International agencies under the United Nations (UN) have raised at least 32 percent or about P2.9 billion of the P8.9 billion target budget requirement for the rollout of various social interventions to Typhoon “Odette” (international code name Rai)-affected Filipinos.
The revised Humanitarian needs and Priorities (HNP) for Super Typhoon Rai report showed that as of February 2, the UN has been able to raise almost a third of the $169 million funding requirement to help about 840,000 Filipinos affected by the typhoon.
“I take this opportunity to call on the solidarity of our resource partners to redouble their support to fill critical short falls in our Humanitarian Needs and Priority Plan in the current critical circumstances of the response,” UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator in the Philippines Gustavo Gonzalez said in a news statement issued on Wednesday.
Gonzalez said approximately $55 million or about P2.9 billion has been currently mobilized for the HNP plan which was funded through the various agencies of the UN such as the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), World Food Programme (WFP), and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
The $55 million funding was used to help “support life-saving humanitarian activities complementing the government-led response and signaling the need for urgent additional resources,” Gonzalez said.
“Around 247,000 vulnerable people in 20 most affected municipalities of the three provinces that were hardest hit by typhoon Rai: Surigao del Norte, Dinagat Islands and Southern Leyte were targeted with the CERF [Central Emergency Response Fund] funding,” he added.
Based on the HNP, the UN has reached a total of 330,000 Filipinos affected by Odette out of its 840,000 target beneficiaries. Based on its estimates, the UN said there were a total of 16 million people in severely affected areas, while there are a total of 2.4 million people in need of assistance.
Gonzalez said he conducted a mid-term review of the HNP last March 9 to 11 in Caraga and March 14 to 16 in Southern Leyte to “take stock of the initial progress and remaining gaps, with a particular focus on operational challenges and required actions in completing CERF activities.”
“By acting quickly and generously, flexible CERF funding to the Philippines enabled a response to the most pressing needs, such as shelter, food security and water sanitation and hygiene [WASH] and protection. The CERF review mission highlighted that we should not be complacent, instead we should find ways to house those still without roofs over their heads as durable shelter for thousands of people whose homes were damaged or destroyed remains critical,” he said.
“More people are still in need of food, clean water and access to medicines and sanitation facilities with protection running through all operations. Access to education for children also needs to resume, especially where learning materials and schools were damaged by typhoon Odette. Hundreds of thousands of people lost their livelihoods and need help getting back on their feet,” he added.
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