DEC Philippines Typhoon Appeal reaches over £30 million in three days

Press release 15 November 2013

Over £30 million has been raised so far for the DEC Philippines Typhoon Appeal thanks to an overwhelming response from the public.
 
Over 11 million people across nine regions in the Philippines have been affected by the complete devastation caused by Typhoon Haiyan. Fuel is in short supply in Tacloban City and is expected to run out within days.
 
DEC member agencies and their partners are on the ground, working around the clock to deliver aid. Funds raised will be used to deliver food, water, household items and tarpaulin to provide much needed support to those affected by the destruction of Typhoon Haiyan. 
 
DEC Chief Executive Saleh Saeed said: 
 
“We are so grateful to the people of the UK for their generosity to date. The DEC member agencies and their partners are working on the ground to deliver essential aid. But the needs are so great, with hundreds of thousands of people displaced. People desperately need the basics of food, water and shelter. Money raised will go to delivering these essentials and it’s important we continue to provide this help.”
 
An increasing amount of aid is now being dispatched and delivered:
 
• Islamic Relief’s local partner has delivered rice, noodles, tinned meat, salt and sugar to more than 13,000 families in north Cebu.
 
• The Red Cross are providing access to satellite phones to people so they can trace missing loved ones and has distributed three days worth of food and water to 1,200 families in Malapascua island which is 45 minutes by boat from Cebu.
 
• Save the Children and Oxfam are sending 38 tonnes of humanitarian aid today which will be loaded onto four lorries for shipping to the Philippines from Oxfam’s Bicester warehouse. The aid will be sent out on a British Airways flight leaving Stanstead airport in the early hours of Monday morning (18th November)
 
Insecurity has become a real issue in some typhoon affected areas but although there have been isolated reports of violence in most cases ‘looters’ are simply survivors trying desperately to provide for their families.  Aid agencies are concerned about the affect of any insecurity on survivors, first and foremost.  The DEC now believes that security concerns risk being overstated and would like to make it clear that security is not the main barrier to the delivery of more aid.
 
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: http://twitter.com/decappeal  or on Facebook via http://www.facebook.com/DisastersEmergencyCommittee
 
What your money will 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

 
Notes to editors

  • The DEC brings 14 leading UK aid charities together in times of crisis: ActionAid UK, Age International, British Red Cross, CAFOD, Care International, Christian Aid, Concern Worldwide, Islamic Relief, Merlin, Oxfam, Plan UK, Save the Children, Tearfund and World Vision; all collectively raising money to reach those in need quickly.
  • Donations can be made at any high street bank and at post office counters.
  • To donate £5 by text send the word SUPPORT to 70000.  The full £5 will go to the DEC Philippines Typhoon Appeal. Donors must be 16 years or over and have the bill payer’s permission. Texts are free and donations will be added to the bill.
  • Donations can be made at www.dec.org.uk or 0370 60 60 900