DEC agencies have helped half a million people in the Philippines

One week on from the broadcast of the DEC appeals on the evening of 12 November, DEC agencies and their partners have helped over half a million people. They have provided much needed clean water, sanitation, medical care, temporary shelter materials and other aid.
 
Donations to the DEC Philippines Typhoon Appeal have reached a staggering £44 million, which is already helping to pay for some of the aid being delivered.  The generosity of the UK public has been overwhelming and will make a huge difference to people’s lives.
 
However the scale of the disaster is enormous with over 13 million people now known to be affected. The focus for agencies now is to get aid to hard to reach remote areas, which has been a challenge due to debris on roads, access to ports, airports and the islands. Access to affected areas is now improving as debris is being cleared and roads and bridges are being repaired.
 
Around 4 million people have become forced from their homes and over a million houses have either been damaged or destroyed. 
 
As well as the immediate needs of water, food, medicine, shelter and sanitation, agencies will also be helping people to get their lives back to normal, which could take months and years. 
 
DEC Chief Executive Saleh Saeed said:
 
“Thanks to the people of the UK, aid agencies have been able to help save lives.  We can and must do more. It will take months and years for people to recover and we will immediately start helping people with better shelter and the means to rebuild their lives.”
 
To make a donation to the DEC Philippines Typhoon Appeal visit http://www.dec.org.uk, call the 24 hour hotline on 0370 60 60 900, donate over the counter at any high street bank or post office, or send a cheque. You can also donate £5 by texting the word SUPPORT to 70000.
 
Stay up to date with developments in the Philippines, the emergency response and the DEC’s fundraising efforts on twitter  or on Facebook 
 
What the money donated could buy:

• £25: Water purification tablets for ten families for a month
• £50: Feeds a family for two weeks
• £100: Emergency shelter and bedding for one family