The European Commission announced the allocation of €3 million in rapid aid following the five-day passage of Typhoon Bopha across the Philippines. The funding will provide emergency assistance to those worst affected, targeting vulnerable groups such as children, households run by single women, and the elderly.

The European Commission released €3 million to provide emergency assistance in Philippines, following the five-day passage of Typhoon Bopha. The funding is aimed to help those worst affected, targeting vulnerable groups such as children, households run by single women, and the elderly. In August 2012, the Commission announced that it will help flood victims in the Philippines with €700,000 from the EU funds.

The typhoon affected people in many parts of the country and in many different ways. Coastal fishing communities lost their boats and infrastructure vital for their livelihoods, while inland corn and rice fields were destroyed, delaying the harvest by at least six months. So far, national authorities report more than 500 people dead, while more than 800 others are still missing and some 300,000 people have been displaced, nearly half of whom are still in evacuation centres.

The assistance will be distributed by the Commission's international humanitarian partner organisations that were already present in the country before the typhoon hit. The European Commission has provided €33 million of humanitarian aid to the Philippines in response to natural disasters since 1997. EU humanitarian funding has also contributed to the better preparedness and prevention measures in this highly disaster-prone country.