UN, EU, Canada ready to assist PH after ‘Rolly’ onslaught

RAVAGED BY ‘ROLLY’. Houses were buried under the rubble in the aftermath of Super Typhoon Rolly in Barangay San Francisco, Guinobatan, Albay on Monday. Flashfloods and lahar flow from Mayon Volcano swept through the houses at the height of the typhoon which battered the Bicol Region on Sunday (Nov. 1, 2020). (Photo courtesy of Guinobatan Municipal Police Station via PNA)

MANILA – United Nations, European Union, and Canada vowed to assist the Philippines towards its recovery following the onslaught of Super Typhoon Rolly (international name: Goni) on Sunday.

In a statement, the EU Delegation in Manila sent a solidarity message to the Filipino people, particularly those in the Bicol Region, the hardest-hit area.

“EU stands ready to assist in recovery efforts. The resiliency, strength, and courage of the Filipinos will persevere in these trying times,” it said in a statement.

The Canadian government on Monday said it is also concerned by the typhoon’s impact on the Philippines and remains ready to extend humanitarian aid.

“Our humanitarian partners and experts continue to assess the situation and Flag of Canada stands ready to assist as appropriate,” it said.

The United Nations, meanwhile, has mobilized its humanitarian teams to support government response in municipalities affected by the typhoon.

“We have not waited for the landfall of this typhoon to mobilize our humanitarian teams and take action,” UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator to the Philippines Gustavo Gonzalez said Sunday night.

He noted that UN agencies and humanitarian non-government units are already working with relevant government agencies, Philippine Red Cross (PRC), and private sector groups to coordinate relief efforts.

The UN Philippines said PRC’s emergency response teams are supporting authorities in search and rescue efforts and in providing immediate relief to hard-hit communities.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is coordinating humanitarian sectors and is mapping humanitarian and development partners in affected areas.

The International Organization for Migration, on the other hand, is providing support to authorities in the management of evacuation centers. The World Food Program has also received a request for logistical support to food distributions.

During the Laging Handa briefing on Monday morning, National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council Undersecretary Ricardo Jalad said 10 people were killed, one was injured, and several still missing as “Rolly” battered Bicol Region.

In the same briefing, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said the national government already sent a team to Catanduanes, the initial landfall of “Rolly”, to assess the required post-disaster response as it remains difficult to establish communication with the province.

“Ang problema natin sa ngayon, wala pa tayong contact sa Catanduanes pero mayroon na tayong mga pinapunta galing sa 9th Infantry Division, Coast Guard, kasama ‘yong iba’t ibang ahensya natin (Our problem as of now is that we have no communication with Catanduanes but we’ve already sent a team from the 9th Infantry Division, Coast Guard, including representatives from other government agencies),” he said.

“We also take part in damage assessment to ensure that appropriate response is given by the national government to hardest-hit LGUs,” he added.