Medicine, first-aid kits from WHO arriving

MANILA, Philippines - Multimillion-peso worth of medicine and other relief packages are arriving today for distribution to an estimated 800,000 victims of tropical storm “Ondoy,” the World Health Organization (WHO) said.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), meantime, plans to raise initially $25,000 for its assistance to the Philippines, diplomatic sources said yesterday.

WHO said the assistance from the UN agency include 10,000 water containers as well as first-aid kits and zinc tablets for diarrheal diseases.

“The arriving supplies are part of an immediate response of US$42,000 released by the Manila-based WHO’s Western Pacific Regional Office. WHO is also coordinating international health efforts to make sure the right assistance reaches the right people,” it said.

The ASEAN’s assistance to the Philippines, on the other hand, will come from the ASEAN Cooperation Fund for Emergency Relief.

Sources said “friends and partners of ASEAN are welcome to make contribution to the fund.”

ASEAN Deputy Secretary General Sayakane Sisouvong informed Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo during a meeting yesterday about ASEAN’s offer to provide assistance in view of the devastation caused by Ondoy.

More aid from Australia

Australia will also provide an additional assistance of P80 million (A$2 million) to support urgent food relief efforts for the victims of Ondoy, the Australian embassy in Manila said yesterday.

Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Stephen Smith announced their additional contribution for relief efforts in the Philippines.

Australia’s additional assistance, to be provided through the United Nations World Food Program (WFP), will help the Philippine government particularly the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to provide emergency food relief especially to those most in need.

Australian assistance will support the provision of supplementary food rations, including high-energy biscuits, to children under five.

In addition to financial assistance, Australian technical experts are also working on the ground providing logistical and communication support to the response and relief efforts of the Philippine government and UN partners.

The Philippine embassy in Tokyo also received on Friday a ¥5 million (approximately P2.5 million) voluntary cash donation from officials of AEON Co. Ltd as humanitarian assistance for the victims of Ondoy.

AEON Co. Ltd. is the parent company of Ministop Co. Ltd., which operates more than 240 convenience stores in the Philippines along with its local partner, JG Summit Holdings Inc. - With Pia Lee-Brago