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TACLOBAN, Philippines, December 20 (UNHCR) -- An officer who says a seven-year-old boy
saved him from Typhoon Haiyan is back directing services for military humanitarian airlift
flights for survivors.
Lt. Col. Fermin Carangan says he missed the first two weeks of intense activity after
the storm made landfall on November 8, demolished his base and threw him in the water. He remembers
being "tumble-washed in a washing machine" at sea.
The workload has eased a bit, said the commander of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) Tactical
Operation Group 8. Roads littered with fallen trees, power lines and mountains of debris
are very slowly being cleared, allowing overland distribution of relief supplies.
Life-saving supplies
Colonies of white tents distributed by the UN refugee agency have mushroomed along roads,
in spaces cleared of ruined homes. UNHCR has distributed relief supplies to more than 240,000
people to date. It has also provided tents, plastic sheets, mattresses and boots to some
government departments to support affected staff as they resume work.
Please make a donation today and help UNHCR continue to provide emergency relief for hundreds
of thousands of Filipinos affected by Typhoon Haiyan.
Contact persons: Marmie Liquigan (Manila), External Relations/PSFR,
liquigan@unhcr.org, +639189208765 Johanna Morden (Manila), External Relations,
morden@unhcr.org, +639173055573 Kent Bolisay (Tacloban), External Relations,
bolisay@unhcr.org, +639294577645