The Philippine government needs a total 130 billion pesos (about 2.95 billion USD) to reconstruct communities in the central part devastated by typhoon Haiyan, President Benigno Aquino III has said.

The amount not only covers the initial phase of the rebuilding effort, which was estimated to cost 40.9 billion pesos (about 929. 55 million USD), but also the medium-term recovery programme.

With the help of the World Bank, Asian Development Bank and many other countries and institutions, the estimated 130 billion pesos requirement to address the communities affected by Haiyan is almost complete, the President was quoted by Xinhua news agency as saying.

Death toll from Haiyan has reached 6,057 while the injured remain at 27,468. Another 1,779 individuals are still missing.

(Source: VNA)