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Typhoons Kristine and Leon caused widespread damage in the Philippines, leaving thousands of families and children without access to safe water and sanitation facilities.<\/p>\n
The 11th and 12th tropical cyclones to hit the country this year affected at least 4.2 million individuals \u2013 approximately 1.3 million of them children \u2013 and displaced over 300,000.\u202f\u202f<\/p>\n
The recent typhoons have exacerbated pre-existing fragilities where access to safe water and sanitation services was already limited. In some communities, open defecation has been reported with facilities washed away, raising concerns about disease outbreaks.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe can\u2019t emphasise enough the importance of lifesaving supplies during and after an emergency<\/strong>,\u201d said\u00a0UNICEF Representative to the Philippines Oyunsaikhan Dendevnorov.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are working with our partners to provide water, sanitation and hygiene supplies to affected families and children to ensure their access to critical measures against the spread of diseases,\u201d she stressed.<\/p>\n Since October 31, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and partners have distributed 2,950 hygiene and water kits to families in the hardest-hit provinces of Camarines Sur and Albay in the Bicol Region.<\/p>\n An additional 350 kits will be delivered in the coming days through partnerships with Action Against Hunger and Plan International Pilipinas.<\/p>\n The Department of Education estimates that at least 500 schools in the Bicol Region need urgent assistance, with the recent typhoons disrupting learning for 20 million children nationwide<\/strong>.<\/p>\n \u201cUNICEF strongly urges that schools remain dedicated to education and not used as evacuation centres<\/strong> so that children continue to have a stable learning environment,\u201d said UNICEF Philippines Education Chief, Akihiro Fushimi.<\/p>\n In collaboration with local education authorities, UNICEF is set to provide educational supplies to 14,594 learners and 765 teachers in 25 schools and five Community Development Centres.<\/p>\n \u201cEnsuring that children\u2019s learning is not disrupted is a priority for UNICEF,\u201d Mr. Fushimi further emphasised, highlighting the importance of providing children with a sense of normalcy amid the chaos.<\/p>\n The Philippines, already Southeast Asia\u2019s most disaster-prone country, faces increasingly frequent and severe weather events due to climate change.<\/p>\n With storms Marce and Nika impacting many of the same regions last weekend and a new weather system forming that could become Tropical Storm Ofel, recovery efforts are under immense strain.<\/p>\n Despite these challenges, the government has ramped up its response, while UNICEF and its partners continue to support communities with critical resources and interventions.<\/p>\nEducation disrupted<\/strong><\/h2>\n
A season of uncertainty<\/strong><\/h2>\n