Unfriendly. Beneficiaries of the European Union’s assistance clear the water hyacinth-clogged river in San Simon, Pampanga. Story on page 1. Photo by Ric Gonzales
SAN SIMON, Pampanga – “Europeans are compassionate and caring people.”
Thus said European Union Ambassador to the Philippines Guy Ledoux on Tuesday as he led a delegation in ensuring the success of humanitarian aid projects in flood-stricken villages in four Pampanga towns and one in nearby Bulacan province.
He delivered the message after being asked by Punto on how come the European Union (EU) had managed to help despite the economic crisis experienced in some of the 27 states in Europe affiliated with the union.
Ledoux was accompanied by Heikki Hannikainen, Finland ambassador to the Philippines, to personally express their solidarity with local residents.
The EU through the CARE Nederland Disaster Risk Reduction Advisor the Philippines gave P12 million (200,000 euros) worth of life-saving emergency response assistance to 10,000 households affected by the recent typhoons.
The aid is provided in the form of food for work programme, allowing beneficiaries involved in clearing the clogged waterways to receive food relief packs.
Ledoux and Hannikainen joined residents and barangay officials in cleaning the river channel in Sta. Monica clogged with water hyacinths, also known as water lilies.
“Our visit to Pampanga is an expression of Europe’s solidarity and support for the vulnerable families affected by recent typhoons in Central Luzon and reaffirmation of our commitment to continue to provide quick humanitarian aid to those affected by natural disasters,” said Ledoux.
He disclosed that since 1998, at least 30 towns and cities in the country benefited from the EU’s assistance amounting to 7 million euros.
The EU focused its assistance on emergency livelihood, health and waste management, and hygiene promotion.
San Simon Mayor Leonora Wong thanked the EU delegation. The towns of San Luis, Masantol and Sta. Ana also benefited from the project.
Bulacan’s Calumpit town, one of hardest hit areas in the Central Luzon province by Typhoon Pedring, also benefited from EU’s project.
“Severe flooding in the Pampanga river basin is not only due to the extreme weather events associated with climate change. Risk is worsened by the degradation of the ecosystems in and around the Pampanga river basin,” said Celso Dulce Jr. of CARE.
The European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection Department (ECHO), one of the largest humanitarian donors in the world, has in 2009 allocated 22 percent of the European Commission’s total humanitarian budget of almost 1 billion euros to Asia and the Pacific region.
Mathias Eick, regional officer of the ECHO based in Thailand, also joined the delegation. He stressed that their assistance “has always been apolitical.”
