Emergency Relief Coordinator allocates US$25 million from Central Emergency Response Fund to support emergency aid for the Philippines

(New York, 11 November 2013): The Emergency Relief Coordinator and Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Valerie Amos, today announced the allocation of US$25 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to support life-saving relief efforts in the Philippines in the wake of the destruction wrought by Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda).

“This devastating typhoon has affected millions of families in the Philippines. People have lost their homes and loved ones, and desperately need food, water and urgent medical help," said USG Amos. "I am releasing $25 million from CERF to help humanitarian agencies and their partners reach as many people as possible with life-saving aid supplies and services.”

The Government estimates that 9.8 million people have been affected, with almost 660,000 displaced from their homes in nine provinces. Local officials estimate that some 10,000 people were killed in one city alone, and the overall number is expected to increase as aid workers reach more affected communities.

UN agencies and the International Organization for Migration will use CERF funding to provide emergency food assistance, supply emergency shelter materials and household items, assist with the provision of emergency health services, safe water supplies and sanitation facilities for the most vulnerable. The funding will also be used for critical protection, nutrition and emergency activities, camp coordination and management, and logistics to enable a coordinated rapid relief response.

"UN agencies and humanitarian partners are working hard to support the Government and local authorities in their efforts to help people. We have deployed specialist teams, vital logistics support and dispatched critical supplies - but we have to do more and faster," said USG Amos.

CERF was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2006 to make funding for humanitarian emergencies faster and more equitable. Since then, 124 Member and Observer States and the private sector have pledged nearly $3.3 billion to the Fund. Since its inception, CERF has allocated more than $3.2 billion for humanitarian agencies operating in 88 countries and territories, of which $56 million was allocated to Philippines.