MANILA – (December 9, 2014) – International aid agency CARE will be distributing food packs to 2,800 families most affected by typhoon Hagupit.
The typhoon, which made its first landfall on Saturday evening in Eastern Samar, made four other landfalls in several provinces in the Philippines, compelled massive evacuations of about 1 million people and caused damage to people’s shelters and livelihoods.
“CARE and partners will distribute basic food packs containing rice and canned goods to 2,800 of the most affected households in Northern and Eastern Samar, supporting the government in its typhoon response”, said Alexandra Maclean, Country Director for CARE Philippines.
While CARE will support the immediate needs of people most affected by Hagupit, the organization is also looking at the medium and long-term recovery of the communities hit hardest by the typhoon especially the impact on shelter and livelihoods.
“Here in Samar we see a lot of damage to banana crops and people have lost their income. This is already one of the poorest regions in the country, and the impact of typhoon Hagupit will push people deeper into poverty,” reports Rachid Boumnijel, CARE Philippines’ Livelihood Advisor, who is currently in Samar.
CARE is launching an appeal to raise $5 million for the most vulnerable families affected by Hagupit. It takes about $20 to give food for a family of five members for two weeks, and about $15 to assist with immediate shelter needs for those whose homes were damaged by the typhoon.
“Our teams and local partners on the ground are continuously collecting information about the full extent of Hagupit’s damage. While we are all thankful that preparedness such as early evacuations saved many lives, Hagupit has brought lots of rain and sustained winds. We will support communities with emergency supplies and help them recover from this disaster,” said Maclean.
CARE will mainly focus on providing emergency food and shelter support, such as distributing shelter kits and supporting people with cash assistance.
The Philippine government is leading the response and coordinating all pledges of support from NGOs and the private sector. CARE will closely work and coordinate with the government for all its interventions for those affected by Hagupit.
CARE has worked in the Philippines since 1949, providing emergency relief when disaster strike and helping communities prepare for disasters. CARE’s past responses in the Philippines have reached more than 318,000 people with life-saving food, shelter support and financial assistance to rebuild their in incomes.
Media contacts:
Nicole Harris, 404-735-0871, nharris@care.org to arrange interviews with CARE staff on the ground