Various international groups, including the 118-nation Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), the Group of 77 and China, have urged the international community to provide all-out support to the Philippine government in its relief and rehabilitation efforts in typhoon stricken-areas, the Philippine Mission to the United Nations said Friday.

Leading the call for support is Egypt, head of the NAM Coordinating Bureau, which noted that there is an outpouring of sympathy for the Philippines in the UN following the worst floods in Manila brought about by tropical storm “Ondoy”, the Mission said.

In a statement, Egypt called on the international donor community and various humanitarian groups “to promptly provide all the necessary support to the Philippines in their efforts to overcome the effects of the disaster and in delivering emergency humanitarian assistance.”

The Philippines is a member of the NAM, which represents nearly two-thirds of the UN members and comprises 55 percent of the world population.

Addressing yesterday’s UN session, the Group of 77 led by Sudan as well as China, also joined the calls to help out the Philippine government.

The Mission said the group expressed concern over the worsening humanitarian situation in the Philippines, particularly in areas that remain submerged in flood waters.

Ambassador Hilario Davide, Jr., Philippine Permanent Representative to the UN, said UN General Assembly President Ali Abdussalam Treki personally offered words of sympathy when they met at the UN Headquarters on Tuesday.

He said that in encounters with their Filipino counterparts, many foreign diplomats have been uttering words of sympathy and expressed disbelief at the devastation caused by Ondoy.

Davide noted that UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon was among the first to offer sympathies and led the caravan for international humanitarian assistance for the more than half a million people in Metro Manila affected by heavy flooding.

He said among UN member states that expressed their sympathy to the Philippines are Austria, Canada, Cape Verde, Cuba, Estonia, Guinea Bissau, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Nicaragua, Niger, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Poland, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, South Korea, Spain and Timor Leste.

Meanwhile, the Department of Foreign Affairs said total relief and rehabilitation assistance from the international community has reached more than P566 million.

In a report to President Arroyo, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo expressed the Philippine government’s appreciation to the outpouring of humanitarian aid from foreign donors.

The donations have been coursed through the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC) and other agencies.

“The Philippine Government is deeply appreciative of our international partners’ swift response to our call for aid. The DFA will work with the NDCC, DSWD, PNRC and other agencies to ensure that these donations reach our distressed kababayans as soon as possible,” Romulo said.

Bulk of the total humanitarian assistance comes from the European Union, amounting to 2 million euros (P138 million).

The combined European aid total R254 million, the DFA noted. It also dispatched a needs assessment team to identify the humanitarian needs of those affected by Ondoy.

In a letter to Mrs. Arroyo, EU President Jose Manuel Barroso expressed sympathy and solidarity to the Philippine government.

Of the more than R566 million humanitarian assistance, P690,000 (10,000 euros) came from the French Foreign Ministry and another P35 million (500,000 euros) was provided by the German government for the disposal of German humanitarian aid organizations.

The Embassy of Spain, through its Technical Cooperation Office, immediately allocated 150,000 euros (approximately P10 million) for food aid. Other urgent assistance amounting to 250,000 euros (approximately P17 million) is also being sent through the Red Cross and the NGO Accion Contra el Hambre, the DFA said.

Meanwhile, the Swiss government also earmarked CHF250,000 (approximately P11 million) for su emergency related operation which will be funded by the Swiss Red Cross to the Philippine National Red Cross. Earlier, the US government provided US$100,000 for relief efforts.

China pitched in US$110,000, while Chinese firm Huawei donated US$30,000. Singapore raised US$30,000 and a further US$20,000 in seed money to jumpstart a donations drive by the Singapore Red Cross.

The Japanese government is sending $220,000 worth of relief goods. Australia committed Australian$1 million (approximately US$879,000) to support response and recovery activities. The UN World Health Organization has launched earlier a $42,000 relief fund.

The Republic of Korea donated emergency relief assistance in the form of rice, tents, medical supplies and other essential items worth $300,000 coursed through the DSWD. A Korean company, OCI Company Ltd., also donated $50,000 through the Red Cross.

Canada also donated $5 million (approximately US$4.7 million), while the officers and staff of the Embassy of Canada in Manila raised funds among themselves and friends and donated $50,000 for the flood victims.