MANILA - The Asian Development Bank has approved a $2 million grant to fund humanitarian efforts to several areas in Visayas and Mindanao devastated by typhoon Odette.

Odette, which struck the country in December, was the strongest typhoon in 2021. It downed critical infrastructure such as telecommunications and power lines, aside from damaging houses, businesses and other infrastructures.

The grant under Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund is allocated to provide humanitarian assistance to about 15,000 households equivalent to 75,000 people in Visayas and Mindanao, the Manila-based multilateral lender said.

With the fund, food vouchers will be distributed to target communities which beneficiaries can exchange for food in select markets, it said.

“Typhoon Odette’s damage on housing, agriculture, and infrastructure amid the COVID-19 pandemic has made life more difficult for Filipinos in affected areas,” said ADB Director General for Southeast Asia Ramesh Subramaniam.

“This assistance will help finance the humanitarian needs of those residents, especially people living in remote areas," Subramaniam added.

According to government estimates, Odette caused up to P6 billion in agricultural damage alone, destroyed about 500,000 houses and caused over 400 deaths.

• Odette caused P6B agri damage; over 500,000 houses destroyed
• Typhoon Odette damage in Negros Oriental at P2 billion, 73 dead
• Typhoon Odette damage in Southern Leyte estimated at P3 billion

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