€700,000 of humanitarian aid will be distributed through the European Commission's partner organisations to help flood victims in the Philippines. So far, the floods have affected more than 3.5 million people and forced over one million to evacuate their homes. The Commission's humanitarian funding will assist 127,000 poor and vulnerable people.

The European Commission will allocate €700,000 of humanitarian aid to help flood victims in the Philippines. According to the national authorities, the floods have affected more than 3.5 million people and forced over one million to evacuate their homes. Moreover, significant damage has been caused to infrastructure and agriculture. In July 2012, the Commission announced new funds for disaster-preparedness programmes in 2012. These funds will be addressed to the Philippines too.

It is foreseen that the Commission's emergency aid funding will assist 127,000, poor and vulnerable people, including those in remote communities which have been cut off. The money will be used primarily to provide food, water, shelter, medical aid and sanitation, as well as to help clean-up debris.

The European Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response, Kristalina Georgieva underlined that right now, in the emergency response phase, the EU primary objective is to make sure aid moves quickly to those in greatest need. The Commission's funding may be increased in the coming weeks if the torrential rains continue or if flood waters recede so slowly that they prevent the affected population from returning to their homes.