Bicol typhoon evacuees receive shelter kits from UN

MANILA, Philippines — Over 1,000 families that celebrated Christmas in evacuation centers in Bicol received building materials, tools and cash from the United Nations and its humanitarian partners in time for the New Year.

The UN Migration Agency, International Organization for Migration (IOM) and non-government organization Catholic Relief Services (CRS) have been distributing shelter repair kits to households in 17 barangays in the municipalities of Tiwi, Malinao, Malilipot and Tabaco in Albay.

The kit, intended for the emergency repair of a damaged house, consists of corrugated galvanized iron, coco lumber and framing, nails, hammer, saw and shelter-grade tarpaulin. IOM has started distributing cash assistance since early this month in Albay.

On Dec. 15, five-month-pregnant Rosewinda Callejo, a resident of Tagoytoy, Malinao, received cash assistance and a shelter repair kit.

“Happiness is all I am feeling right now because I have received assistance from you. Thank you so much. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year,” she said.

“End of the year holidays are very important for the Filipino people; it is the time when families come together. This is why the United Nations and its humanitarian partners proudly continue to deliver humanitarian assistance to the very last day of this difficult year. We are not merely rebuilding homes of people most affected by the two typhoons but also bringing them hope and dignity,” Gustavo Gonzalez, UN resident coordinator and humanitarian coordinator, said.

IOM’s emergency shelter assistance is part of the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) support of $3.1 million (P150 million) awarded to the Philippines by the UN Undersecretary General and Emergency Relief Coordinator Mark Lowcock.

The CERF funding will allow UNICEF, IOM and the UN World Food Programme (WFP) to provide life-saving assistance in water supplies, sanitation services, hygiene, emergency shelter and food to address critical needs of the poorest single-headed households, elderly and people with disabilities in the calamity hardest hit areas of Albay and Catanduanes.

The CERF funding is one of the projects of the Humanitarian Needs and Priorities Plan (HNP) launched by the UN and humanitarian partners in the Philippines in November to help close to 280,000 people affected by typhoons Rolly and Ulysses.

The HNP called for $52.6 million from resource partners to provide assistance in terms of food, access to clean water-sanitation-hygiene (WASH) facilities, emergency shelter and livelihood, health and early recovery.