ReliefWeb

The International Federation's mission is to improve the lives of vulnerable people by mobilizing the power of humanity. It is the world's largest humanitarian organization and its millions of volunteers are active in 185 countries.

In Brief

Operations Update no. 5; Period covered: 1 March to 31 May 2007;

Appeal target: CHF 10.55 million (USD 8.64 million or EUR 6.59 million): Appeal coverage: 93%

Appeal history:

- Preliminary emergency appeal launched on 2 October 2006 for CHF 5.70 million (USD 4.56 million or EUR 3.61 million) to assist 126,000 beneficiaries for three months.

- Appeal revised on 19 October 2006 to update plans and extend the operation timeframe to nine months.

- Appeal re-launched on 4 December 2006 to incorporate needs of successive typhoons, for a sum of CHF 8.83 million (USD 7.32 million or EUR 5.55 million) to assist 200,000 people for nine months.

- Appeal revised on 20 December 2006 for CHF 10.55 million (USD 8.64 million or EUR 6.59 million) to assist 1,030,000 beneficiaries for nine months.

- Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF): CHF 100,000 in Sept. 2006; CHF 100,000 in Nov. 2006

Operational Summary:

Recovery efforts are well in hand but the needs of those communities affected are still high. More than six months after the typhoons, the joint plans of government, the Red Cross Red Crescent and other participating agencies are only covering 6.9 per cent of original needs (21,357 homes). OCHA estimates that in Bicol region alone, 309,518 families had their homes destroyed. The Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC) and the International Federation is providing transitional shelter to 12,170 families (approximately 60,000 people) in ten provinces. A transitional shelter is a home that is intended to last from five to eight years. Some families require more support to achieve this depending on the damage to their home and their capacity to recover. As the 2007 typhoon season approaches, there is concern over the resilience of communities still reeling from a disastrous 2006. Rice crops were badly affected and food shortages persist in some areas, and unemployment has increased, linked to the destruction of crops, fisheries and small businesses. Natural resources essential for supporting recovery, such as coconut lumber, nipa plants and bamboo, were also hit.

Background

The effects of the series of typhoons, severe storms, and destructive floods and landslides in the last quarter of 2006 still afflict hundreds of thousands in the Philippines. The table below showing the particulars of the most destructive three of five typhoons that hit the Philippines in the last quarter of 2006.

PARTICULARS	TYPHOON XANGSANE	TYPHOON CIMARON	TYPHOON DURIAN
DATE	25 September	27 October	28 November
DURATION	5 days	4 days	4 days
STRENGTH	55-160 kph	55-195 kph	195 kph gusts
PROVINCES AFFECTED	24	12	12
CASUALTIES
DEAD	188	30	720
INJURED	592	65	2,360
MISSING	48	23	762
AFFECTED POPULATION
FAMILIES	841,297	79,895	649,829
PERSONS	4,142,951	364,733	3,190,744
DISPLACED POPULATION
FAMILIES	49,126	1,920	19,484
PERSONS	244,613	4,251	95,926
DAMAGE TO HOUSES
TOTALLY	118,081	1,395	214,400
PARTIALLY	385,096	12,412	328,218

Contact information

Philippine National Red Cross: Corazon Alma De Leon, secretary-general, phone: +63 2 527 08 54, email: hsl@skynet.net or Benjamin Delfin II (manager of disaster management services, phone: + 63 2 444 0103; email: benjamindelfin@yahoo.com

International Federation country delegation in the Philippines: Roger Bracke, International Federation head of delegation, phone: +63 917 880 6844 (office) or +63 2 527 6227 (mobile); email: roger.bracke@ifrc.org

International Federation Southeast Asia regional delegation in Thailand: Bekele Geleta, head of regional delegation, phone: + 66 2 661 8201 ext 100, bekele.geleta@ifrc.org or Alan Bradbury, regional programme coordinator, phone: + 66 2 661 8201, email: alan.bradbury@ifrc.org or Michael Annear, head of regional disaster management unit, phone: + 66 2 661 8201, email: michael.annear@ifrc.org

International Federation Secretariat in Geneva (Asia Pacific Department): Sabine Feuglet, senior assistant, phone: +41 22 730 4349; fax: +41 22 733 0395, email: sabine.feuglet@ifrc.org