Global Security and Intelligence Studies Volume 2, Issue 1, Fall 2016 | Page 45
Calculation of Goodwill
UNOCHA 2013). In the coastal communities of Eastern Samar, and Western Leyte,
there was little to no defense against Yolanda. In six provinces, the typhoon destroyed
the power and telecommunications infrastructure, disrupted water supply lines, cutoff
food provisions, demolished pharmacies, damaged airports, and blocked roads (de
Leon and Zavis 2013; Fisher 2014). Although advanced warnings saved many lives
and the speed of the storm limited flood damage, the humanitarian crisis hampered
relief efforts. The United States responded with Operation Damayan, which allocated
military and civilian resources to bolster the Philippines, an important strategic ally.
Figure 2: Residential Damage from Typhoon Yolanda
Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs: http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/
files/resources/TC-2013-000139-PHL_house_damaged_20131122.pdf
Humanitarian Catastrophe and the Multilateral Response
The lack of available personnel made it difficult for the Philippine government
to quell looting and reestablish order (Fisher 2014). Aid workers feared even greater
desperation in poorer and more remote areas beyond the cities where there was little or
no communication. To save lives, humanitarian assistance offered by the International
Red Cross, the United Nations, governments, and private groups needed to reach the
victims quickly, especially given the 1,096 evacuation centers near the strike zone
could only hold 240,800 people. Although it took 10 days for relief supplies to reach
the most devastated areas, especially in Leyte province, the most remote islands and
areas received little to no immediate assistance (Jacobs 2013).
Food insecurity was an immediate concern, since the rural population depends
on agriculture inputs before the growing season ends in January. Also, 1.1 million
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