Abu Dhabi: Around 160,000 items of clothing will be distributed to underprivileged people in the Philippines in the wake of Typhoon Hagupit, which left thousands homeless, the Emirates Red Crescent (ERC) announced on Sunday in Abu Dhabi.
An ERC delegation visited Manila to meet with the Philippine National Red Cross, oversee the process of aid distribution and respond to the needs of affected people more effectively.
Referred to in the Philippines as Ruby, Typhoon Hagupit cut a swathe of destruction across the country from December 6 to 9.
It was the most powerful weather disturbance to hit the country since Typhoon Haiyan and led to one of the country’s biggest peace-time evacuations as authorities tried to avoid a repeat of the destruction wrought by Haiyan, which left 6,300 people dead.
According to the Philippine National Red Cross, the death toll from Hagupit has reached 21, with most of the fatalities reported in the Visayas region.
The ERC delegation also reviewed the progress of rebuilding projects initiated in the areas destroyed by Typhoon Haiyan, especially communities in central Philippines last November.
Additionally, the ERC has also signed three Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with the Philippines government to rebuild about ten schools that were destroyed by Typhoon Haiyan, securing the education of some 7,738 pupils.
The ERC will widen its relief efforts by building a Dh2 million hospital in the capital of Samar province equipped with the latest medical systems and technologies.
The ERC delegation led by Fahd Abdul Rahman emphasised that ERC is making efforts to assist the victims of the typhoon in response to the directives of the UAE leadership. “The ERC has plans to implement its health-care and education projects in the affected areas,” he added.
