Philippine Red Cross (PRC) Chairman and CEO Sen. Dick Gordon announced that he will not be able to attend the relief distribution scheduled for January 6, 2022, at Ubay, Bohol because of safety measures as the pilot tested positive for COVID-19 before departure. Last January 02, 2022, Chairman Gordon was not able to attend the cash distribution due to the inclement weather in the province.

Despite this, Gordon directed the PRC staff to push the relief distribution so that 315 of the most vulnerable families in the area can be given much-needed relief. Chairman Gordon and Bohol Governor Arthur Yap attended the event virtually. Each family received two tarpaulins and shelter tool kits to provide temporary shelters and help them recover from the damage brought by Typhoon Odette (international name: Rai).

“Gustong gusto ko pumunta sa Bohol upang makita ko ng personal at maassess ang iba pang pangangailangan ng mga naapektuhan upang matulungan sila makatayo sa sariling mga paa. Hindi na bago sa akin ang mga bagyo dahil sa 53 years ko bilang volunteer ay marami na akong disaster na nadaanan at kaya dinamihan natin ang kagamitan sa Red Cross para mabilis ang ating response. Sa pag hagupit ng bagyong Odette, agad natin ibinuhay ang mga lifeline sa lugar kagaya ng Clearing Operations sa daan, Pagtatayo ng VSAT upang ma restore ang communication, pagbibigay ng libreng hotmeals at malinis na tubig,” Chairman Gordon said.

The entire event was posted on Facebook Live through the PRC’s official FB page. The live broadcast was made possible through the use of the a very-small-aperture terminal or VSAT, a two-way satellite ground station with a dish antenna. Gordon personally directed the PRC team to bring a VSAT to Ubay to establish lifeline communications in the area. Ubay was the ground zero of super typhoon Odette in the Province of Bohol.

According to Chairman Gordon, three water tankers are deployed in the province of Bohol to provide clean and potable water, as water is one of the most basic necessities that the province needs. “Bago natin ilagay sa water tanker ay nililinis muna natin sa ating water filtration unit upang masigurado na ang tubig ay ligtas para sa mga residente ng Bohol,” Gordon added.

Gordon also said that PRC to conduct vaccination and testing in the area due to the increasing number of COVID-19 positive cases in the country. The Department of Health reported 10,775 new confirmed cases in the country.

“Hindi ko kayo papabayaan,” Gordon assured the public as Red Cross continues relief operations to Typhoon Odette-hit areas nationwide is still ongoing. “All out ang Red Cross sa buong bansa at naka-deploy ang aming kagamitan to alleviate human suffering and uplift the dignity of the people,” Gordon said.

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