Government announces assistance for flood-hit Philippines

The Minister of State for Trade and Development, Jan O’Sullivan TD, has announced Government support for the relief operation in the Philippines following the weekend’s typhoon and flooding. 

€100,000 has been made available to humanitarian agency Plan Ireland for its relief effort in the Mindanao region. The Government has also offered emergency supplies from its stockpile in Subang, Malaysia.

“The full scale of the casualties in the Philippines is not yet clear, but it certainly runs into the many hundreds, with tens of thousands left homeless,” Minister O’Sullivan said.

“I believe we need to respond quickly and have therefore authorised €100,000 for Plan Ireland’s emergency response operation in the Philippines. I have also asked officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to prepare for a possible airlift of emergency shelter supplies to the affected regions.

“We will continue to monitor the situation over the coming hours and days, including through our Embassy in Singapore.”