Canada, Hungary, UK, NZ pledge over P187M for Odette victims

Canada, Hungary, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand have pledged over PHP187.9 million to assist provinces hit hard by Typhoon Odette.

Australia is set to provide AUD5 million or P187.5 million in emergency relief to help areas battered by Typhoon Odette last week.

Several other countries, including China and the United States, have allocated in-kind goods for immediate deployment to affected families.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that Ottawa will extend up to CAD3 million (approximately PHP118.7 million) in assistance, including CAD500,000 for the urgent Red Cross response.

Trudeau stated that the financial assistance through the Red Cross will help address the urgent need for water and sanitation on the ground.

Japan, through JICA, has provided generator, camping tent, sleeping pad, portable water container, and tarpaulin and plastic sheet.

The Chinese Embassy has raised 20,000 food packages worth around P8 million, which are on their way to affected areas including Cebu, Leyte, and Bohol.

Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne assured the Philippine government and humanitarian organizations that it would support their recovery from the devastation caused by the typhoon.

Payne said among the assistance is funding for the Philippine Red Cross and the United Nations (UN) Population Fund to distribute relief supplies and child and maternal health services.

The funding also covered local non-government organizations (NGOs) and Australian NGOs already operating in the Philippines to deliver immediate lifesaving assistance, protection, and livelihood recovery activities.

Typhoon Odette made landfall nine times across the country from December 16 to 17, causing widespread destruction.

As of December 20, police estimates indicated at least 300 fatalities attributed to the typhoon.