It has been a tradition of the United Nations system in the Philippines to organize a get-together for all UN staff and family to celebrate UN Day on the 24th of October. However, given that there are still many Filipinos affected by the floods and heavy rain, a more modest UN Day celebration was organized.

In a bid to help thousands of families affected and displaced by Typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng, the United Nations in the Philippines, headed by Dr. Jacqui Badcock, UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative, opted to do away with the traditional UN night dinner gathering. Instead, more than 200 UN staff, their family and friends spent UN Day at the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s Sagip Bayan Operations Center at Kalayaan Hall, Malacanang, re-packing rice, canned goods and water to help families in need of urgent assistance. An estimated 9,000 family packs were repacked and 14,500 family packs were dispatched on that day.

The storm had left about 80% of Metro Manila, home to some 12 million people, underwater. According to the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC), 277 people have been reported killed. Over two and a half million have been affected by Typhoon Ondoy, 686,699 people have sought shelter in 726 evacuation centers, while another 350,075 people continue to receive government assistance.

Government agencies responded swiftly to the storm, launching extensive search and rescue operations and releasing emergency relief stocks. However, the extensive damage caused by the floods and the limited capacities of many local and national response agencies were not enough to address the situation. Thus, on September 28, the NDCC asked the United Nations Resident Coordinator to appeal for assistance to the international community. The Department of Foreign Affairs through its Missions in Geneva and New York and other foreign service posts, actively supported and facilitated the appeal process and other international humanitarian assistance measures. Funds from the flash appeal will be used to cover food, non-food items, blankets and medicine needs of affected families.

The UN recognizes the magnitude of the disaster and the urgency of the emergency response. In light of this, several UN officials have come to assess the relief and rehabilitation efforts and provide necessary support: Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes; Unicef Executive Director Ann Veneman and WFP Executive Director Josette Sheeran .

“The UN is doing its utmost to respond—to address the big issues, to look at the big picture. We are forging a new multilateralism that can deliver real results for all people, especially those most in need,” Dr. Badcock noted. “But I am also painfully aware of the distance to go and the gap between commitment and action. On this UN Day, let us resolve to redouble our efforts on behalf of the vulnerable, the powerless and defenseless. Let us stand more united than ever—united in purpose and united in action to make the world a safer, better place,” she stressed.