UN exec visits Leyte, assesses aid for Yolanda survivors

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines – Margareta Wahlstrom, United Nations assistant secretary-general for Disaster Risk Reduction was in Leyte yesterday to inspect and personally assess the outcome of the rehabilitation efforts in typhoon Yolanda-hit areas.

Wahlstrom, accompanied by UN Resident Coordinator for the Philippines Ola Almgren, will go to the towns of Javier, Palo and Tanauan and this city, according to Office of Civil Defense-Region 8 Director Ed Posadas.

The UN envoy’s visit was part of a three-day mission to the Philippines, starting the other day, which will include a panel discussion on sustainable development with the Asian Development Bank, and a dialogue with the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council about the Sendai Framework Indicator System.

Upon her arrival yesterday in this capital city, Wahlstrom expressed optimism on the positive results of the Philippine efforts towards Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, adopted at the Third United Nations World Conference on DRR held last March in Sendai, Japan.

“The Sendai Framework for DDR is very concrete. In the (issue) of disaster and climate change, once you understand the risk, you have data, you plan with risk in mind, you can mitigate the risk,” Wahlstrom said.

On the effect of industrialization and progress to climate change, she said: “The issue on climate change is not only about the industry but it is also about how we live. It very much involves the entire population as well all authorities and the private sector.”

Wahlstrom also told the media that every sector must build a healthy environment for the benefit also of the business sector. “No one can do it alone. We have to do it together. The accumulation on knowledge and education, as well as public awareness about the risk and what to do and the engagement between the business and the private sector are important because this is about their future. It we don’t have a functioning environment, a functioning society there is no business to do.”

Posadas added that, while the local business sector has been gradually rising after the Yolanda devastation, resettlement of survivors remains an issue, and of the international and national organizations that came over to help, only 10 have remained.

Almgren clarified that although the UN agencies will have to move out little by little, the recovery efforts will continue and the UN will still be in contact with the government. “The UN will have to reduce its help here somehow but not entirely or we will continue to work with the national and local governments in the recovery efforts,” she said.

The UN Development Programme will remain visible in the region until 2017 to continue partnership with government at all levels to pursue rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts, added agency coordinator Eden Garde.

Leyte Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla emphasized the need to have a doable DRR plan but on the quality and timeliness or quickness of emergency response for fear that more disasters could pop up. He also thanked the UN, through Walhstrom, for the assistance given to Leyte towns.