Six Australian Civilian Corps (ACC) specialists will be deployed to the Philippines to support to the massive ongoing recovery and rebuild effort, following Typhoon Haiyan last November.
The new team of ACC disaster recovery experts will join the two Australian specialists deployed in December in the wake of Haiyan, to support the planning, implementation and coordination of recovery activities. The teams will work with local government authorities and the national government office established to oversee the rehabilitation of affected areas.
The Australian Government will also today commit a further $3 million in funding for disaster preparedness and resilience. The funding will be provided to the United Nations Development Programme for land use planning, building codes, risk assessments and the establishment early warning systems.
Australian Government funding is also being used to provide small livelihood grants to families in affected communities. Australia has provided $36 million to the recovery and rehabilitation effort to date, on top of an initial $41 million provided directly after the disaster for immediate humanitarian assistance.
Australia’s support is helping over 500,000 people rebuild their lives. We are creating employment and business opportunities for economic recovery, and we helping children return to school by supporting the construction of up to 600 classrooms and early childhood centres in typhoon-affected areas.
Typhoon Haiyan struck the Philippines on 8 November 2013 and devastated hundreds of communities in the central Visayas region.