A $500-million in loan for reconstruction of areas struck by Typhoon Yolanda, the strongest to make landfall on record, is being mobilized by the World Bank Group.
The emergency loan, requested by the Philippine government, is being finalized to support reconstruction of typhoon-hit areas, the Washington-based lender said in a statement Monday.
The group is also “ready to provide” additional support, including through a conditional cash transfer program that provides funds to poor families, according to the World Bank.
Resources could also be directed to providing temporary shelters and to help with debris clean up, providing short-term jobs to poor families.
“We are committed to supporting the government in its effort to recover and rebuild, and to help Filipinos strengthen their resilience against increasingly frequent extreme weather events,” World Bank Group president Jim Yong Kim said in the statement.
Moreover, the World Bank is deploying global disaster experts to help in rebuilding communities.
“Given the scale of this disaster, the country will need a long-term reconstruction plan. We can bring lessons learned from our work in reconstruction after disasters hit Aceh, Haiti, and other areas that might be helpful in the Philippines,” said Axel van Trotsenburg, World Bank vice president for East Asia Pacific.
The World Bank is also providing technical assistance for design of public infrastructure that can withstand 250 to 280 kilometer per hour wind speed and resist sever flooding
“In the midst of this terrible tragedy, the Government is determined to build more resilience into homes, buildings and roads to reduce risks in the future, which is critical in a country that is subject to an increasing number of severe weather events,” said Motoo Konishi, World Bank Philippines country director.
Typhoon Yolanda barreled through central Philippines on November 8, flattening coastal towns and cities and killing thousands of people. – Sieg Alegado/VS, GMA News
source: gmanetwork.com
