On 16 December, Typhoon Odette (international name ‘Rai’) swept through 11 of Philippines’ 17 regions, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. The typhoon severely affected close to 12 million people, damaging or destroying 2 million houses, and leaving tens of thousands of people displaced.
As one of the Philippine Government’s key partners in emergencies, WFP was among the first to respond following the onset of Typhoon Odette. WFP worked in close partnership with government authorities and communities to scale up food/cash assistance, augment logistics support, and provide emergency telecommunications services. WFP provided assistance to more than 330,000 people, transferring US$11.5 million in cash and voucher assistance directly to beneficiaries.
