Posted on 12/11/2013 9:01:14 AM PST by robowombat
The Red Cross warned against aid dependency in the Philippines Tuesday as the United Nations urged donors to double their assistance to millions of victims of the country's deadliest-ever typhoon.
The secretary general of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies Bekele Geleta said that, a month after Super Typhoon Haiyan devastated the islands, longer-term recovery needs should begin to take precedence over food aid.
"There are still needs and gaps in delivery of food and emergency shelter materials to some areas, but we must look towards gradually reducing people's dependency on food aid," he said in a statement a day after completing a 72-hour visit to the disaster zone.
Haiyan swept across the central Philippines on November 8, destroying scores of communities along its path.
The typhoon brought with it tsunami-like storm surges, which swallowed up many coastal areas and were blamed for majority of the nearly 6,000 deaths.
More than 1,700 people remain missing and about four million have been displaced.
Geleta called for the stepping up of "cash for work and cash transfer programmes that put money in people's pockets".
In Geneva the spokesman for the UN disaster agency, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, said Tuesday it was raising its appeal for the Philippines to $791 million to cover needs over 12 months.
The figure was more than double the $348 million it had earlier sought to cover needs over six months, OCHA spokesman Jens Laerke told reporters.
"The original plan was really urgent life-saving assistance with a relatively short timeline. Now we are looking at longer-term projects into rehabilitation and reconstruction," he added.
Taking into account the earlier aid appeal, the larger figure sought is now about 25 percent funded, Laerke said.
Geleta said cash grant transfer programmes to help 50,000 of the hardest-hit families are to be launched this month to provide a boost to people whose livelihoods have either been disrupted or destroyed by the storm.
"Thousands have lost their income and this approach gives them dignity and allows them to set their own priorities," he said.
"They can buy what they need and at the same time, money being spent locally will help to revitalise the economy of the area."
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Pop star Bieber brings cheer in typhoon-hit Philippines
Pop megastar Justin Bieber hugged, sang to, danced and played with young survivors of the Philippines' deadliest typhoon Tuesday, bringing cheer to the disaster zone amid an international relief effort. Bieber flew unannounced to the central city of Tacloban just over a month after it was devastated by Super Typhoon Haiyan and sang Christmas carols to children at a heavily damaged local school amid tight security.
"He sang 'Holy Night' for the children," said Kate Donovan, a spokeswoman for the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), one of three aid agencies expected to benefit from Bieber's charity work.
During the performance, a boy hopped on the improvised stage and danced to the 19-year-old Canadian superstar's lead, an AFP reporter saw.
Bieber also played basketball at an improvised sandlot court with some of the young boys, later hugging some of them and posing for photos.
"Most touching trip of my life," the singer said on Twitter, also describing the performance as the last stop and "the most important one" of his global "Believe" tour.
"I saw the devastation first hand today. They need our help," he added.
Prior to visiting the Philippines, Bieber had posted a message on fund raising website Prizeo.com urging his millions of fans to donate to the victims of the typhoon, the strongest to ever hit land.
"UNICEF is very pleased that Justin Bieber wanted to visit Tacloban, and stopped by City Central Elementary School which has suffered a great deal of structural damage," UNICEF emergency coordinator Angela Kearney said.
"Justin brought a lot of joy, hope and cheer to the hundreds of children who were there," she added.
The money that would be raised would give child survivors access to education, vaccinations, clean water and sanitation, she said.
Haiyan cut across the central Philippines on November 8, destroying scores of communities along its path.
Tsunami-like storm surges it triggered also swallowed up many coastal areas, and were blamed for majority of the nearly 6,000 deaths.
More than 1,700 others remain missing and about four million have been displaced.
In his message on Prizeo, Bieber, one of the most followed persons on Twitter and best known for hit songs such as "Baby," "Boyfriend" and "Beauty and a Beat", said those donating to his cause could win a chance to personally see him record music next year.
"In the wake of Typhoon Haiyan, its victims in the Philippines need our help -- and they need it now," the singer said in his appeal.
Many other international celebrities have also lent their voices to the massive rehabilitation effort, including Grammy-award winning singer Alicia Keys who visited victims airlifted to Manila two weeks ago.
Must have missed this warning after Katrina in NO. There are still folks there who are crying for more “help” when they have scammed their 2005 storm into a dependent way of life.
The Red Cross is picking on the Philippines after only a few weeks of their natural disaster, while propping NO up for years after their largely man-made disaster, caused by politicians spending federal flood prevention funds to build roads out to new waterfront casinos.
My guess is that U.S. givers are so tapped out in the disastrous Obumbles economy that the RC fund-raising isn’t going well....so it must be the Philippines fault. We never give to the RC, but always give to the Salvation Army after any major disaster. At least we know the big wigs in the RC aren’t spending our money on their enormous salaries.
Freaking barf. The UN is trying to have it both ways. Pull their aid, and all of a sudden they’re helpless? The Lord helps those who help themselves!
You will not find that phrase in the bible. The Lord gives grace to the humble. Pray for the people that they would lift their eyes to the only One that saves. I agree barf on the UN.
I apologize for insinuating that it was in the bible.
Basically, the remote Pacific Islands populace that thought the US supply planes were going to continue ad infinitum.
Do not rebuild on the coast. Move your homes and business inland so this does not happen again. Build defenses against the next typhoon. Anything else, outside of immediate food, medical, shelter and wisdom are foolish.
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