PHILIPPINES
Nature’s fury: Haiyan, the strongest typhoon ever to make landfall, slammed into Visayas, particularly on Samar and Leyte, on Nov 8, killing around 6,000 people and injuring more than 27,000. Almost 1,800 people remain missing and 4 million have been displaced. The government was condemned for slow action in both preparation for the typhoon and response to it, though it affected areas was a big factor. International organisations and many countries have provided assistance but full reconstruction of the worst-hit areas is expected to take up-to three years.
Economic success story: Had the typhoon not occurred, the Philippines was on track to be one of the world’s best-performing economies in 2013. In the first half, GDP growth of 7.6% was the highest in Southeast Asia.
Even after factoring in storm damage, the country is likely to maintain full-year growth at around 7.1% or 7.2%, according to analysts.