25 July 2014 – ASEAN Secretary General Le Luong Minh has expressed sympathy to  the Philippines for the loss of lives and properties in the communities of Bicol and Southern Luzon regions in the aftermath of Typhoon Rammasun (Glenda in the Philippines).

In his letter to Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F. Del Rosario, the ASEAN Secretary General also commended the Philippine government for its early warning efforts and implementation of disaster preparedness plans which prevented greater loss and damages to the affected areas of the country.

Secretary General Le Luong Minh acts as ASEAN’s Humanitarian Assistance Coordinator. As ASEAN’s Humanitarian Assistance Cordinator, the Secretary General is mandated to coordinate with the ASEAN Coordinating Center for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Center) and ASEAN Member States to ensure ASEAN’s coordinated response to any disaster in the region.

Secretary General Minh sent a similar letter of sympathy to the Philippines when the country was hit by Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda in the Philippines) in November 2013. The AHA Center was among the first to deploy personnel to the affected areas, with Emergency Rapid Assessment Teams (ERAT) stationed in both Manila and Tacloban to monitor the situation and prepare administrative arrangements for relief deployment. The Secretary General himself had also later visited the Philippines to personally convey the Association’s full solidarity with the Filipino people and to see how ASEAN can further extend its support to relief and recovery efforts.

On 14 August, ASEAN, in cooperation with the Philippine government, will spearhead a High Level Conference in Manila to encourage international partners to continue to provide support and assistance to the Philippines in its recovery and rehabilitation efforts after Typhoon Yolanda.

The Philippine National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported that the death toll resulting from Typhoon Glenda numbers around ninety-eight (98) as of 23 July, compared to over six thousand (6,000) from Typhoon Yolanda. The low casualty numbers from Typhoon Glenda is attributed by the Philippine Government to better preparedness resulting from the experience it gained from Typhoon Yolanda. - END