Germany gives 200,000 euros for disaster prevention

MANILA, Philippines – The German government has provided around 200,000 euros (about P12 million) through Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe, one of the major humanitarian aid organizations in Germany, to fund a disaster prevention project for 72 communities in the Philippines.

The project covers communities in provinces deemed most vulnerable to typhoons including Surigao del Sur and Norte, Agusan del Norte, Northern and Eastern Samar, Bicol, Quezon, Aurora, Quirino and Isabela.

The funds would also be spent for training sessions on evacuation center management, emergency health and disaster prevention, hazard mapping and the establishment of an early warning system.

The communities covered would also be equipped with training materials and emergency equipment.

Disaster preparedness has become more urgent following the onslaughts of tropical storm “Ondoy” and typhoons “Pepeng” and “Santi,” which had killed hundreds of people and resulted in billions worth of damage to crops and property.