When tragedy strikes anywhere in the world, people in Scotland respond both quickly and generously. So when the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) launched an appeal on behalf of the victims of the Philippines Typhoon, people here reached into their pockets and gave generously. The figures from the Committee report that Scotland raised more than £1.3m in the first 24 hours of the charity appeal; the Scottish Government has pledged a further £600,000.
Norman McKinley
Chairs the DEC Appeal in Scotland
Across the UK, £13m has been raised so far by the Appeal, from money given online, text and phone donations. The funds will go directly to help more than 11m people affected by the powerful typhoon which devastated parts of the Philippines last weekend. Hundreds of thousands of people have had their homes damaged or destroyed and are in desperate need of food, water and shelter. Damage to transport links and heavy rain has affected aid distribution efforts, but vital aid is beginning to get through as relief operations are stepped up.
Norman McKinley, Chair of the DEC Philippines Typhoon Appeal in Scotland, stressed that this had been “a strong start to the appeal and we are very grateful to all those who have donated and to the Scottish Government for committing funds to help those Filipino people who are in great need.
“Emergency teams on the ground are working to provide essentials such as food, water and temporary shelter,” he added. “The Scottish public have given incredibly generously in such a short space of time but the heart-breaking stories coming out of the Philippines show how great the need for help is. People there are becoming understandably desperate and it’s vital we continue to respond to their needs and that the Scottish people continue to donate to help us.”
Compared to previous DEC appeals, the response to the Philippines Typhoon is unprecedented. Within 15 hours of its launch, £1.5million was raised in the UK by online donations alone, before the DEC appeals were broadcast on radio and television – largely a result of strong interest from social media, including Twitter and Facebook.
While the DEC doesn’t generally make comparisons – we are grateful for all public support – the amount donated this time has exceeded previous amounts raised in the East Africa Crisis, Haiti Earthquake, and Pakistan Floods appeals for the first 24 hours of each appeal.
To make a donation to the DEC Philippines Typhoon Appeal visit http://www.dec.org.uk, call the 24 hour hotline on 0370 60 60 900, donate over the counter at any high street bank or post office. You can also donate £5 by texting the word SUPPORT to 70000 – the full £5 will go to the DEC Philippines Typhoon Appeal.
Stay up to date with developments in the Philippines, the emergency response and the DEC’s fundraising efforts on twitter or on Facebook