2 years later, Palace grateful for int’l help after ‘Yolanda’

Malacañang said that it will never forget the aid extended by the international community to the country following the onslaught of super typhoon “Yolanda” which ravaged provinces in the Visayas and killed about 6,300 people in 2013.

Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said that Sunday marks the day that the country and the world joined forces in facing the aftermath brought by the super typhoon.

“The Filipino people will never forget the kindness that allowed us to overcome this tragedy and are resolved to be there for nations and peoples similarly affected by tragedy,” Lacierda said in a statement read over state-run dzRB.

He said that Filipinos who lost their lives in the tragedy serve as the inspiration of the government “to persevere in building back better, and in living up to the solidarity, resilience, and generosity of Filipinos from all walks of life.

“God’s grace has enabled our country to ease the sufferings of those who lost everything in Yolanda, and reestablish communities that are once again working to have a safer and prosperous future. This would not have been possible without the world’s embrace of our people and our people’s own heroic generosity and sacrifice,” the statement read.

According to the Foreign Aid Transparency Hub (Faith) which tracks the funds and pledges of the international community for the post-Yolanda rehabilitation efforts of the government, a total of P17.2 billion worth of foreign aid was given to the country.

Of this amount, the government has received P1.2 billion in cash and another P1.27 billion in non-cash. Meanwhile, P14.7 billion was received by non-government organizations and other multilateral organizations.

Yolanda hit the country on Nov. 8, 2013—killing 6,300 people and hurting 28, 689 people.