Foreign agencies offer humanitarian assistance to Capiz By: Jemin B. Guillermo ROXAS CITY, Capiz, Nov. 18 (PIA6) – Various international agencies are offering their hands to help restore the lives of Capiceños. Capiz Provincial Administrator Jose O. Villanueva disclosed that as of this morning, November 18, a total of 25 international agencies have offered their humanitarian services and assistance for the people to start their lives anew. Among these international agencies are the Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affair (UNOCHA), United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Save the Children, World Food Programme, Action Contre la Faim (ACF), Canada DFAT/Armed Forces, International Organization for Migration (IOM), Medecins Sans Frontieres Swiss, Red Cross, Japan Heart, World Vision, GOAL and Child Fund. Other international agencies and organizations that are helping Capiz include the Welt Hunger Hilfe, Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement, United Nations Development Programme, World Health Organization, UN Department of Safety and Security, Action Asia, UN Habitat, NETHOPE, Action Aid International, Humanity First and the British Military. Villanueva said that while other international agencies are still conducting assessment, some are already responding to the immediate needs of Capiceños like the installation of the UNICEF’s water bladder tanks in 10 towns in Capiz and the putting up of portable toilets in the evacuation centers. He added that the Canadian Army with the OIM as well as the Japan Heat are also conducting medical checkup and vaccination in the barangays. According to him, so far Jakarta donated 1,200-kilogramm mattress, 2,250-kilogram tents and 2,380-kilogram milk and biscuits while the Indonesian government donated to Capiz 12.2 tons of assorted goods and water. During the briefing, Nov. 17, Villanueva has already appealed to the various foreign agencies to already put their help into action. He said that it has already been more than a week now that Capiz was heavily devastated by super typhoon Yolanda, leaving thousands of Capiceños homeless. “We are already through with the rescue operation and the focus now must shift from the relief stage to the rehabilitation stage,” he said. Villanueva revealed that the international community has commended the effort of the provincial government in terms of disaster preparation as well as systematic in handling the situation.
Posted on: Tue, 19 Nov 2013 01:43:34 +0000