Philippine Red Cross returned to Aklan on 19 January 2023 to provide food items and jerry cans, or water containers, to families affected by Severe Tropical Storm (STS) Paeng. Aklan was among the provinces severely affected by STS Paeng, which made landfall on 29 October 2022 and inundated several parts of the country, causing landslide and displacement. Five hundred families from Barangays Cortes, Guanko, and Oquendo in Balete municipality were the recipients of the latest humanitarian assistance given by the Red Cross to people affected by STS Paeng.

“Ginagawa po ng inyong Red Cross ang lahat ng aming makakaya para tulungan ang ating mga kababayan nang pangmatagalan, hanggang sila ay makabawi mula sa mga pinsala ng sakuna, kagaya ng Paeng, na tumama sa ating bansa noong Oktubre,” PRC Chairman and CEO Richard J. Gordon said.

The PRC has provided the following humanitarian aid to people affected by Paeng in Aklan since October 2022: health promotion to 306 individuals, hygiene promotion to 282 persons, hygiene kits to 274 families, hot meals to 131 individuals, medicines to 100 persons, and psychological first aid to 15 children.

The foremost humanitarian organization in the country has responded to Paeng-affected communities across the country since 28 October 2022 by providing emergency rescue and evacuation, shelter strengthening kits, emergency medical services, health care information and supplies, hygiene promotion, water, clothes, slippers, psychological first aid, sleeping kits, hygiene kits, road clearing, flushing of debris, hot meals, food items, and jerry cans.