Manila - The European Union said Thursday it was providing an additional 7 million euros (10 million dollars) in humanitarian assistance to victims of devastating storms in the Philippines. The grant was on top of 2 million euros earlier allocated by the EU for victims of storm Ketsana and typhoon Parma, which killed nearly 1,000 people in late September and early October.
EU Ambassador to Manila Alistair MacDonald said the additional funding would be channelled through international organizations closely working with Philippine authorities.
"The assistance will cover a broad array of priority needs, including for example the provision of food, shelter and non-food items, primary health care, psychosocial assistance, emergency livelihood, logistics and transport," he said.
The EU announced the additional assistance after the United Nations called for more aid for the Philippines and raised the amount of its flash appeal to 144 million dollars.
The initial appeal was 74 million dollars. So far, only 26 million dollars have been raised.
Ketsana struck on September 26, triggering the worst floods in 40 years in Manila and nearby areas. One week later, Parma pummelled the northern Philippines, causing landslides and more floods.
According to the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, 4.2 million people were still in need of humanitarian assistance, including more than 520,000 children below 5 years old.
An estimated 1.7 million people were still displaced or living in areas that remain flooded, the office added.
