Mr Mackay explained that while the first few days of aid relief involve search and rescue, the next point of focus is the provision of water, sanitation, food and shelter.
He confirmed that Oxfam would not be building houses in the Philippines, which he described as looking like it had been hit by a 'huge tsunami', but rather that they would provide tents and plastic sheeting.
He explained that the charity's approach was to maintain a strong community focus, saying they were "going to keep talking to the victims to make sure they get what they need and that they're steering us."
The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), made up of 14 leading UK aid charities, said its members were already responding to the crisis but the scale of the destruction meant there was "huge unmet need".
About 10,000 people are thought to have been killed and four million affected after the typhoon, said to be the strongest ever to make landfall, hit the south-east Asian nation.
: To make a donation to the DEC Philippines Crisis Appeal visit [url]www.dec.org.uk,[/URL] call the 24-hour hotline on 0370 60 60 900, donate over the counter at any high street bank or post office or send a cheque. You can also donate £5 by texting the word SUPPORT to 70000.
He confirmed that Oxfam would not be building houses in the Philippines, which he described as looking like it had been hit by a 'huge tsunami', but rather that they would provide tents and plastic sheeting.
He explained that the charity's approach was to maintain a strong community focus, saying they were "going to keep talking to the victims to make sure they get what they need and that they're steering us."
The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), made up of 14 leading UK aid charities, said its members were already responding to the crisis but the scale of the destruction meant there was "huge unmet need".
About 10,000 people are thought to have been killed and four million affected after the typhoon, said to be the strongest ever to make landfall, hit the south-east Asian nation.
: To make a donation to the DEC Philippines Crisis Appeal visit [url]www.dec.org.uk,[/URL] call the 24-hour hotline on 0370 60 60 900, donate over the counter at any high street bank or post office or send a cheque. You can also donate £5 by texting the word SUPPORT to 70000.