasig, Cainta and outlying municipalities.

The US troops also distributed 151 goodwill boxes composed of 730 boxes of clothing, 2,357 family food packs and 654 cases of drinking water to residents displaced by the widespread flooding in Metro Manila. – With Pia Lee-Brago, Jaime Laude