UN: Progress in Yolanda-hit areas 'fragile'

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines - Progress in the recovery of areas ravaged by “Yolanda” remains fragile six months after the typhoon hit the country as survivors still need urgent assistance, the United Nations (UN) said Wednesday.

The UN said while humanitarian situation in typhoon-struck areas have stabilized, continuous support is needed to help millions of people obtain shelter and rebuild livelihoods.

“The humanitarian situation has stabilized across the affected regions. The progress remains fragile, however, as millions of survivors require ongoing assistance. The most pressing needs are related to shelter and restoring people’s livelihoods,” the UN said in a statement.

Bernard Kerblat, Philippine representative of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNCHR), said some gaps have to be addressed despite the achievements of government entities and private groups involved in relief.

“A lot has been accomplished by the Philippines even if much needs to be done given the enormity of the task at hand,” he said.

“However, we are still wary of the gaps in aid provision, of which, shelter and livelihood remain outstanding needs.”

“Yolanda,” (international name: Haiyan) widely regarded as the most powerful typhoon ever recorded, devastated the Philippines on Nov. 8 and has left at least 6,300 persons dead.

The typhoon also damaged close to P90-billion worth of properties and displaced more than four million individuals. More than one million houses were also damaged by the cyclone.

“The most basic emergency shelter needs were met at the beginning of the response. However, millions of those whose homes were lost or damaged now live in inadequate shelter, leaving them extremely vulnerable,” said Klaus Beck, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for the Philippines in a press conference here.

Beck said over 5,000 of the most vulnerable families live in evacuation centers and tent cities including in this city and Guiuan in Eastern Samar.

“Continued support is needed to ensure they receive basic services, such as water and education as well as assistance to secure a livelihood and durable housing,” he said.

The national and local governments are now working closely with aid groups to relocate families residing in danger zones.

These groups include the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Philippine Red Cross, whose engineering teams are now preparing the ground for the building of up to 6,000 storm-resilient shelters by the end of the year.

"Today, six months on, our focus is entirely on supporting people's efforts to get back to the life they had before the typhoon," said Sebastien Bourgoin, head of ICRC's Yolanda response.

The ICRC, whose humanitarian efforts are focused on Samar, said the shelter's design is simple, easy to maintain and could be extended in time with additional rooms.

UN said rebuilding livelihood is also "an enormous challenge," noting that "Yolanda" has affected almost six million workers, 2.6 million of whom are living at or near the poverty line.

"Ongoing activities include programming to help small-scale coconut farmers build alternative livelihoods. We are also working with authorities to replace shoreline communities' fishing gear and provide boat-building training," Beck said.

The UN Development Programme (UNDP), for its part, said among its priorities are providing long-term livelihood opportunties through small grants and skills building.

The UN body has also implemented an early recovery program in the Visayas that created more than 42,000 temporary jobs.

"It is important that this momentum for quick start is not lost. The UNDP is thus fully committed to support both national government and local governments in strengthening their lead in this important recovery process," said Luiza Carvalho, UN Humanitarian Coordinator in the Philippines. - Alexis Romero