The spirit of ‘mateship’and ‘bayanihan’ could vastly describe Australian response to the tragedy brought by super Typhoon Haiyan (typhoon Yolanda, in Philippine area of responsibility) last 8th November including the initiatives by the Australian government and the various public appeals mostly by Filipino descent Australians.
Australia was among the countries who immediately volunteered help as news about the 380 km per hour Super Typhoon Haiyan pounded Leyte and Samar provinces in the Philippines including Tacloban City whose coastal areas were wiped out by the unexpected and cruel phenomenon called storm surge.
Timely arrival of Australian government aid such as an Australian medical assistance team (AusMAT) at the disaster zone, part of a total $A30 million aid package, not only helped showcase the overall compassionate assistance by many Western countries and by Philippines’s immediate neighbours, but most importantly helped arrest the quickly rising number of deaths as locals of affected areas faced the grim reality of a monstrous tragedy.
Philippine President Benigno Aquino III declared on 10th November a state of calamity to speed up help for the typhoon victims, saying the two provinces of Leyte and Samar had suffered massive destruction and deaths. Initial estimate of 10,000 deaths, with general relief, did not eventuate with actual figure as we go to press death toll hits 5,632 as over 1,700 still missing.
The announcement of the additional Php 820 million (A$20 million) comes on the back of Australia’s immediate response of Php 15.5 million (A$390,500), announced by Australia’s Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, which she rapidly increased to Php 410 million (A$10 million) as reports of the devastation started to filter through, reaching the total amount of donation to $A30M.
The additional funds will be used to address serious nutrition, child health and protection needs, purchase emergency foods and provide logistic support and non-food items.
Admitting that providing safe drinking water and power was now critical, Mr Abbott said that the The Australian Defence Force was preparing to provide water purification systems and power generators to Tacloban over the coming days.”
Australia’s further contribution will include:
– Php 530 million (A$13 million) to the United Nations Flash Appeal; – Php 530 million (A$13 million) to be provided through Australian non-government organisations and their partners on the ground for immediate life-saving assistance; – Php 82 million (A$2 million) for the urgent deployment of an Australian medical assistance team (AusMAT); – Php 41 million (A$1 million) for non-food items such as tarpaulins, sleeping mats, mosquito nets, water containers and health and hygiene kits to assist families affected by this disaster; and – Php 41 million (A$1 million) to be provided to the Australian Federal Police to provide disaster management specialists.
The first team of Aus MAT left Tacloban City last 26 November after attending to 1,585 patients and performing 152 surgical operations while a second team arrived the next day to continue the good work.
Meanwhile Sydney’s Philippine community responded immediately to appeals for help initiated by groups and individuals. The most ambitious is the plan target to raise $A1 million set into motion by web publisher and community radio broadcaster Ms Michele Baltazar who reported favourable responses from leaders of Philippine community organisations and peak bodies to set $A1 M fund raising target to help victims of Typhoon Haiyan.
Those who met with Ms. Baltazar include Mrs. Elsa Collado, president of Philippine Communities Council of New South Wales (PCC-NSW) , Mr Jhun Salazar, president of Aliance of Philippine Community Organisations ( APCO), and Mr Manny Castillo, president of Philippine Australian Sports and Culture (PASC), Inc.
In Western Sydney three Labor Party Opposition Federal Members of Parliament Mr Ed Husic (Chifley), Michele Rowland (Greenway) and Chris Bowen hosted a Community Day appeal for Typhoon Haiyan relief, netting at least $15,000 to go to Caritas International relief work in the affected areas in the Philippines. About 4,000 attended the event the Arnott’s factory grounds, in Huntingwood, NSW.
Event management group Redland Events reported that NSW Premier Barrie O’Farrell and NSW Liberal MPs donated the sum of $5,000 to the appeal by the Australia Philippine Business Council (APBC) led by businessman Eduardo Agorto. Earlier on 12 November the NSW Government gave $500,000 in direct humanitarian assistance to the Philippine government. The event was attended by Philippine Consuate General Anne jalando-on Louis, NSW Members of Parliament Tanya Davis(Mulga), and Kevin Conolly (Riverstone) and Eendy Simpsn of World Vision.