Construction equipment manufacturers donate to Philippines

JCB and Hyundai have separately donated construction equipment to help with the recovery effort in the Philippines after Typhoon Haiyan.

JCB donated US$ 500,000 worth of equipment to the Philippines – a fleet of three 3CX backhoe loaders and 120 JCB electrical generators and to help in the clean-up operations following the storms which passed through the country last week.

JCB Chairman Lord Bamford said, “The human suffering and scenes of devastation in the Philippines have been heart-rending and I hope JCB’s contribution to the relief effort will help, in some small way, those who are bearing the brunt of this disaster.

"One of the main challenges facing rescue workers is clearing roads in the affected areas and the JCB backhoe is exactly the right machine for the job of removing debris.”

Hyundai, meanwhile, donated US$ 200,000 via the Korean Red Cross, together with a 21-tonne class excavator, a backhoe loader and operators.

Hyundai Heavy president and CEO Lee Jai-seong said, “We express our deep condolences to the victims of the typhoon. We will help as much as we can for victims to get back to their normal lives.”

One of the most powerful storms ever recorded on land, Typhoon Haiyan made landfall on the eastern and central islands of the Philippines on 8 November.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is to provide a US$ 23 million grant for immediate relief to typhoon-ravaged areas, and a further emergency loan of US$ 500 million to support reconstruction.