Illustrative photo (Photo: Xinhua/VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – The World Bank (WB) has approved a 500 million USD loan to help the Philippines copewith natural disasters and climate threats, with a particular focus on protectingschools, health facilities, and human settlements.
The WB emphasised that the Government of the Philippinescan quickly draw upon the loan when major natural disasters or health criseshit, minimising the impact on the economy and long-term development.
According to the WB, approximately 60% of the country’s totalland area and at least 74% of Filipinos are vulnerable to multiple hazardsincluding typhoons, landslides, floods, storm surges, droughts, volcaniceruptions, and earthquakes. Natural disasters regularly damage infrastructure,disrupt the delivery of essential education and health services, and destroyhomes and personal belongings, making life harder for many families and pushingsome into poverty.
Approximately 78% of public schools and 96% of studentsin the Philippines are exposed and vulnerable to multiple hazards. Between 2021and 2023, around 4,000 schools were damaged due to various disasters, resultingin the disruption of learning continuity for 2 million children.
Ndiamé Diop, WB Country Director forBrunei, Malaysia, Philippines, and Thailand, said that the real benefit of that support is its ability torapidly deliver crucial services such as healthcare, shelter, and food tothose most impacted by disasters or climate events.
It's about making sure the people who have the least aretaken care of and can bounce back immediately after these disaster events, headded.
The World Risk Index 2022 put the Philippines at the topspot for the most disaster-prone country in the world. The archipelago nation is frequently battered by powerful typhoons which triggered flash floods andlandslides and rocked by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
The bank said natural disasters have killed around 33,000Filipinos in the past 30 years, and affected about 120 million people./.
