The construction equipment and tractors provided by CNH Industrial to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for relief operations in the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines have been at work since December. The machinery is contributing to the efforts in high-impact areas for the important phase of debris clearance.
Lugano, April 30, 2014
The fleet of five machines provided by CNH Industrial and its distributors for relief efforts in the Philippines are continuing their work to help restore areas impacted by Typhoon Haiyan. The machines were first delivered in December 2013 to the United Nations relief operations based in Tacloban, in the province of Leyte, the area which was hit hardest by the typhoon. The dealers involved in the project, JV Fruto, BJ Marthel, Filholland and Greenapple, supplied the equipment together with operators and are providing the necessary service support to keep the machines in excellent working condition.
The New Holland Construction B115B backhoe loader, the Case 580SN backhoe loader, the Case SR150 skid steer loader, the New Holland Agriculture TD5.90 and the Case IH JX95 tractors, both fitted with dozing blades, have been working in two of the worst-affected areas. In Tacloban City, the machines have played a key role in clearing away heavy debris at Bethany Hospital, which was severely damaged. The hospital is now able to deliver life-saving treatment and return to its regular activities such as day-to-day medical treatments and maternity care. In the coastal municipality of Basey, Samar, the machines contributed to removing the debris blocking the roads and hampering links between Leyte and Samar, thus enabling the community to quickly clear public spaces and start reconstruction.
The fleet’s contribution to solving critical issues related to debris and waste clearance has been of great service to those involved in the relief efforts: “These machines are very effective because they are able to go deep into the narrow roads. The backhoe loaders have a multifunction; they can do different jobs for specific situations. The skid steer is very good when we combine it with the manual work. It’s a supersized wheelbarrow and we were able to clean out the debris faster,” said Faisal Ridwan, Waste Management Consultant with UNDP’s Typhoon Haiyan response team.
The machines provided have demonstrated to be highly effective for multipurpose work, from dozing, excavation, loading, and even small-scale demolition of collapsed buildings. The sizes of the machines are optimal for the conditions faced during relief operations and are built to handle work on difficult terrains.
The relief operations have made significant progress, but the need for durable shelter for the millions of people who lost their homes remains critical. On UNDP’s request, some of the machines provided will extend their involvement in the relief operations for a further six months to continue debris and waste clearance operations.
