ICRC raising 30-M francs for 'Pablo' victims

MANILA, Philippines - The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which is based in Geneva, Switzerland, said that it will raise 30 million Swiss francs to help the thousands of families displaced by Typhoon "Pablo" in Compostela Valley province and Davao Oriental last December.

The ICRC said that they are hoping that members of the international community will help them in this endeavor.

"Together with the Philippine Red Cross, we will provide food and other essentials, such as tarpaulins, mosquito nets, cooking utensils, and soap and other hygiene items, for up to five months to 300,000 people who lost virtually everything during the typhoon," ICRC head of operations for East Asia, Southeast Asia and the Pacific Alain Aeschlimann said.

"At the same time, we will strive to help restore livelihoods. Our assistance will include a cash-for-work program to upgrade agricultural production areas, and provide people with seed, seedlings, tools and equipment to enable them to restart farming," he added.

To ensure that even the worst-affected communities can obtain basic necessities, the ICRC and the Philippine Red Cross will support the repair of damaged water supply systems and the reconstruction of health facilities.

Some 30,000 people will also benefit from the donation of building materials to fix their partially destroyed houses. PNA