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 39