Along the road, the U.N. chief saw wrecked villages, toppled posts and tent encampments housing thousands of homeless survivors.
Wearing a blue cap, rubber shoes and a khaki shirt, Ban waved at crowds, stopping to tell survivors, “Don't lose hope, don't lose hope.”
Ban flew to Tacloban after meeting with President Benigno Aquino III and other top officials in Manila to discuss recovery and reconstruction efforts.
He said foreign governments needed to chip in to rebuild the typhoon-wrecked regions.
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