The UK has expressed its commitment to provide long-term support to the victims of Typhoon Haiyan, locally known as Yolanda, in the Philippines. UK International Development Secretary Justine Greening announced the pledge when she visited the areas most devastated by the typhoon.

Ms Greening said personnel and emergency supplies that though Britain sent were helping the victims in the immediate term, UK's aid to the Philippines will not stop there. She said the UK is willing to help the country and its people build a better future and get back on their feet. She said the women and children were often the ones who bear the brunt in the wake of the crisis.

Ms Greening headed to Cebu and Tacloban, the most hard-hit areas in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan. According to the latest government count, over 5,000 have died from the typhoon with more than $524 million worth of damage to infrastructure and agriculture. Ms Greening said she has seen to it that the UK's Department for International Development and the Royal Air Force work hard to deliver relief to the most desperate parts of the Philippines.

The UK has previously provided six UK aid flights to the Philippines from Nov. 24 to 29 and the 30 million pounds pledged to the United Nations and Red Cross.

UN Humanitarian Chief Valerie Amos appealed to the international community to ensure that the homeless victims will be given the means to rebuild their homes. During her three-day visit, Ms Amos commended the strong coordination among the international community including the aid and personnel assistance of UN member states.

A mass vaccination for polio, Vitamin A and measles will be given to the typhoon victims on Nov. 25. The UN World Food Programme (WFP), together with the government, has distributed food packs to 2.7 million people. The UN's call for funding has already reached almost $129 million.

During the UN Humanitarian Chief's first visit to Tacloban, she said the victims of the Category 5 storm in Samar and Leyte provinces have fought for limited relief goods. Some have died waiting for help to arrive. Ms Amos said "the situation is dismal" as people become increasingly vulnerable to disease, dehydration and starvation six days after Typhoon Haiyat wreaked havoc. She said in a press briefing in Manila that the fast delivery of aid is the UN's immediate priority, which she immediately saw to, in her second visit.

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