IRELAND WILL DISPATCH a Christmas Day emergency aid shipment to flood-damaged areas in the Philippines, the Government announced today.
The airlift will contain tents and blankets to provide shelter for some of the more than 350,000 people left homeless by the disaster.
At least 1,080 people are now confirmed to have died after a typhoon struck towns and cities on the island of Mindanao on December 15 and 16, according to AFP. The death toll could potentially double as more than 1,000 people are still missing.
Minister of State for Trade and Development Joe Costello said that he had instructed officials to begin preparing for the airlift.
He said “I would like to express Ireland’s solidarity with the people of the Philippines, and indeed with the thousands of Filipino people who live in Ireland.” The Minister continued:
More than 280,000 people have sought shelter in evacuation centres in the disaster area. Ireland will provide tents and thousands of blankets to assist these families, who have lost their homes and belongings to the severe floods.
The supplies will be airlifted from Ireland’s stock in a UN humanitarian depot in Malaysia, one of several such depots worldwide. The Government has also provided €100,000 to charity Plan Ireland to assist its emergency response.
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