EU aid commissioner in PH to assess ‘Yolanda’ relief needs

EU Humanitarian Aid Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva. AFP

MANILA, Philippines—The European Union top official for humanitarian assistance will arrive Friday night in Cebu City to assess the relief needs in areas devastated by Supertyphoon “Yolanda” (Haiyan) caused, a statement said.

EU Humanitarian Aid Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva interrupted her visit to China and will touch down in Cebu Friday night and fly to Tacloban Saturday to meet with Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas and Social Welfare Secretary Corazon “Dinky” Soliman, as well as local officials.

Georgieva will also meet with EU Civil Protection staff already on the site coordinating the relief efforts of different EU member states.

The commissioner will have the opportunity to assess the humanitarian activity with visits to relief operations of the United Nations and international nongovernment organizations in and around Tacloban.

Through the European Union Humanitarian Office, the EU has announced the first tranche of humanitarian assistance of P170 million and another P570 million going to reconstruction efforts.

The total value of assistance from the EU and its member states is now over 60 million Euros or P3.4 billion.