In a statement, the UNDP said its administrator, Helen Clark, will travel to Tacloban City in Leyte “to see first-hand the ongoing recovery activities in the areas devastated by typhoon Yolanda.”
Clark will meet with Aquino, Cabinet officials and Asian Development Bank (ADB) president Takehiko Nakao during her three-day visit to the Philippines, the statement added.
During her stay in the Philippines, the UNDP chief will also sign an agreement with Japan on “increased support to Yolanda recovery work.”
Clark will likewise witness the historic signing of the final peace deal between Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), scheduled on March 27.
Clark’s visit to Yolanda-hit areas was announced days after Audit chief Grace Pulido Tan noted .
Just last week, Aquino apologized to those affected by Yolanda, admitting that the government had failed to come to their aid sooner.
In November last year, Yolanda ripped through central Philippines, leaving over 6,200 dead based on official government records.
During Yolanda’s aftermath, the UNDP, together with several other countries, funded efforts to remove debris and waste from affected areas, which cost US $46 million.
The UNDP, the United Nations’ global development network, also initiated efforts to raise US$35 million “to meet the urgent needs of devastated communities.”
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said 890,895 families or 4,095,280 people were displaced and served inside and outside evacuation centers.
The NDRRMC said a total of P1.26 billion worth of relief assistance has so far been provided to affected families.
According to its website, the UNDP focuses on four main areas: crisis prevention and recovery, poverty reduction, environment and energy for sustainable development, and democratic governance. — Andreo Calonzo/RSJ, GMA News
