The United Nations has assured the Philippine government that it will provide humanitarian assistance to the thousands of Filipinos affected by the massive devastation wreaked by tropical storm "Ondoy" (international code name: "ketsana") over the weekend.

"Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said the United Nations is considering issuing a flash appeal for emergency assistance from both member states and non-government organizations," Romulo said in a statement from New York on Tuesday.

Ban also expressed his sympathy and condolences to the Philippine government and to the families of the more than 250 people who perished in the floods that also displaced more than 500,000 people in Metro Manila and 25 other provinces.

In an earlier meeting with Romulo, Undersecretary General Holmes, who also heads the Office of Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance (OCHA), said his agency is ready to coordinate international humanitarian assistance and is looking into the possibility of utilizing the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF)--a humanitarian fund established by the UN to enable more timely and reliable humanitarian assistance to those affected by natural disasters and armed conflicts.

Holmes informed Romulo that OCHA personnel are assisting in relief operations in Manila and that additional personnel based in Bangkok are on their way to the Philippines to assess the situation and give recommendations on the kind of assistance that is required. He also expressed concern over another weather disturbance approaching the country.

The UN's World Food Programme (WFP) also said it will support relief efforts in the Philippines by providing vital food rations to around 180,000 Filipinos who are struggling to cope with the impact of the storm.

Some 80 percent of capital city Manila was submerged after the record rainfall, and more than 450,000 people were affected. At least 145,000 people -- many of whom found themselves neck deep in water on Saturday -- have been forced to flee their homes and seek refuge in evacuation centers or host communities. The government has declared a "state of calamity" in Manila and 25 provinces.

"We are deeply saddened by the magnitude of the human suffering caused by this natural calamity and we assure the Philippines Government and its people of our support for a swift and coordinated recovery effort," said Stephen Anderson, WFP Country Representative in the Philippines .

As part of its initial emergency response, Anderson said the WFP, in coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), will provide more than 740 metric tons of rice to 178,000 flood victims in the worst-affected areas.

On Sunday, the WFP participated in a government-organized helicopter fly-over of some of the most affected areas. A joint rapid needs assessment between the government and UN agencies is currently underway.

Since 2006, WFP has been supporting conflict-affected populations in strife-torn provinces in Mindanao, but also supports large-scale natural disaster response on a case-by-case basis.


Source: Xinhua