Week after Typhoon Bopha (Pablo) caused a huge damage in Mindanao where as worst-hit areas includes Compostela Valley, Davao Oriental, Lanao del Sur and the CARAGA regions that includes five provinces: Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur and Dinagat Islands; six cities: Bayugan, Butuan, Cabadbaran, Surigao, Tandag, Bislig; 67 municipalities and 1,311 barangays. Butuan City is the regional center. The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is appealing for US$21.6 million to provide life-saving food and nutrition assistance as well as logistics support for 400,000 people who have been most affected by the typhoon.
The assistance that WFP will be extending to the 400, 000 people within the area will run until May 2013. It complement to the government’s ongoing relief and early recovery operations through a single food supply pipeline, jointly managed with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), to ensure an efficient and coordinated response to food needs on the ground.
According to WFP Philippines Representative and Country Director Stephen Anderson, one year after Tropical Storm Washi hit Northern Mindanao, WFP is again deeply saddened by the suffering and destruction caused by Typhoon Bopha. They are working around the clock in partnership with the government to ensure a coordinated and effective response to food and other priority humanitarian needs. There are already two hubs of WFP; in Davao Oriental and the CARAGA region to help speed up the delivery of humanitarian assistance to communities affected by Typhoon Bopha.
As of December 10, WFP had already delivered rice and high-energy biscuits for 142,500 people and Ready-to-Use supplementary foods for 26,000 children. Thirty-eight trucks have also been deployed to help local government units deliver relief goods.
Over 5.4 million people have been affected since Typhoon Bopha hit the Philippines on December 4. Nearly 64,000 houses have been damaged, and 370,000 people have been forced to leave their houses. Around 650 people have been confirmed dead, and 780 are still missing.
Keep posted of with the activity of World Food Programme in assisting the victims of Typhoon Pablo (Bopha) in Mindanao visit www.facebook.com/wfp.philippines and www.wfp.org or follow them on Twitter @WFP_Philippines.
