Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda): U.S. and International Response to Philippines Disaster

Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda): U.S. and

International Response to Philippines

Disaster

(name redacted), Coordinator

Specialist in Asian Affairs

(name redacted), Coordinator

Specialist in International Humanitarian Policy

February 10, 2014

Congressional Research Service

7-....

www.crs.gov

R43309

Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda): U.S. and International Response to Philippines Disaster

Summary

This report examines the impact of Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda), which struck the central

Philippines on November 8, 2013, and the U.S. and international response. Haiyan was one of the

strongest typhoons to strike land on record. Over a 16 hour period, the “super typhoon,” with a

force equivalent to a Category 5 hurricane and sustained winds of up to 195 mph, directly swept

through six provinces in the central Philippines. The disaster quickly created a humanitarian

crisis. In some of the hardest hit areas, particularly in coastal communities in Leyte province and

the southern tip of Eastern Samar, the storm knocked out power, telecommunications, and water

supplies. The humanitarian relief operation was initially hampered by a number of significant

obstacles, including a general lack of transportation, extremely limited communications systems,

damaged infrastructure, and seriously disrupted government services. Despite the physical and

logistical challenges, regular relief activities reportedly reached most of the worst-stricken areas

within two weeks of the storm.

Two and a half months after the typhoon struck, United Nations (U.N.) agencies reported that

14.1 million people had been affected, with more than 4.1 million displaced. Estimates of the

number killed had risen to 6,201 with more than 1,785 missing. The number of injured was

unknown. In addition, assessments revealed that an estimated 1.1 million houses had been

damaged or destroyed and nearly 5.6 million people required food assistance.

Ongoing humanitarian relief operations and recovery efforts are being led by the Philippine

government. The United Nations, along with other partners, including the United States, remains

at the forefront of the on-the-ground response. Apart from U.N. agencies, those responding to the

crisis include international organizations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), Private

Voluntary Agencies (PVOs), and bilateral and multilateral donors. As of January 31, 2014,

international donors have contributed a total of $662.9 million to the relief efforts. U.S. assistance

has included approximately $87 million in disaster aid and $59 million in private sector

contributions, a massive U.S. military humanitarian effort, as well as diplomatic and legislative

activity.

At their peak, 66 U.S. military aircraft and 12 naval vessels were involved in relief efforts and

nearly 1,000 U.S. military personnel were deployed directly to the disaster areas. The USS

George Washington naval task force as well as elements of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit

from Okinawa formed the majority of Joint Task Force (JTF) 505, which coordinated and carried

out U.S. military relief efforts (Operation Damayan) in cooperation with the Armed Forces of the

Philippines and the Philippine government. U.S. military assistance included clearing roads,

transporting aid workers, distributing 2,495 tons of relief supplies, and evacuating over 21,000

people.

More than two months after the storm, humanitarian assistance is still required in some affected

areas, particularly food, clean water, shelter, and basic health care. The Philippine government

launched an $8.2 billion, four-year plan, Reconstruction Assistance in Yolanda (RAY), which

focuses on rebuilding areas affected by the typhoon and developing resilience to natural disasters.

The U.N. Humanitarian Country Team (HCT), in partnership with U.N. organizations and nongovernmental and international organizations, designed a Strategic Response Plan (SRP) to

support the Philippines government’s activities in meeting immediate humanitarian needs and

reconstruction goals.

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Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda): U.S. and International Response to Philippines Disaster

The United States and the Philippines maintain close ties stemming from the U.S. colonial period

(1898-1946), a security alliance, and common strategic and economic interests. Other pillars of

the bilateral relationship include shared democratic values and extensive people-to-people

contacts. The involvement of U.S. military forces in Haiyan relief efforts bolstered support for

enhanced U.S.-Philippine military cooperation, an issue that the two sides have been discussing

intensively during the past several months. Congressional concerns related to the storm and its

aftermath include the short-term U.S. and international humanitarian response, the long-term U.S.

foreign aid strategy for the Philippines, and how the U.S. response to the disaster may impact the

U.S.-Philippines relationship as well as regional geopolitical dynamics.

This report will be updated as events warrant. For background and information on the Philippines,

see CRS Report RL33233, The Republic of the Philippines and U.S. Interests. For background on

how the U.S. responds to international disasters, see CRS Report RL33769, International Crises

and Disasters: U.S. Humanitarian Assistance Response Mechanisms.

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Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda): U.S. and International Response to Philippines Disaster

Contents

Typhoon Haiyan and Its Aftermath .................................................................................................. 1

U.S. Government Response ....................................................................................................... 4

Overall Status of the Relief and Recovery Effort ............................................................................ 5

Philippine Government Response .................................................................................................... 6

U.S. Humanitarian Efforts ............................................................................................................... 7

USAID ....................................................................................................................................... 7

State Department ....................................................................................................................... 7

Department of Defense .............................................................................................................. 8

Department of Homeland Security ............................................................................................ 8

International Response..................................................................................................................... 9

International Humanitarian Operations ..................................................................................... 9

Strategic Response Plan........................................................................................................... 10

International Humanitarian Funding ....................................................................................... 11

U.S.-Philippines Relations ............................................................................................................. 12

U.S Military Presence in the Philippines ................................................................................. 12

U.S. Foreign Assistance to the Philippines .............................................................................. 12

Possible Economic Effects of Typhoon Haiyan ............................................................................. 13

Looking Ahead: Policy Issues........................................................................................................ 14

Figures

Figure 1. Typhoon Haiyan as It Approached the Philippines Coast ................................................ 2

Figure 2. Haiyan Wind Speeds ........................................................................................................ 3

Figure 3. Haiyan’s Path and Destruction ......................................................................................... 4

Figure 4. Haiyan: Storm Surge Levels ........................................................................................... 16

Figure 5. Haiyan: Populations Inundated....................................................................................... 17

Figure 6. Map of the Philippines ................................................................................................... 18

Tables

Table 1. U.S. Assistance to the Philippines, FY2008-FY2014 ...................................................... 13

Table A-1. International Donor Contributions to United Nations Appeal and to Projects

Outside the Appeal (through January 31, 2014) ......................................................................... 19

Table B-1. Contributions Made Through January 31, 2014........................................................... 24

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Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda): U.S. and International Response to Philippines Disaster

Appendixes

Appendix A. Donor Contributions and Pledges to the Philippines in Response to Typhoon

Haiyan (Yolanda) ........................................................................................................................ 19

Appendix B. U.S. Government Humanitarian Assistance to Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda)

Relief .......................................................................................................................................... 24

Appendix C. Sources for Further Information ............................................................................... 26

Appendix D. How to Contribute to Relief Efforts ......................................................................... 28

Appendix E. The U.S. Government Emergency Response Mechanism for International

Disasters...................................................................................................................................... 29

Appendix F. Mass Fatality Management ....................................................................................... 31

Contacts

Author Contact Information........................................................................................................... 32

Acknowledgments ......................................................................................................................... 32

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Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda): U.S. and International Response to Philippines Disaster

Typhoon Haiyan and Its Aftermath

In the early morning of Friday, November 8, 2013, Typhoon Haiyan (known in the Philippines as

Yolanda), one of the strongest typhoons to strike land on record, slammed into the central Visayas

region. Over a 16 hour period, the super typhoon or cyclone, with a force equivalent to a

Category 5 hurricane and clouds that covered two-thirds of the country, directly swept through six

Philippine provinces and affected over 10% of the nation’s population of 105 million people.1

Haiyan’s estimated wind speeds were 195 mph at its peak and 155 mph as it weakened and

moved west, with wind gusts of up to 235 mph.2 Several hundred thousand people reportedly had

fled their homes in advance of Haiyan’s

Philippines at a Glance

arrival. Many of those displaced were moved

to evacuation centers.3 (See Figure 1 and

Geography: Mountainous archipelago

Figure 2.)

Area: 115,830 square miles (slightly larger than

Arizona); 7,000 islands

The speed of the storm as well as advance

Population: 105 million

warning prevented greater flooding and may

Ethnic groups: Malay (95%); Chinese, mixed race

have saved many lives. However, in some of

(Filipino-Spanish, Filipino-Chinese, Filipino-American),

other (5%).

the hardest hit areas, particularly in coastal

communities in eastern and western Leyte

Religions: Roman Catholic (80%); Muslim (5%)

province and the southern tip of Eastern

Life Expectancy: 72 years

Samar, there appears to have been little

Literacy: 95%

defense against Haiyan’s wrath. Between twoGDP per capita: $4,500 (purchasing power parity)

thirds and 90% of structures were heavily

Population below poverty line: 26.5%

damaged or destroyed, including medical

Infant Mortality: 18.2 deaths/1,000 live births

facilities. Downed trees and other debris

GDP composition by sector: agriculture 12%;

blocked roads. Airports, vital links to the rest

industry 31%; services 57%

of the archipelagic country, were damaged.

Furthermore, decentralized government

Source: CIA, The World Factbook.

authority, a shortage of available government

workers, looting, and heavy rains delayed some relief efforts.4

The typhoon was the deadliest natural disaster ever recorded in the Philippines. Within a few days

of the typhoon, the Philippine government reported that an estimated 11.5 million people had

been affected by the storm, with more than 540,000 displaced (of which roughly 380,000 were

staying in 1,215 evacuation centers and 162,000 outside the centers). The government also

reported that 792,000 people were evacuated in advance of the disaster. The city of Tacloban

(population 220,000), capital of Leyte province, was one of the hardest hit places and the scene of

the most concentrated destruction and death. Thousands of Tacloban residents reportedly drowned

1

The tropical storm made landfall in Guiuan, Eastern Samar Province; Tolosa, Leyte Province; Daanbantayan and

Bantayan Island, Cebu Province; Concepcion, Iloilo Province (Panay Island); and Palawan Island.

2

By contrast, Hurricane Katrina had wind speeds of 140 mph at landfall.

3

Rick Gladstone, “Top U.N. Relief Official Flies to Philippines to Help Coordinate Aid Efforts,” New York Times,

November 11, 2013.

4

Max Fisher, “47 Statistics That Explain Typhoon Haiyan,” Washington Post, November 12, 2013; Sunshine de Leon

and Alexandra Zavis, “Philippines Typhoon Leaves Millions in Need of Food, Water, Shelter,” Los Angeles Times,

November 11, 2013.

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Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda): U.S. and International Response to Philippines Disaster

in a “two-story-high” storm surge, including people seeking safety in a sports stadium that served

as a shelter.5 Many others were killed by flying debris. (See Figure 3, Figure 4, and Figure 5.)

Figure 1. Typhoon Haiyan as It Approached the Philippines Coast

November 7, 2013

Source: NASA.

The estimated number of dead and missing is often fluid and subject to change in the days,

weeks, and months following a natural disaster, particularly one on the scale of Typhoon Haiyan

(Yolanda). Two and a half months after the typhoon struck, based on figures provided by the

Philippine government, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)

reported that 14.1 million people had been affected, with more than 4.1 million displaced (as of

mid-January 2014, 26,000 were staying in evacuation centers). Estimates of the number killed

had risen to 6,201 with more than 1,785 missing. The number of injured was unknown. In

addition, assessments revealed that nearly 5.6 million people required food assistance and an

estimated 1.1 million houses had been damaged or destroyed.6 All numbers remain subject to

revision.

Steady population increases in disaster-prone areas, combined with a geography consisting of

islands and poor infrastructure, make the Philippines vulnerable to humanitarian crises. An

average of 20 major storms batter the country each year. In 2012, Typhoon Bopha (Pablo) struck

the southern island of Mindanao, leaving nearly 2,000 people dead or missing. On the island of

Bohol, a 7.1 magnitude earthquake in October 2013 displaced 350,000 people, many of whom

resisted going to shelters as Haiyan approached, fearing that they might collapse in an aftershock.

Until Haiyan, the country’s most destructive typhoon was Tropical Storm Thelma (Uring) of

1991, which killed over 5,000 people in the Visayas region.

5

Keith Bradshear, “Struggle for Survival in Philippines City Shattered by Typhoon,” New York Times, November 11,

2013.

6

USAID, Philippines—Typhoon Yolanda/Haiyan, Fact Sheet #19, Fiscal Year (FY) 2014, December 13, 2013.

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Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda): U.S. and International Response to Philippines Disaster

Figure 2. Haiyan Wind Speeds

Source: Graphic created by CRS. Boundaries and cities generated by (name redacted) using data from

Department of State, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency, and Esri (all 2013).

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Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda): U.S. and International Response to Philippines Disaster

U.S. Government Response

According to many observers, U.S. support to the Philippines following the typhoon, including

disaster assistance, expressions of sympathy, and a flurry of diplomatic activity, has bolstered the

already strong bilateral relationship. Some Philippine leaders and political commentators argue

that the U.S. military response to the disaster has strengthened the case for an enhanced U.S.

military presence in the country, an issue that the two sides have been discussing intensively

during the past few months (see “U.S.-Philippines Relations” below).7 Some analysts opine that

the response of the United States has significantly boosted its soft power in the Philippines and

the region, particularly in comparison to that of China.8

Figure 3. Haiyan’s Path and Destruction

Source:. South China Morning Post, November 12. 2013

On November 10, 2013, President Obama made a statement expressing sympathy and support to

the people of the Philippines.9 On November 21, the Senate expedited the confirmation of the

new U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines, Philip Goldberg, so that he could help coordinate U.S.

humanitarian assistance there. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry travelled to the Philippines on

December 17, 2013, where he met with President Benigno Aquino and visited the city of

Tacloban. He announced $40 million in military assistance and $25 million in additional

7

Babe Romualdez, “Babe’s Eye View: Thank God for the United States!” The Philippines Star, November 17, 2013;

Tarra Quismundo, “Storm Showed We Need US-Del Rosario,” Philippines Daily Inquirer, November 26, 2013.

8

China donated $1.6 million in relief and sent a hospital ship, the Peace Ark, to the Leyte Gulf. China and the

Philippines are engaged in an ongoing dispute over maritime territory.

9

President Obama on Super Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda, http://iipdigital.usembassy.gov/st/english/texttrans/2013/11/

20131110286218.html#axzz2sHzfcOGU

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Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda): U.S. and International Response to Philippines Disaster

humanitarian aid (on top of roughly $60 million in disaster assistance already provided). Kerry

had cancelled a trip to Manila in October 2013 due to tropical storm Nari.10

Members of Congress were among the first U.S. government officials to offer support.

Representative Chris Smith led a congressional delegation to Leyte province on November 25,

2013.11 On November 19, the Subcommittee on East Asian and Pacific Affairs of the Senate

Committee on Foreign Relations held a hearing entitled “Assessing the Response to Typhoon

Yolanda/Haiyan.” The Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and

International Organizations of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs conducted a hearing on

the U.S. response on December 3. Members circulated “Dear Colleague” letters including those

calling for assistance to remote areas affected by the disaster and protection for vulnerable

Filipina women and children. U.S. legislators also sponsored resolutions expressing condolences,

supporting assistance and charitable donations to the people of the Philippines, and urging the

U.S. government to grant Temporary Protected Status to eligible Philippine nationals, which

would allow them to stay and work in the United States and thereby support their families in

storm-affected areas (see Textbox).

Selected Legislation in Support of Disaster Relief and Victims

•

H.R. 3602: Filipino Temporary Protected Status Act of 2013 (Green, 11/21/13).

•

H.R. 3771: Philippines Charitable Giving Assistance Act (Swalwell, 12/12/2013).

•

H.Res. 404: Expressing Condolences and Support for Assistance to the Victims of Typhoon Haiyan which Made

Landfall in the Republic of the Philippines on November 8, 2013 (Royce, 11/12/13) passed 11/20/13.

•

H.Res. 408: Expressing Sincere Condolences and Support for Assistance to the People of the Philippines and All

Those Affected by the Tragic Super Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) of November 8, 2013 (Speier, 11/13/13).

•

S. 1821: Philippines Charitable Giving Assistance Act (Hirono, 12/12/13).

•

S.Res. 292: A Resolution Expressing Support for the Victims of the Typhoon in the Philippines and the

Surrounding Region (Schatz, 11/13/13) passed 11/14/13.

Overall Status of the Relief and Recovery Effort

In general, experts divide relief operations into several phases: search and rescue; treatment and

survival; relocation and rehabilitation; early recovery; and long-term reconstruction. As with any

significant natural disaster that has many moving parts, it can take days and sometimes weeks to

get a relief effort underway. Delays in transportation and congestion, lack of transportation

infrastructure, bureaucratic problems, and lack of access all can cause bottlenecks at key points in

the system. While timing is critical to save lives, a relief effort of this size requires the

coordination of assessments and appropriate responses with the government, local communities,

and the international community to function efficiently.

10

Marvin Sy, “Kerry to Visit Phl Next Month,” Philippine Star, October 21, 2013. President Obama cancelled a trip to

Southeast Asia in October 2013 due to the partial U.S. government shutdown. Obama’s travel was to include the AsiaPacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Indonesia, the East Asia Summit (EAS) in Brunei, as well as

Malaysia and the Philippines.

11

The delegation also included Representatives Trent Franks and Al Green.

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Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda): U.S. and International Response to Philippines Disaster

The humanitarian relief operation, led by the Philippine government, was initially hampered by a

number of significant challenges, not unusual in a disaster of this magnitude, including a general

lack of transportation, extremely limited communications systems, and damaged infrastructure.

Although aid personnel and humanitarian supplies arrived within days in many of the affected

areas, there were challenges getting food and relief commodities to some of the more remote

locations. Despite the physical and logistical challenges facing the relief effort, regular relief

activities reportedly reached most of the worst-stricken areas within two weeks of the storm. Indepth assessments, necessary to obtain a better understanding of the situation on the ground, were

conducted and are ongoing. Overall aid delivery to affected areas has been mobilized and

sustained.

By mid-December, a little more than one month after the typhoon struck, immediate, life-saving

efforts in general began to shift more towards early recovery programming and the development

of plans for longer-term recovery and reconstruction. However, affected areas were impacted by

the heavy rains and strong winds associated with Tropical Depression Agaton from January 1720, 2014. The impact of the storm exposed ongoing vulnerabilities of those affected by Typhoon

Haiyan.

Philippine Government Response

The Philippine government plans and administers disaster relief primarily through the National

Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Center (NDRRMC) and the Department of Social

Welfare and Development (DSWD). Other agencies involved in relief efforts include the Armed

Forces of the Philippines, the Office of Civil Defense, and the Department of Health. The

NDRRMC oversees activities along with Local Disaster Risk Reduction Management Councils

(LDRRMCs), the DSWD, DSWD field offices, local governments, and other agencies. The

DSWD and its field offices coordinate relief efforts on the ground. The NDRRMC also

collaborates with private sector disaster management networks. The Department of Foreign

Affairs serves as the first point of contact for countries and international organizations wishing to

provide assistance.

Taking the lead on the disaster response, the Philippine government formed a high-level national

taskforce to ensure fast track transition from relief efforts to the rehabilitation and rebuilding of

affected areas. President Aquino appointed Senator Ping Lacson as Presidential Assistant for

Rehabilitation and Recovery, a cabinet-level position. In response to widespread fears about

government corruption, the Aquino administration launched a web portal that allows the public to

track international disaster funds, the Foreign Aid Transparency Hub (FAITH).

The Philippine government launched a four-year Reconstruction Assistance in Yolanda (RAY)

plan, on December 18, 2013. Requesting nearly $8.2 billion, RAY focuses on rebuilding areas

affected by the typhoon and developing resilience to natural disasters. Three main activities

include $780 million for critical actions focused on shelter, education, agriculture, livelihoods,

and protection; $2 billion for short-term interventions through 2014; and $5.3 billion to address

longer-term needs through 2017.

The government has launched an effort to provide temporary housing—469 “bunkhouses” have

been built or planned so far—for people living in tent cities, particularly for those who formerly

lived closed to the sea and are not allowed to return due to the risk of future storm surges. Each

bunkhouse consists of 24 rooms (one room per family) and common kitchen and bath areas. The

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Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda): U.S. and International Response to Philippines Disaster

homes lack electricity and running water. International aid agencies have criticized them for not

meeting international standards. In January 2014, the government announced that it would build

60,000 permanent housing units over a two-year period.12

U.S. Humanitarian Efforts13

On November 9, 2013, U.S. Charge d’Affaires Brian L. Goldbeck issued a disaster declaration,

and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), through the Office of Foreign

Disaster Assistance (OFDA), immediately authorized funds to be released for the initial

implementation of an emergency response program. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel directed

the U.S. Pacific Command to deploy rescue teams, dispatch helicopters for airlifts, and conduct

other relief efforts. As of January 31, 2014, the United States has provided over $87 million in

humanitarian assistance through USAID, the Department of State, and the Department of Defense

(DOD), and $59 million in private sector contributions.14

USAID

The U.S. government immediately set up an interagency task force to coordinate and facilitate the

humanitarian response to the typhoon in the Philippines through the Washington, DC-based

Response Management Team (RMT) headed by USAID through OFDA. It also deployed Disaster

Assistance Response Teams (DARTs). The RMT supports USAID/DART efforts, which are

focused on assessing humanitarian needs, positioning emergency relief supplies, and coordinating

assistance with the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines, the Philippine government, and the

international community. On December 18, 2013, the DARTs transitioned to a field office as the

emergency phase of the response began to shift to early recovery. OFDA will maintain an

ongoing presence in the Philippines for now to coordinate ongoing humanitarian activities.

State Department

The State Department set up a Crisis Response Task Force to help monitor developments,

facilitate coordination with other agencies as needed, and respond to inquiries from concerned

Americans. The U.S. Embassy in Manila provided a center for coordination and communication

among other U.S. agencies, Philippine authorities, and private organizations and citizens. U.S.based NGOs have played an active role in the relief and recovery effort.

12

“60,000 Houses for Yolanda Survivors,” Manila Bulletin, January 16, 2014; “In Typhoon-Slammed Philippines,

Controversy over Unsanitary Housing, Christian Science Monitor, January 13, 2014; Chico, Harlan, “After Typhoon,

Philippines Faces One of the Most Profound Resettlement Crises in Decades,” Washington Post, January 4, 2014;

“DPWH to Build 247 More Bunkhouses in Eastern Visayas,” Philippine Daily Inquirer, January 17, 2014.

13

For background information on overall U.S. humanitarian assistance, see CRS Report RL33769, International Crises

and Disasters: U.S. Humanitarian Assistance Response Mechanisms, by (name redacted).

14

USAID, Philippines—Typhoon Yolanda/Haiyan, Fact Sheet #20, Fiscal Year (FY) 2014, January 24, 2014; U.S.

Chamber of Commerce Foundation, http://ccc.uschamber.com/typhoon-haiyan. Procter & Gamble and Coca-Cola plan

to help more than 2,000 small stores rebuild, restock, and reopen in storm-affected areas. Josephine Cuneta,

“Philippines Storm Damage Nears $13 Billion – Government Details Rebuilding Costs as U.S. Offers More Aid,” Wall

Street Journal, December 19, 2013.

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Department of Defense15

DOD’s initial response to Typhoon Haiyan was greatly facilitated by the advanced warning of the

storm as well as naval, air, and Marine Corps assets either visiting or stationed in mainland Japan

and the Japanese island of Okinawa. The USS George Washington naval task force as well as

elements of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) from Okinawa formed the majority of

Joint Task Force (JTF) 505, which was formed to conduct initial relief operations, dubbed

Operation Damayan. Nearly 1,000 U.S. military personnel were deployed directly to the disaster

area while the rest served on ships or provided support from bases around the world.

U.S. military aircraft provided reconnaissance of the affected areas, lifted aid workers into the

disaster zones, transported relief supplies, and evacuated those affected by the typhoon to various

locations in the Philippines. Marines who were deployed ashore assisted with road clearance and

with the distribution of humanitarian assistance. Once ground routes were improved, about 90%

of relief supplies were then relegated to truck transportation. The Marines concentrated their

efforts in the Guiuan, Eastern Samar, area which was the hub for supply transport and focused

their remaining efforts south of Tacloban in the Leyte Gulf area.

On November 24, 2013, DOD officials announced it would begin to transition all of its relief

efforts to the Philippine government and that JTF 505 would stand down on December 1, 2013.16

The U.S. Embassy in Manila announced JTF 505’s December 1 disestablishment, noting that at

their peak, U.S. military efforts included more than 13,400 military personnel, 66 aircraft, and 12

naval vessels. The U.S. military delivered more than 2,495 tons of relief supplies and evacuated

over 21,000 people, including over 500 American citizens. Also, over 1,300 flights were

completed in support of the relief efforts for Operation Damayan delivering to approximately 450

sites.17

In addition to the United States, roughly 20 other nations and multilateral organizations, including

Australia, Japan, NATO, South Korea, and the United Kingdom, contributed military assistance.

This aid involved the use of military ships, transport planes, and helicopters. International

military personnel provided disaster relief and helped distribute medical supplies, drinking water,

and food. China, which had been criticized for providing too little assistance and being slow to

respond, sent a naval hospital ship, the Peace Ark, to the Philippines on November 21.

Department of Homeland Security18

Provisions exist in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) to offer temporary protected status

(TPS) or relief from removal under specified circumstances.19 TPS is blanket relief that may be

granted under the following conditions: there is ongoing armed conflict posing serious threat to

personal safety; a foreign state requests TPS because it temporarily cannot handle the return of

15

Contributed by (name redacted), Specialist in Military Ground Forces, Congressional Research Service.

Information in this section was taken from “DOD Transitions to Next Phase of Aid in Philippines,” American Forces

Press Service, November 25, 2013.

17

U.S. Embassy, Manila, Philippines, Press Release “JTF 505 Disestablished,” December 1, 2013.

18

Contributed by (name redacted), Specialist in Im migration Policy, Domestic Social Policy Division.

19

CRS Report RS20844, Temporary Protected Status: Current Immigration Policy and Issues, by (name redacted)

and (name redacted).

16

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Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda): U.S. and International Response to Philippines Disaster

nationals due to environmental disaster; or there are extraordinary and temporary conditions in a

foreign state that prevent aliens from returning, provided that granting TPS is consistent with U.S.

national interests.20 A foreign national who is granted TPS receives a registration document and

an employment authorization for the duration of TPS. Within a few days of the typhoon, U.S.

Citizenship and Immigrant Services (USCIS) in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

announced a limited set of immigration relief measures that Filipinos impacted by the typhoon

might be eligible for, but did not grant TPS.21 The government of the Philippines formally

requested on December 16, 2013, that President Barack Obama designate TPS for Filipinos in the

United States.22 Legislation that would grant TPS to Filipinos (H.R. 3602, the Filipino Temporary

Protected Status Act of 2013) has been introduced in the 113th Congress.

International Response

International Humanitarian Operations23

The international community typically provides significant humanitarian assistance in response to

major disasters and their ongoing impact. Following Typhoon Haiyan, at the request of the

Philippine government and in a supporting role, the United Nations established Disaster

Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) and U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian

Affairs (OCHA) teams. With the U.N. Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) already in place,

OCHA is helping to coordinate actors on the ground and enlist donor support. Humanitarian relief

sectors are typically established during humanitarian crises to enable the United Nations to

coordinate partners, prioritize resources, and facilitate planning. In the Philippines, as with other

disasters, response activities were organized into 12 relief sectors or “clusters” led by various

agencies. The clusters currently include Camp Coordination and Camp Management;

Coordination; Early Recovery and Livelihoods; Education; Emergency Shelter; Emergency

Telecommunications; Food Security and Agriculture; Health; Logistics; Nutrition; Protection; and

Water, Sanitation and Hygiene.

The United Nations, along with other partners, including the United States, has a strong

relationship with the Philippines, and remains at the forefront of the current on-the-ground

response for humanitarian assistance and early recovery. International recovery efforts are

typically complex because they require coordination among numerous actors and international

20

Section 244 of INA (8 U.S.C. §1254a).

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, “USCIS Reminds Filipino Nationals Impacted by Typhoon Haiyan of

Available Immigration Relief Measures,” press release, November 15, 2013, http://www.uscis.gov/news/alerts/uscisreminds-filipino-nationals-impacted-typhoon-haiyan-available-immigration-relief-measures.

22

Embassy of the Philippines, Washington DC, “PH Seeks Additional Immigration Relief for Pinoys in US,” press

release, December 16, 2013, http://www.philippineembassy-usa.org/news/3774/300/PH-SEEKS-ADDITIONALIMMIGRATION-RELIEF-FOR-PINOYS-IN-US/d,phildet/.

23

Information drawn from various reports available at http://www.reliefweb.int and news articles. See also, U.N.

Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Philippines: Typhoon-Haiyan, Situation Report No. 33 (as of 20

January 2014); Philippines Humanitarian Country Team, Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda): Strategic Response Plan,

December 27, 2013. USAID, Philippines—Typhoon Yolanda/Haiyan, Fact Sheet #19, Fiscal Year (FY) 2014,

December 31, 2013; and USAID, Philippines—Typhoon Yolanda/Haiyan, Fact Sheet #20, Fiscal Year (FY) 2014,

January 24, 2014.

21

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Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda): U.S. and International Response to Philippines Disaster

entities. In the current crisis, apart from U.N. agencies, those responding to humanitarian crises

include international organizations, NGOs, Private Voluntary Agencies (PVOs), and bilateral and

multilateral donors.

Strategic Response Plan

More than two months after the storm, humanitarian assistance is still required in some affected

areas, particularly food, clean water, shelter, and basic health care. The HCT, in partnership with

14 U.N. organizations and 39 non-governmental and international organizations, designed a

Strategic Response Plan (SRP) to support the government’s activities in meeting immediate

humanitarian needs, complement its reconstruction plan, and fill gaps identified by the

government or through interagency assessments. The SRP covers 171 municipalities in 14

provinces and 4 regions, where it is estimated that over 14 million people were affected by the

typhoon. The overall humanitarian and early recovery priorities and objectives identified by the

HCT are listed below, but the implementation of the projects is expected be guided by location

and caseload.

•

Meeting basic food needs and nutritional requirements through community-based

services and building food security through stimulation of markets and

production. Activities include providing food assistance, nutritional support, and

agricultural inputs for farmers.

•

Attaining protective and sustainable shelter solutions for those families who were

displaced or have homes that were destroyed or damaged. Shelter needs remain

urgent and vary greatly by location. Activities include providing populations with

shelter material, tools, cash for work, technical training, and site management in

evacuation centers. Most of those displaced are in transitional shelters, such as

bunkhouses or tarpaulins, or they have received shelter kits to rebuild their

homes.

•

Regaining self sufficiency of livelihoods in urban and rural areas through

restoration of local economies, agriculture, and fisheries. Recovery of livelihoods

is critical to enable people to rebuild their homes and their lives.

•

Sustaining access to water, sanitation, hygiene, and the ongoing provision of

health care in affected areas and evacuation centers. Activities include a focus on

surveillance and early warning to prevent the outbreak of communicable

diseases. Activities also include restoring water systems and access to sanitation

facilities in communities, schools, and health care facilities.

•

Establishing access to community and local government services, particularly for

basic education in temporary learning spaces, social welfare, community support,

and a protective environment.

•

Removing and recycling debris from public spaces for use in reconstruction and

to improve access to homes.

•

Undertaking these objectives with a view to enhancing resilience and

preparedness for future disasters.

The SRP covers 12 months from the date of the disaster. The plan targets up to 3 million people

under any one relief cluster. The government has identified three consecutive phases of the

response: (1) critical humanitarian needs (to June 2014); (2) short-term investments (July to

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Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda): U.S. and International Response to Philippines Disaster

December 2014); and (3) medium-term, longer-term investments (January 2015-December 2017).

The SRP covers the response through the first two phases. A Post-Disaster Needs Assessment is

planned starting in early 2014, which will help inform the way forward on phases 2 and 3. It is

expected that the United Nations, Asian Development Bank, World Bank, and European Union

will work with the government in support of its plans.

In addition, other selected ongoing activities include:

•

The U.N. Population Fund (UNFPA) launched a plan for national authorities and

humanitarian partners to provide assistance and protection support to more than 3

million women and girls affected by the disaster. The U.N. Children’s Fund

(UNICEF) and others are focused on identification, documentation, tracing, and

reunification for unaccompanied and separated children. Trafficking among

vulnerable populations has also been raised as a concern.

•

An estimated 35,000 people have requested help from the Philippine Red Cross

in tracing family members who are thought to have gone missing in connection

with the typhoon.

•

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which is supporting the

Philippine Red Cross in its emergency humanitarian response, is also working

with the Philippine authorities on the proper management of the dead.

International Humanitarian Funding

A number of international actors are providing relief to the Philippines, either through financial

contributions to the government or aid organizations or by directly providing relief supplies and

emergency personnel. On November 12, 2013, the HCT appealed for $301 million in the Haiyan

Action Plan to provide life-saving assistance and early recovery support for a six-month period.

On November 22, this plan increased to $348 million, based on assessments completed as

partners gained better access to affected areas. Launched on December 27, 2013, the Strategic

Response Plan (described above) replaces these earlier appeals and requests $788 million.

Additional pledges and contributions have also been made outside the appeal. A number of

countries, including the U.S. government, have provided assistance in the form of direct

contributions of items such as food and tents, or through the operation of relief flights and

logistics support. As of January 31, 2014, $662.9 million has been contributed to the overall

Typhoon Haiyan response, and of that amount, $356.1 million has been contributed to the SRP.

As of January 31, 2014, the U.N.’s Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) has made

available approximately $25.3 million to the Plan.24

24

See U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Philippines: Typhoon-Haiyan, Situation Report No.

33 (as of 20 January 2014).

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U.S.-Philippines Relations25

The United States and the Republic of the Philippines maintain close ties stemming from the U.S.

colonial period (1898-1946), a security alliance, extensive military cooperation, and common

strategic and economic interests. Other pillars of the bilateral bond include shared democratic

values and people-to-people contacts. Filipino Americans number approximately 4 million,

making them the second-largest Asian American population, and comprise the largest foreignborn group in the U.S. Armed Forces. An estimated 150,000 Americans live in the Philippines.

U.S Military Presence in the Philippines

U.S. military forces are involved in several regular joint exercises and ongoing military missions

in the Philippines. The two major ones are the Balikatan (Shoulder to Shoulder) exercises and the

U.S. Joint Special Operations Task Force–Philippines (JSOTF-P) counterterrorism assistance,

which involves a U.S. rotating presence on Mindanao Island and the Sulu archipelago. Both of

these programs include large humanitarian components. Other annual joint exercises include the

Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) naval event and the Amphibious Landing

Exercise (PHIBLEX). In addition, U.S. warships have made frequent port calls in the Philippines

in the past year.

DOD officials stated that the U.S. military had a “small footprint” of people and equipment in the

Philippines at the time of Typhoon Haiyan. No injuries or damage to them were reported.26

Currently, there are about 500 U.S. military personnel from JSOTF-P conducting

counterterrorism training for selected units of the Philippine military.27 Some members of JSOTFP supported Operation Damayan in Ormoc City, Leyte province.

The involvement of U.S. military forces in relief efforts following Typhoon Haiyan comes at a

time of growing U.S.-Philippine security cooperation. The bilateral security relationship has

gained prominence as a key link in the U.S. foreign policy “pivot” or “rebalancing” toward Asia.

Since 2012, U.S. and Philippine officials have discussed increasing U.S. ship and aircraft access

to Philippine military facilities, particularly at Subic Bay, site of the former U.S. naval base, and

bolstering U.S. military facilities and forces in the country on a rotational or non-permanent basis.

Since August 2013, the two sides have been negotiating a framework agreement for the increased

U.S. military presence.

U.S. Foreign Assistance to the Philippines

The Philippines, regarded by Washington as a partner in maintaining regional security, is one of

the largest recipients of U.S. foreign assistance in Southeast Asia. U.S. assistance has focused

upon poverty reduction, broad-based economic growth, and, increasingly, external security

concerns. In the past decade, over half of U.S. assistance to the country supported development

25

For background information, see CRS Report RL33233, The Republic of the Philippines and U.S. Interests, by

(name redacted).

26

Karen Parrish, “DOD Ready to Assist as Philippines Face Monster Strom,” American Forces Press Service,

November 8, 2013.

27

“The Army as of October 31,” Army Times, November 11, 2013, p. 5.

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programs in Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago, where there has been a sustained Muslim

insurgency, with the aim of reducing the attractiveness of radical or extremist ideologies and

activities.28 For FY2014, the Obama Administration requested raising Foreign Military Financing

to the Philippines by 75%, to $50 million. (See Table 1.) In 2010, the Millennium Challenge

Corporation (MCC) approved a five-year, $434 million compact with the Philippine government

that focused on poverty reduction, transportation, and the modernization of the Bureau of Internal

Revenue.

Table 1. U.S. Assistance to the Philippines, FY2008-FY2014

$ U.S. Thousands

Account

FY2008

FY2009

FY2010

FY2011

FY2012

FY2013

estimate

FY2014

request

GHP

24,967

27,175

33,220

32,437

33,800

32,810

31,500

DA

27,321

30,000

40,310

79,055

81,055

85,755

87,682

ESF

42,773

30,000

30,000

0

0

0

0

FMF

27,757

28,000

29,000

11,970

27,000

28,483

50,000

IMET

1,525

1,730

1,850

1,971

1,954

1,614

1,700

INCLE

794

800

1,365

2,065

2,450

2,996

8,000

NADR

4,562

4,175

5,625

9,525

9,525

8,945

9,100

Total

129,699

121,880

141,370

137,023

155,784

160,603

187,982

Source: Department of State, Congressional Budget Justification for Foreign Operations (FY2008-14).

Notes: Foreign Aid Account Acronyms: GHP—Global Health Programs; DA—Development Assistance; ESF—

Economic Support Fund; FMF—Foreign Military Financing; IMET—International Military Education and Training;

INCLE—International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement; NADR—Non-Proliferation, Anti-Terrorism and

De-Mining. This table does not include food aid and MCC funding. The FY2014 request includes $9.5 million

(Development Assistance) for programs in the South Pacific administered by the Philippines mission.

Possible Economic Effects of Typhoon Haiyan29

The Philippines is a lower middle income country with an estimated population of 105 million—

Southeast Asia’s second largest. Once one of the wealthiest nations in Southeast Asia, it had been

considered one of the region’s economic laggards since the 1970s, due in large part to widespread

corruption and poor governance. However, in the past three years, the Philippines had emerged as

one of Asia’s strongest economies. The 7.6% GDP growth rate it posted in 2010 was the country’s

fastest annual growth rate in 30 years.

The Philippines’ overall growth represents a strong resurgence for a country that had been a

recipient of IMF loans beginning in 1983, due to fiscal crises in the 1980s and the economic

vulnerabilities exposed by the Asian financial crisis in the 1990s. Many Philippine observers felt

28

In 2012, the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), an armed Islamic separatist

group, reached a settlement on the creation of an autonomous region for Muslims in western Mindanao and the Sulu

Archipelago.

29

Contributed by (name redacted), Specialist in Asian Affa

irs, Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Divison.

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Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda): U.S. and International Response to Philippines Disaster

it was symbolically important that the country became an IMF creditor in 2012, contributing to

multilateral loans to Europe. Analysts note that the Philippines, like many Southeast Asian

nations, has benefitted from substantial investment inflows over the past three years, but this

raises the risks that the trend could reverse, with private capital outflows possibly arising from the

typhoon or for other reasons, such as the possible tightening of U.S. monetary policy in the

coming years.

The areas damaged by Haiyan are some of the poorest parts of the Philippines, many of them

dominated by agricultural and fishing industries, with some tourist destinations also severely

harmed by the storm. Damage to other crops, such as sugar cane, coconut, and pineapple, is likely

to have considerable impacts on livelihoods in the Visayas region. The Philippine government has

sought temporary trade arrangements with export markets such as the United States that would

allow duty-free access for a limited number of products coming from affected areas.

According to some analysts, GDP growth is expected to continue to be strong despite the costs of

Typhoon Haiyan, estimated at $13 billion. The Philippines’ economy is forecast to expand by

6.7% in 2014, slightly less than the estimated 6.9% growth of 2013.30 Because the region affected

by the storm is one of the country’s least developed, impacts on the Philippines’ manufacturing

base and overall GDP may not be deep. Economists also note that once reconstruction efforts

begin, construction spending is likely to spur growth. Furthermore, the storm’s drag on the

economy may be only slightly greater than the effects of other natural disasters in recent years.31

Many observers have been surprised the economy has fared so well. Economic Secretary Arsenio

Balisikan reportedly called the performance “a remarkable turnaround.”32 Nonetheless, although

the affected areas are not the country’s largest sources of rice, the damage to rice crops in the

region may reverse the Philippines’ trend in recent years towards rice self-sufficiency, and rice

imports are likely to rise.

One important issue for the Philippine economic recovery in the months and years ahead will be

whether decentralized governance and corruption limits the efficiency of stimulus efforts. The

Philippine central government’s relative lack of control over decisions by regional governments

has been one of the chief obstacles to Philippine economic development for decades, many

observers say. While the World Bank rated the Philippines one of the world’s 10 most improved

business environments in an October 2013 survey, the strains arising from the typhoon’s damage

will be a test of whether the central government can effectively implement economic stimulus

without running into the issues of corruption or poor local governance.

Looking Ahead: Policy Issues

The impact of Typhoon Haiyan is of significant interest to the United States. As the extent of the

disaster becomes clearer, other issues may emerge for Congress as it considers the ongoing U.S.

response. These fall into several possible categories:

30

Economist Intelligence Unit, Country Report: Philippines, January 23, 2014.

Some experts argue that Haiyan reduced GDP growth by an estimated 1%, while typhoons typically decrease growth

by 0.8% annually in the Philippines. “Philippines Economy on Track, Despite Human Cost of Typhoon Haiyan,”

Reuters, November 12, 2013.

32

“Typhoon Haiyan Hits Philippine Growth in Fourth Quarter,” Financial Times, January 30, 2014.

31

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Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda): U.S. and International Response to Philippines Disaster

•

The initial humanitarian relief period: Congressional interest and support is

likely to focus on the humanitarian impact of the disaster, the U.S. and

international response, and ongoing humanitarian developments.

•

Ongoing oversight: Congress may exercise its oversight authority in the ongoing

provision of U.S. humanitarian assistance. It may consider how USAID and

DOD responses to the Haiyan disaster mesh with overall and existing U.S.

foreign aid programs, contributions by other governments, and overall global

humanitarian priorities.

•

Longer-term assistance strategy: Given the extensive damage to the central

Philippines’ economy and infrastructure, Congress may consider broad, longterm U.S. assistance strategies in the Philippines, including policies to boost

Philippine exports from storm-affected areas. Lessons learned from the response

to the Philippines typhoon may influence future U.S. global disaster assistance

strategies and the provision of food aid.

•

Strategic questions: Congress may consider how the U.S. disaster response may

impact the U.S.-Philippines relationship as well as regional geopolitical

dynamics, and how existing and ongoing U.S. military activities in the

Philippines may be affected by DOD’s role in disaster relief.

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Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda): U.S. and International Response to Philippines Disaster

Figure 4. Haiyan: Storm Surge Levels

Source: Graphic created by CRS. Boundaries and cities generated by (name redacted) using data from

Department of State, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency, the Joint Research Centre of the European

Commission, the United Nations Institute for Training and Research, and Esri (all 2013).

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Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda): U.S. and International Response to Philippines Disaster

Figure 5. Haiyan: Populations Inundated

Source: Graphic created by CRS. Boundaries and cities generated by (name redacted) using data from

Department of State, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency, the Joint Research Centre of the European

Commission, the United Nations Institute for Training and Research, and Esri (all 2013).

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Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda): U.S. and International Response to Philippines Disaster

Figure 6. Map of the Philippines

Source: Congressional Research Service.

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Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda): U.S. and International Response to Philippines Disaster

Appendix A. Donor Contributions and Pledges to

the Philippines in Response to Typhoon Haiyan

(Yolanda)33

Table A-1. International Donor Contributions to United Nations Appeal and to

Projects Outside the Appeal (through January 31, 2014)

(U.S. $)

Country/Agency

Donor

Andorra

Contribution/

Commitmenta

Pledgeb

In-Kind Supportc

$13,405

$0

Asian Development

Bank

$3,000,000

$0

Australia

$38,688,313

$0

Medical assistance team, tarpaulins, sleeping mats,

mosquito nets, water containers, health and hygiene

kits, disaster management specialists.

Austria

$1,938,025

$0

Rapid response team.

Azerbaijan

$200,000

$0

Bahrain

$0

$0

Ninety tons of food, hygiene packs, blankets, tents,

mats, power generators, towels, pillows, water, and

water containers.

Belgium

$2,029,187

$0

Team of 40 medical personnel and equipment to set

up field hospital; water treatment units; relief goods.

Brazil

$150,000

$0

$0

$0

Emergency relief supplies of rice and bottled water.

Canada

$20,969,442

$0

Relief team of 20 medical staff plus team of 10

logistical support personnel to establish advanced

surgical position and to install a water purification

station.

U.N. Central

Emergency

Response Fund

(CERF)

$25,284,316

$0

China

$1,800,000

$0

Croatia

$68,691

$0

Cyprus

$0

$20,000

Brunei Darussalam

A planeload of blankets, tents, and other emergency

relief goods; emergency assistance through the China

Red Cross Society; deployment of the Peace Ark, a

medical vessel with 93 medical workers and 12

disaster relief experts; deployment of an additional 50person medical team.

33

Contributed by Susan Chesser, Information Research Specialist, Knowledge Services Group, Foreign Affairs,

Defense, and Trade Division.

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Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda): U.S. and International Response to Philippines Disaster

Country/Agency

Donor

Czech Republic

Contribution/

Commitmenta

Pledgeb

In-Kind Supportc

$213,904

$0

First aid items.

Denmark

$7,280,456

$0

Equipment and emergency coordinators, shelter, clean

water, medical supplies for 100,000 families,

telecommunications emergency response unit,

equipment and emergency coordinators.

Ecuador

$500,000

$0

Emergency employment through debris and solid

waste management in the Philippines.

Estonia

$638,808

$0

One light base camp and two camp technicians.

European

Commission

$13,615,437

$0

Two planes loaded with relief goods, medical team,

and search and rescue teams, food assistance;

providing nutrition interventions to children, pregnant,

and nursing women.

Finland

$5,064,298

$0

Two motor boats for rescue operations, logistics

support and services, early recovery food assistance,

France

$1,609,100

$0

Teams of urban search and rescue personnel, tents,

kitchen kits, and water purifying stations, cash for

work projects.

Germany

$15,987,312

$0

Medical team of 24 doctors and nurses with two tons

of medical supplies; the team will set up medical tents

and will be able to accommodate 1,000 persons per

day. Also, 70 tons of food, hygiene, and medical kits.

Established water purification system in Cebu.

Greece

$40,761

$0

Guyana

$50,243

$0

Holy See

$150,000

$0

Hungary

$221,404

$0

Iceland

$100,000

$0

$0

$0

Planeload of relief goods.

Indonesia

$2,000,000

$0

Medicine, drinking water, generator sets, blankets, and

food.

Ireland

$1,666,020

$381,631

Israel

$0

$0

Team of 158 medics, rapid response, and search and

rescue personnel; field medical facilities and supplies;

mobile desalination equipment; food.

Italy

$3,533,841

$0

Humanitarian flights, blankets, tarpaulins, tents, and

medical kits, medical personnel; support of agriculture

sector; cash for work activities; food assistance.

Japan

$54,801,450

$0

Rapid response medical assistance team of 25

personnel; 18 medics; plastic sheets, sleeping pads, and

other commodities; camp coordination and camp

management; ensuring access to water; continuing

access to education for school-aged children; debris

management; enhancing protection of displaced

persons; logistics and telecommunications support and

services.

India

Congressional Research Service

Five medics and search and rescue team; access to

reproductive health services; mobile water purification

unit.

Shelter items.

20

Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda): U.S. and International Response to Philippines Disaster

Country/Agency

Donor

Contribution/

Commitmenta

Kazakhstan

Pledgeb

In-Kind Supportc

$0

$100,000

$3,300,000

$0

$0

$10,000,000

Liechtenstein

$110,254

$0

Luxembourg

$1,803,917

$0

Relief team of health workers and telecommunications

personnel, as well as information and communications

technology; financial contribution to a Post-Disaster

Needs Assessment for disaster preparedness;

communication services.

Malaysia

$1,000,000

$0

Medics, search and rescue personnel, blankets and

medicine.

Malta

$53,619

$0

Mexico

$1,000,000

$0

Monaco

$271,740

$0

Emergency health services.

Netherlands

$10,048,209

$0

Military flights with relief goods.

New Zealand

$3,294,325

$979,840

Norway

$26,558,003

$0

Water purification equipment; emergency health kits;

rapid deployment hospital

$0

$0

Medicines, food, and relief items.

$33,967

$0

$59,651,362

$208,978,444

$0

$8,788,794

Deployed needs assessment team; up to 120 tons of

medications, food, tents, blankets, and clothes; water

purification plant.

Russian Federation

$4,738,871

$1,000,000

Emergency field hospital with air mobile hospital and

rescue workers. Also, 56 metric tons of canned meat,

canned fish, and sugar. Debris removal and solid waste

management assistance. Five emergency medicine

modules; fifty basic medical kits containing medicines,

supplies, medical equipment and instruments to treat

150,000 victims.

Saudi Arabia

$10,000,000

$0

Singapore

$292,103

$0

Slovenia

$80,429

$0

South Africa

$400,000

$0

Korea, Republic of

Kuwait

Oman

Portugal

Private (individuals

and organizations)

Qatar

Congressional Research Service

Disaster relief team; food assistance; emergency health

services.

Relief goods; aircraft for transportation; chainsaws,

generators, tarps, and other equipment.

Civil Defense Force relief team, tents, groundsheets,

medical supplies, blankets, use of aircraft to transport

further supplies, water.

South African Relief Team of 50 doctors, paramedics,

fire, rescue and related personnel, with 3 tons of

medical equipment and medicines, and 10 tons of light

rescue equipment.

21

Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda): U.S. and International Response to Philippines Disaster

Country/Agency

Donor

Spain

Contribution/

Commitmenta

Pledgeb

In-Kind Supportc

$3,630,851

$0

Two planes of emergency relief, including a health

relief team of 32 persons with surgery capacities. Also,

a team of seven logisticians and health professionals

with water, sanitation, and hygiene equipment. Early

recovery food assistance.

Sri Lanka

$0

$0

Medical relief team with medicines and medical

devices.

Sweden

$16,494,608

$0

Two base camps and two Onsite Operations

Coordination Center modules with personnel to

support United Nations Office for the Coordination of

Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA).

Switzerland

$4,299,140

$0

Urban search and rescue team, tents, water

distribution kits, water pump kits, drinking water

reservoir, water disinfection kits, and tarpaulins.

Thailand

$330,000

$5,000,000

Turkey

$434,053

$0

Search and rescue team, and a planeload of tents,

blankets, and kitchen sets.

Ukraine

$0

$0

Relief goods, including food, water filters, power

generators, canned beef, mattresses and pillows, and

disinfectant kits.

United Arab

Emirates

$10,622,870

$0

Emergency response team; 117 tons of canned foods,

sugar, grains, and hygiene products.

United Kingdom

$106,250,905

$27,396,008

Twelve National Health Service personnel able to

operate under emergency conditions; forklift trucks,

cutting equipment, and 4x4 vehicles to clear and open

runways and roads; temporary shelters; blankets;

water purification tablets; household goods; soap and

sanitary items; bedding; blankets; and solar lanterns.

Royal Navy provided aerial assessments and

helicopters to distribute aid supplies, emergency repair

teams.

United States

$87,034,775

$0

Logistics and relief commodities; shelter and non-food

items; cash for work activities; telecommunications

support; emergency food assistance.

$0

$100,000

Other

Organizations

$109,519,383

$108,634,599

TOTAL

$662,867,797d

$371,379,316e

Vietnam

Planeload of relief good; government appeal to collect

financial donations from private sector and general

public; 5,000 tons of rice; 12,000 disaster relief

packages; mobile tents.

Source: Compiled by CRS from information provided by the Financial Tracking Service (FTS) of the United

Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) at http://fts.unocha.org/pageloader.aspx?

page=home. International Assistance Matrix, provided by the Government of the Philippines at

http://www.gov.ph/faith/full-report/.

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Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda): U.S. and International Response to Philippines Disaster

Notes:

a.

According to OCHA, a “Contribution” is the actual payment of funds or transfer of in-kind goods from the

donor to the recipient. A “Commitment” is a legal, contractual obligation between the donor and recipient

entity, specifying the amount to be contributed.

b.

According to OCHA, a “Pledge” is a non-binding announcement of an intended contribution or allocation

by the donor.

c.

According to OCHA, a zero in both Contribution/Commitment and Pledge columns indicates the donor did

not report a value for an in-kind donation.

d.

Total of contributions made to the United Nations appeal and to projects outside of the appeal.

e.

Total of pledges made to the United Nations appeal and to projects outside of the appeal.

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Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda): U.S. and International Response to Philippines Disaster

Appendix B. U.S. Government Humanitarian

Assistance to Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) Relief34

Table B-1. Contributions Made Through January 31, 2014

U.S. Funding Source

Implementing Partner

Description

Funding

USAID/OFDAa

Catholic Relief Services

Transitional shelters.

USAID/OFDAa

United Nations Office for

the Coordination of

Humanitarian Affairs

(UNOCHA)

Coordination and advocacy in

areas affected by Typhoon

Haiyan.

USAID/OFDAa

Oxfam/Great Britain

(Oxfam/GB)

Water, sanitation, and hygiene.

USAID/OFDAa

Plan International

Education assistance to children;

funding teachers and early

childhood facilitators in the

Provinces of Leyte, Southern

Leyte, Eastern Samar, and

Western Samar.

$7,189,234

United Nations Children’s

Fund (UNICEF)

Access to Water, Sanitation and

Hygiene (WASH) for children

and women.

$750,000

USAID/FFPb

World Food Program

Emergency food assistance.

$8,527,060

USAID/FFPb

World Food Program

Local or regional food

procurement.

$7,750,000

USAID/FFP

World Food Program

Cash-for-work activities for early

recovery.

$3,700,000

USAID/OFDAa

World Food Program

Lifesaving and early recover food

assistance.

$5,357,340

U.S. Department of

Defense

Various recipients (details

not yet provided)

Logistics.

USAID/OFDAa

Various recipients (details

not yet provided)

Administrative support.

USAID/OFDAa

Various recipients (details

not yet provided)

Commodity airlifts, logistics,

relief commodities.

USAID/OFDAa

Other UN agencies and

NGOs (details not yet

provided)

Logistics and relief commodities,

WASH, shelters.

USAID/OFDAa

TOTAL U.S.

CONTRIBUTION

$8,407,457

$250,000

$2,688,027

$31,700,375

$277,042

$3,407,469

$7,030,771

$87,034,775

Source: Compiled by CRS from USAID, Philippines—Typhoon Yolanda/Haiyan, Fact Sheet #20, Fiscal Year (FY)

2014, January 24, 2014, and the Financial Tracking Service (FTS) of the United Nations Office for the

34

Contributed by Susan Chesser, Information Research Specialist, Knowledge Services Group, Foreign Affairs,

Defense, and Trade Division.

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Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda): U.S. and International Response to Philippines Disaster

Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) at http://fts.unocha.org/pageloader.aspx?page=emergemergencyDetails&appealID=1043.

Notes:

a.

USAID/Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance funding indicates actual or obligated amounts.

b.

USAID/Food for Peace funding indicates the estimated value of food assistance.

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Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda): U.S. and International Response to Philippines Disaster

Appendix C. Sources for Further Information35

U.S. Embassy in Manila, Philippines

Disaster Assistance: http://manila.usembassy.gov/disaster-assistance.html

U.S. Citizen Services: http://manila.usembassy.gov/wwwha017.html#Missing

This page provides information for persons trying to find American citizens who were in the

Philippines at the time of the storm.

U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)

http://www.usaid.gov/haiyan

http://www.usaid.gov/philippines

USAID Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) Twitter Feed:

https://twitter.com/theOFDA

U.S. Department of Defense

Operation Damayan: http://www.defense.gov/home/features/2013/1113_haiyan/

Government of the Philippines

Official Gazette Updates on Typhoon Yolanda: http://www.gov.ph/crisis-response/updatestyphoon-yolanda/

U.N. News Centre

http://www.un.org/News/

The UN News Service publishes reports on the humanitarian aid efforts in the Philippines, as

well as news about the United Nations’ work in other countries.

Relief Web

http://reliefweb.int/disaster/tc-2013-000139-phl

35

Contributed by Susan Chesser, Information Research Specialist, Knowledge Services Group, Foreign Affairs,

Defense, and Trade Division.

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Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda): U.S. and International Response to Philippines Disaster

This site is administered by the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

(OCHA) and provides links to reports by governments, international and intergovernmental

entities, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) on humanitarian activities as well as

maps and fact sheets. This site is continuously updated.

Selected U.N. Entities

U.N. Country Team in the Philippines

http://reliefweb.int/organization/unct-philippines

United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)

http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/philippines.html

World Food Program (WFP)

http://www.wfp.org/countries/philippines

World Health Organization (WHO)

http://www.who.int/hac/en/index.html

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

http://www.unhcr.org/52820a359.html

Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

http://www.fao.org/emergencies/crisis/philippines-typhoon-haiyan/en/

InterAction

http://www.interaction.org/crisis-list/interaction-members-respond-typhoon-haiyan

InterAction is an alliance of more than 180 U.S.-based nongovernmental organizations

(NGOs) that work around the world. The site describes the humanitarian assistance being

provided by each member organization responding to the Philippines disaster and provides

links to the individual websites where contributions can be made.

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Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda): U.S. and International Response to Philippines Disaster

Appendix D. How to Contribute to Relief Efforts

USAID—How to Help

http://www.usaid.gov/what-we-do/working-crises-and-conflict/crisis-response/how-help

U.S. Embassy in Manila, Philippines

How to Contribute: http://manila.usembassy.gov/response-contribute.html

Charity Navigator

Super Typhoon Haiyan Disaster Relief: http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=

content.view&cpid=1659

Provides analysis, evaluations, and ratings of charity finances as well as accountability and

transparency.

Guide Star

Helping Typhoon Haiyan Survivors:

http://www.guidestar.org/rxg/give-to-charity/donor-resources/philippines-typhoonrelief.aspx?gsicn=November11TyphoonRelief&gsici=HomepageFeature

This organization gathers information about nonprofit organizations and reports on each

organization’s mission, legitimacy, impact, reputation, finances, programs, transparency, and

governance.

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Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda): U.S. and International Response to Philippines Disaster

Appendix E. The U.S. Government Emergency

Response Mechanism for International Disasters36

The United States is generally a leader and major contributor to relief efforts in response to

humanitarian disasters. The President has broad authority to provide emergency assistance for

foreign disasters and the U.S. government provides disaster assistance through several U.S.

agencies. The very nature of humanitarian disasters—the need to respond quickly in order to save

lives and provide relief—has resulted in a rather unrestricted definition of what this type of

assistance consists of at both a policy and an operational level. While humanitarian assistance is

assumed to provide for urgent food, shelter, and medical needs, the agencies within the U.S.

government providing this support typically expand or contract the definition in response to

circumstances. Funds may be used for U.S. agencies to deliver services or to provide grants to

international organizations (IOs), international governmental and non-governmental organizations

(NGOs), and private or religious voluntary organizations (PVOs). The U.S. Agency for

International Development (USAID) is the U.S. government agency charged with coordinating

U.S. government and private sector assistance. It also coordinates with international

organizations, the governments of countries suffering disasters, and other governments.

The Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) in USAID’s Bureau for Democracy, Conflict,

and Humanitarian Assistance (DCHA) provides immediate relief materials and personnel, many

of whom are already abroad on mission. It is responsible for providing non-food humanitarian

assistance and can quickly assemble Disaster Assistance Response Teams (DARTs) to assess

conditions. OFDA has wide authority to borrow funds, equipment, and personnel from other parts

of USAID and other federal agencies. USAID has two other offices that administer U.S.

humanitarian aid: Food For Peace (FFP) and the Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI). USAID

administers emergency food aid under the Food for Peace Act (Title II of P.L. 480) and provides

relief and development food aid that does not have to be repaid. OTI provides post-disaster

transition assistance, which includes mainly short-term peace and democratization projects with

some attention to humanitarian elements but not emergency relief.

Although not all applicable to the disaster in the Philippines, the Department of Defense (DOD)

Overseas Humanitarian, Disaster, and Civic Aid (OHDACA) funds three Dodd humanitarian

programs: the Humanitarian Assistance Program (HAP), Humanitarian Mine Action (HMA)

Program, and Foreign Disaster Relief and Emergency Response (FDR/ER). OHDACA provides

humanitarian support to stabilize emergency situations and deals with a range of tasks including

providing food, shelter and supplies, and medical evacuations. In addition the President has the

authority to draw down defense equipment and direct military personnel to respond to disasters.

The President may also use the Denton program to provide space-available transportation on

military aircraft and ships to private donors who wish to transport humanitarian goods and

equipment in response to a disaster.

Generally, OFDA provides emergency assistance for 30 to 90 days after a disaster. The same is

true for Department of Defense humanitarian assistance. After the initial emergency is over,

36

Information in this section is drawn from CRS Report RL33769, International Crises and Disasters: U.S.

Humanitarian Assistance Response Mechanisms, by (name redacted).

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Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda): U.S. and International Response to Philippines Disaster

assistance is provided through other channels, such as the regular country development programs

of USAID.

The State Department also administers programs for humanitarian relief with a focus on refugees

and the displaced. The Emergency Refugee and Migration Account (ERMA) is a contingency

fund that provides wide latitude to the President in responding to refugee emergencies. Assistance

to address emergencies lasting more than a year comes out of the regular Migration and Refugee

Account (MRA) through the Population, Migration, and Refugees (PRM) bureau. PRM assists

refugees worldwide, conflict victims, and populations of concern, often extended to include

internally displaced people (IDPs). Humanitarian assistance includes a range of services from

basic needs to community services.

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Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda): U.S. and International Response to Philippines Disaster

Appendix F. Mass Fatality Management37

Management of the dead is one challenge of the response to a catastrophe. The task often falls

upon local communities, which are typically overwhelmed tending to the needs of the living.

A pervasive myth holds that human remains cause epidemics in disaster-stricken communities.

Human remains do not carry pathogens that are not already in circulation in a community, and

they do not generally pose an additional threat to the public.38 Rather, epidemics of intestinal

illness that follow a disaster typically result from loss of the infrastructures that prevent sewage

from contaminating potable water. Under such circumstances, many become exposed to the

illnesses of a few.

Upon review of the aftermath of the 2004 Asian tsunami, the Pan American Health Organization

(PAHO), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the International Committee of the Red

Cross (ICRC) published a first responder manual on mass fatality management. In it they said that

“political pressure brought about by [rumors of epidemics from human remains] causes

authorities to use unnecessary measures such as rapid mass burials.... The consequences of

mismanagement of the dead include mental distress and legal problems for relatives of the

victims.”39 Responders are urged to take steps that allow the eventual identification of remains,

and the opportunity for relatives to claim remains. Recommended approaches include rapid

retrieval of remains by responders who are not medical personnel (in order to focus the efforts of

medical personnel on survivors), best practices for victim identification, and options for storage

of remains pending identification. Because the means for optimal storage—ice and

refrigeration—may be in short supply following a disaster and are also needed by survivors, the

manual recommends temporary burial as a good option for immediate storage where no other

method is available.

37

Contributed by (name redacted), Specialist in Public Health and Epidemiology, Domestic Social Policy Division.

Information in this section is drawn from PAHO, WHO, and ICRC, Management of Dead Bodies After Disasters: A

Field Manual for First Responders, Morgan, Oliver, ed., Washington, DC, 2006 (hereinafter referred to as Field

Manual), http://www.paho.org/disasters/, under “Response Guidelines”; and Morgan, Oliver W. et al., “Mass Fatality

Management Following the South Asian Tsunami Disaster,” PLOS Medicine, vol. 3, no. 6 (June 2006), pp. 809-815,

http://www.plosmedicine.org.

38

Persons who directly handle human remains may be at risk of contracting certain infections such as HIV and

hepatitis, and should take appropriate preventive measures. Management of fatalities that result from epidemics of

infectious disease may require additional measures to protect the public. See PAHO, “Risk of Dead Bodies Associated

with an Epidemic,” undated, http://www.paho.org/disasters/, under “Response Guidelines.”

39

Field Manual, p. 5.

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Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda): U.S. and International Response to Philippines Disaster

Author Contact Information

(name redacted), Coordinator

Specialist in Asian Affairs

[redacted]@crs.loc.gov, 7-....

(name redacted), Coordinator

Specialist in International Humanitarian Policy

[redacted]@crs.loc.gov, 7-....

Acknowledgments

Susan Chesser, Information Research Specialist, 7-....

(name redacted), Specialist in Asian Affairs, 7-....

(name redacted), Specialist in Military Ground Forces, 7-....

(name redacted), Information Research Specialist, 7-....

(name redacted), Specialist in Energy and Natural Resources Policy, 7-....

Sarah Lister, Specialist in Public Health and Epidemiology, 7-....

Barbara Torreon, Information Research Specialist, 7-....

(name redacted), Specialist in Immigration Policy, 7-....

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