UN's Ban Ki-Moon in Tacloban: Help assured for Yolanda-hit areas

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines - — United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon yesterday visited this city to see for himself what was left in the devastation of typhoon Yolanda and assured the officials and residents there of help in the rehabilitation efforts on the area.

Ban, after meeting with President Benigno Aquino III in Malacañang earlier yesterday arrived at 1:20 p.m. at the Tacloban Airport and immediately proceeded to Barangay Manlurip Elementary School in San Jose District of the city where the school children sang Jingle Bells to him.

Accompanied by rehabilitation czar Panfilo Lacson and DSWD Secretary Dinky Soliman, the UN top official met with school children having classes at the UNICEF tent in Manlurip where he in turn distributed school bags to them.

Ban later visited Barangay 75 of Fatima Village in the city where he was joined by Mayor Alfred Romualdez. There was no formal talks that transpired, but in a brief program held there he delivered a speech to the residents in the area.

In his message, Ban assured Taclobanons: "Never despair. The UN is behind you and will utilize all the resources to help you. The world is also behind you."

He was also impressed of the people of Tacloban for being resilient by "doing their best to go back to normal life."

After a little over an hour stay in the city, Ban flew back to Manila at around 3 p.m. (FREEMAN)