Philippine | Be a Seed for Change

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It is estimated that millions of individuals will need some form of assistance after super typhoon Haiyan (Reu …

With reports of more than 1,000 estimated casualties, “super typhoon” Haiyan is said to be one of the most devastating storms ever to hit landfall .

The Red Cross and other agencies say they expect the number of casualties and total damage to soar as Haiyan is thought likely to return to category 5 status again.

Amidst the damage, several organizations are stepping up to provide relief to the victims and families of Haiyan .

“It is too early to tell what exactly we will need, but definitely after the relief operations there is going to be a lot of work in terms of reconstruction and rehabilitation, particularly for people who have lost their homes,” Philippines Ambassador to the U.S. Jose Cuisia Jr. told Voice of America.

And while the U.S State Department and military are stepping in to assist in the emergency response, there are a number of organizations that are accepting private donations to help in the relief effort.

Here are a few places where you can donate to help:
** The United Nations World Food Programme estimates that 2.5 million people will need food assistance in the regions affected by Haiyan. They have set up a page where you can donate to efforts aimed at providing relief to families and children affected by the typhoon.

** UNICEF is accepting donations to directly assist the children affected by Haiyan. “Children urgently need access to safe water, hygiene supplies, food, shelter and a safe environment to recover,” the groups said.
** Catholic Relief Services is another major organization helping to collect relief funds for the recovery efforts.
** Save the Children is directing donations to help children in the Philippines, Vietnam and Laos. They’ve also said they will set aside 10 percent of all donations to create a new fund for similar future emergencies.
** Heifer is accepting donations to help residents recover from and prepare for future disasters.
** The Canadian organization GlobalMedic is working to provide clean water to Haiyan victims. “Those people are vulnerable,” GlobalMedic’s Rahul Singh told the Toronto Sun. “And clean water is essential in order to prevent a secondary catastrophe.”

U.S. Congress: Save lives by exempting Typhoon Haiyan victims from outdated food aid regulations

By Juanita Salvador-Burris

Chicago, Illinois

As a Filipino-American in Chicago, I have reeled in shock and helplessness as thousands of Filipinos in Haiyan-decimated Tacloban city, were shown hungry everyday sitting, crying, walking, with nowhere to go, without food, water, shelter, and medical care. After six days and reports of no aid arriving yet, I wrote seventeen friends in Manila seeking comfort as to why more aid has not reached those devastated by this natural disaster. They felt the same despair I did…“not enough aid reached the people in a timely manner.”

Like many others I am thankful for the generosity of my fellow Americans, many of whom have already donated millions to the relief effort. But I could never imagine that red-tape and outdated rules written by the US Congress could delay urgently needed relief from reaching the millions of people who desperately need humanitarian assistance.

So far, the UN has said $301 million is needed immediately to help victims of the typhoon. President Obama has already promised an initial pledge of $20 million to provide food, water and urgent medical care. But regulations, which require the vast majority of US food aid to be shipped from preferred growers in the US on preferred ships, could delay most US food aid from arriving for weeks or months.

These regulations, written in the 1950’s, require food to be shipped more than 11,000 nautical miles across the ocean even though there is ample food available much closer to the crisis in unaffected areas of the Philippines and countries like Thailand and Vietnam, usually at a lower price for taxpayers. The rules prevent aid agencies like the World Food Program from purchasing food from the closest and most cost effective sellers. Delays in delivering food could cost lives and red-tape costs tax dollars.

But Congress has the power to waive these regulations. In this urgent crisis in the Philippines please join me in calling on Congress to save lives now by exempting the Philippines emergency response from these outdated rules so humanitarian aid can reach suffering people when they need it most.