MANILA, Philippines – Some 18,016 displaced people or 4,352 families in Haiyan-hit islands Samar and Leyte flocked to Manila on board the government’s C-130 flights from November 16 to 29, Presidential Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said in a radio interview on Sunday, December 1.
Coloma, who cited latest data from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), said that of the total number, 3,042 families have been assisted by Oplan Hatid, an effort that gives free transportation for survivors from the Villamor Airbase to as far away as Baguio City.
“The rest of the families are staying in a tent city set up in Pasay, public health centers in Manila and NGOs and LGUs who adopted them,” Coloma added in Filipino.
When Super Typhoon Haiyan swept through Visayas, it destroyed billions worth of infrastructure, damaged an estimated 1.1 million houses and displaced 3.43 million people, according to government estimates as of November 25. (Read: UNCHR, IOM provide emergency shelter for Haiyan survivors)
Rehabilitation initiatives
DSWD recently launched the “Adopt-a-family” or “Host-a-family” initiative, where families from Metro Manila can give temporary shelter and care to families from Eastern Visayas who were affected by Haiyan.
Coloma said DSWD will assign social workers to screen the families and individuals who will take in the affected families with no relatives in Metro Manila.
Coloma added that DSWD is continuously holding stress debriefing and trauma therapy for the typhoon victims.
“This process is very important. Even the children who are being sent back to school will undergo stress debriefing,” he added in Filipino.
He said even officials, soldiers and police who were on ground zero when Haiyan struck will be pulled out and given a debriefing.
“In order for them to be effective, they need to have enough rest. They will be replaced by fresh reserves – soldiers, police and government employees who are able to do their duty,” Coloma concluded in Filipino. –DAVID LOZADA, Rappler.com
July 2025
Nutrition Month
“Give us much more than P50 increase
for proper nutrition!”
Invoke Article 33 of the ILO Constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar
to carry out the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry recommendations
against serious violations of
Forced Labour and Freedom of Association protocols.
Accept National Unity Government (NUG)
of Myanmar. Reject Military!
#WearMask #WashHands #Distancing #TakePicturesVideosturesVideos
July
3 July – International Day of Cooperatives
3 July – International Plastic Bag Free Day
5 July – World Youth Skills Day
7 July – Global Forgiveness Day
11 July – World Population Day
17 July – World Day for International Justice
28 July – World Nature Conservation Day
30 July – World Day against Trafficking in Persons
Monthly Observances:
Schools Safety Month
Nutrition Month
National Disaster Consciousness Month
Weekly Observances:
Week 2: Cultural Communities Week
Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise
Development Week
Week 3: National Science and
Technology Week
National Disability Prevention and
Rehabilitation Week
July 1-7:
National Culture Consciousness Week
July 13-19:
Philippines Business Week
Week ending last Saturday of July:
Arbor Week
Daily Observances:
First Saturday of July:
International Cooperative Day
in the Philippines
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