EU gives P34 million for ‘Vinta’ relief operations
A general view of the flooded Municipality of Kabacan, North Cotabato, on the southern island of Mindanao on December 23, 2017, after Typhoon Vinta dumped torrential rains across the island. The death toll from a tropical storm in the southern Philippines climbed swiftly to 133 on December 23, as rescuers pulled dozens of bodies from a swollen river, police said. Ferdinandh Cabrera/AFP
MANILA, Philippines — The European Union pledged P34 million (€570,000) worth of humanitarian aid to Vinta-affected families and communities.
“The funding will enable our humanitarian partners to deliver life-saving aid to those most in need to ensure that they have the capacities to face the grave hardships,” EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides said in a statement Thursday.
Stylianides said the contribution underlines EU’s “commitment to the people of the Philippines.”
The EU-funded assistance will include the provision of emergency shelter and essential household items, access to clean water and hygiene promotion.
Experts from the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations have been also deployed to some hard-hit areas to assess the situation and identify the most pressing needs of the residents.
"Vinta," which lashed the southern Philippines days before Christmas, displaced a total of 118,596 families and left 164 dead and 176 missing.
READ: EU offers help as disasters batter Philippines before Christmas
EU Ambassador to the Philippines Franz Jessen earlier said the bloc is ready to help the country.
The assistance came despite earlier statements by the government that it would no longer accept grants from EU after hurling criticisms against President Rodrigo Duterte’s bloody war on drugs.
Concerns over the human rights situation aired by the EU caused friction between Duterte and the bloc.
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