THE Australian government has donated an
additional P9.75 million (A$250,000) for the reconstruction of
school buildings in typhoon-ravaged Bicol Region, the Australian
embassy disclosed yesterday.
Australia previously donated P39 million (A$1
million) to typhoon Reming victims through the Philippine Red
Cross (PNRC) following a United Nations appeal late last month
for more help.
The embassy said the additional aid will go
to the school rehabilitation efforts following reports from the
Department of Education that almost a million schoolchildren
were affected by the typhoon and the UN Children’s Fund that up
to 90 percent of all schools in Albay, the worst-hit province,
were damaged, with many beyond repair.
Of the P39 million initially donated by the
Canberra government, P19.5 million went to the PNRC’s emergency
relief efforts. The United Nations Development Program and
UNICEF received P9.75 million each for the provision of
short-term electricity, temporary shelter; and health, water,
sanitation, temporary schools and school supplies to the
victims.
The Australian embassy said it will also
contribute through Aus AID up to A$5 million to fight infectious
diseases and to enhance the capacity of Asean countries to cope
with such diseases like avian influenza.
The embassy said a program management team
will be formed within the Asean Secretariat while the Asean
Expert Group will provide "strategic direction."
The money will help finance workshops on strengthening
regional and national laboratories, reviews of internet-based
surveillance networks, training of response team trainers and
development of a ministerial agreement on deploying
multinational response teams; integrate surveillance and early
recognition of outbreaks, diagnostic capability and timely
response to emerging infectious diseases. – Czeriza
Valencia
