IOM today started to distribute water containers, hygiene kits and
soap in the National Capital Region (NCR) to victims of the two
typhoons that have struck northern Philippines in the past three
weeks.

The kits, donated by USAID's Office of Foreign Disaster
Assistance (OFDA), will help over 20,000 families displaced by the
widespread flooding and devastation that followed the storms.

"This initial distribution will target the most affected
communities in Pangasinan in Region I, Laguna in Region IV-A and
Muntinlupa in NCR," according to IOM Regional Representative for
East Asia Charles Harns.

Philippine government reports indicate that over 5,000 families
remain in 98 evacuation centres in Pangasinan.

In Laguna, 13 municipalities remain underwater, affecting over
100,000 families.

In Muntinlupa, where 16,000 families have been affected, there
are 21 evacuation centres. The area remains flooded with water
levels roughly unchanged since the height of the
disaster.   

IOM has appealed for USD 8.66 million to provide emergency
shelter and non-food relief items for the victims, and to help the
government organize evacuation centres and other displacement
sites.

The UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), the European
Commission (ECHO), and USAID (OFDA) have already committed nearly
USD 2.25 million, which will allow IOM to help some 61,000 families
over the next three months.

Typhoons Ketsana and Parma hit the Philippines in quick
succession on 26 September and 3 October, bringing chaos to much of
Luzon island, including the capital Manila. Several areas in the
north remain cut off by landslides and more than 500 people are
known to have died.

For more information please contact:

Ida Mae Fernandez

E-mail: "mailto:ifernandez@iom.int">ifernandez@iom.int

or

Joanna Dabao

E-mail: "mailto:jdabao@iom.int">jdabao@iom.int

Tel. + 63.02.848.12.60