In typhoon-ravaged Philippines, Bishop pledges $10m more

Australia has pledged another $10m in aid to the cyclone-battered Philippines, as Foreign Minister Julie Bishop visits the country.

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Trinidad Genario, 81, sits inside her newly constructed house with her grandchildren, among debris of destroyed houses in Tacloban. (Noel Celis, AFP)

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has visited typhoon-devastated communities in the Philippines, pledging another

$10 million to Australia's aid effort.

The contibution one month after cyclone Haiyan hit boosts Canberra's contribution to $40m.

Ms Bishop on Sunday met the Australian medical team in Tacloban, one of the areas worst hit by Typhoon Haiyan, and Australian Defence Force personnel working in Ormoc and surrounding areas.

She thanked the health, defence, aid, consular and other officials who have responded to the crisis, and the Australian public who had donated more than $13 million to relief and recovery efforts.

Almost 15 million people were affected by Typhoon Haiyan, which caused massive destruction early last month.

In Tacloban, recovery efforts are still not complete one month on. 

"Even now we are still averaging about 30 bodies a day, retrieving 30 bodies a day", city adminstrator Tecson Lim said.

Authorities say the single biggest health problem is pneumonia - especially in evacuation centres.

"Overcrowding can cause that", says Rhodora Angulo of the Eastern Visayas Medical Centre.

"They're exposed to different kinds of weather - the cold, the very hot, the cold, then it rains every day."

The latest UN food-drops were due this week, to other isolated areas, although the organisation says it's received less than half the 100 million dollars it needs to cover a six-month food operation.

Ms Bishop will travel to Manila to meet her Filipino counterpart and other cabinet members, where the Philippines' recovery needs and broader bilateral and regional issues will be discussed.


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