The European Union has released over €1.25 million (approximately Php 85 million) in humanitarian aid to support communities in the Philippines affected by typhoons Tino and Uwan. The assistance is intended for people who have lost their homes, been displaced, or are living in areas already hit by previous disasters, particularly in Cebu, which recently experienced a major earthquake.
Out of the total amount, €250,000 (around Php 17 million) will go to the Philippine Red Cross to help people still displaced by the Cebu earthquake and now facing additional risks from flooding and landslides. The support will include shelter materials, sleeping kits, essential household items, cash assistance for basic needs, as well as healthcare, water, and sanitation services. This contribution forms part of the EU’s support to the Red Cross and Red Crescent’s Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF).
EU partners have also utilized previously allocated disaster preparedness funds to provide early cash assistance and immediate response actions. The newly released funding adds to the €8.5 million (Php 578.6 million) that the EU has already provided this year for humanitarian aid and disaster preparedness in the Philippines. This earlier support includes €1.3 million (Php 88.50 million) for tropical cyclones in July and late September, and €1.2 million (Php 85 million) for earthquakes in Cebu and Davao.
The funds are being released through the EU’s Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), which supports millions of disaster-affected people worldwide. The EU is also a signatory to a €16 million (Php 1.09 billion) agreement with the IFRC to help replenish the Disaster Response Emergency Fund, ensuring rapid financial support whenever a national Red Cross or Red Crescent society responds to an emergency.
