PHILIPPINES: Philippine bank reopens one ATM and dispatches two mobile units in Tacloban, letting residents withdraw cash for the first time since Typhoon Haiyan devastated the city more than a week ago

Record ID: 564767

  • Title: PHILIPPINES: Philippine bank reopens one ATM and dispatches two mobile units in Tacloban, letting residents withdraw cash for the first time since Typhoon Haiyan devastated the city more than a week ago
  • Date: 19th November 2013
  • Summary: TACLOBAN, PHILIPPINES (NOVEMBER 19, 2013) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF BRANCH OF PHILIPPINE BANK, 'LANDBANK' POLICE OFFICE OUTSIDE BRANCH PEOPLE GATHERED AROUND AUTOMATED TELLER MACHINE (ATM) WOMAN WITHDRAWING CASH MAN INSERTING CASH CARD INTO MACHINE MAN WITHDRAWING CASH VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WAITING TO WITHDRAW CASH (SOUNDBITE) (English) TACLOBAN RESIDENT AND MOTHER OF TWO-YEAR-OLD GIRL, LORNA GERILLA, SAYING: "So I have to rebuild my house so we can transfer from the evacuation centre to our house. That is why we need, really we need, we need, I need money." EXTERIOR OF DAMAGED BANK ENTRANCE TO ATM AT DAMAGED BANK SIGN FOR DAMAGED BANK ON GROUND VARIOUS OF TRUCK CARRYING MOBILE ATM DRIVING THROUGH STREETS CAR VARIOUS OF POLICE OFFICERS STANDING BY TRUCK ATM SCREEN READING: "OFFLINE"
  • Embargoed: 4th December 2013 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Philippines
  • Country: Philippines
  • Topics: Disasters / Accidents / Natural catastrophes,Finance
  • Reuters ID: LVAWSVJNIFFNX1BOLEM5AIQ3WH8
  • Story Text: Cash began to flow again for residents of typhoon-ravaged Tacloban on Tuesday (November 19), after some banking services resumed operations for the first time since super Typhoon Haiyan destroyed much of the city.
    Mains electricity was still down across Tacloban, and most banks remain closed behind piles of debris.
    However, on Tuesday one bank reopened a single ATM machine, powered by a generator and hooked up to a satellite dish, to kickstart the local cash flow.
    One woman said they needed money in order to start planning for the future.

    "So I have to rebuild my house so we can transfer from the evacuation centre to our house. That is why we need, really we need, we need, I need money," said local mother-of-one Lorna Gerilla after withdrawing money from the machine.
    The bank has also dispatched two mobile ATMs to roam across the city's evacuee centres and administrative hubs. They were scheduled to begin operations late on Tuesday. The units will be joined by another pair of mobile teller machines next week.
    Authorities estimate at least 3,900 people were killed when Typhoon Haiyan made landfall on November 8 and the sea surged ashore.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2013. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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