EU offers P160M for ‘Pablo’ victims

Ambassador Guy Ledoux. FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—The European Union (US) has offered P160 million in support of emergency and relief efforts for the thousands of victims of Typhoon “Pablo” (international name Bopha), the worst storm to hit the Philippines this year.

In a statement released Tuesday, Ambassador Guy Ledoux, head of the EU’s delegation to the Philippines, said the aid was based on the report of experts dispatched to Compostela Valley, Agusan del Sur, Surigao Del Sur and Davao Oriental over the weekend.

“A team of humanitarian experts was dispatched on the ground to identify specific needs in order to decide on appropriate response and support for the victims. The experts noted the peak extend of devastation were caused by strong winds, sea surges along the coast and inland by flash floods and landslides,” Ledoux said.

Ledoux noted that the funds would be used primarily for the distribution of food and non-food relief items, shelter repair, water and sanitation, cash-transfer activities, basic improvement of health facilities and psychological support to the affected families.

In its latest report, the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRMMC) had noted that the death toll from the typhoon, which slammed Visayas and Mindanao last week, had risen to 714, with 890 people still missing and more than 1,000 people injured.

An estimated P7.1 billion worth of crops, infrastructure, and properties were also damaged by the typhoon, the agency said.