PRC welcomes IFRC President Kate Forbes to the Philippines; underscores disaster preparedness, resilience
MANILA, PHILIPPINES — The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) today announces the visit of Kate Forbes, President of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to the Philippines from May 28 to June 1.
Ms. Forbes is the second woman to hold the highest position in IFRC, which oversees the operations of 191 national societies across the globe. Five months after winning the election in December 2023, Ms Forbes chose the Philippines as the first country to visit in Asia.
“The work of the Philippine Red Cross is critically important within the country and the region,” said Ms. Forbes. “With the increasing pressures of a warming climate, public health emergencies, and natural disasters, the Philippine Red Cross is at the forefront of strengthening communities and making them more resilient,” she said.
PRC Chairman Richard J. Gordon said the visit of Ms. Forbes is significant as this underscores IFRC’s ongoing efforts and successes in supporting disaster-prone countries like the Philippines. “The Philippines is frequently impacted by disasters. Ms Forbes’ visit to the country will highlight IFRC’s support in boosting disaster preparedness, and in further strengthening collaboration to enhance humanitarian response and recovery efforts,” Chairman Gordon said.
PRC Secretary-General, Dr. Gwen Pang, said the organization values the visit of Ms. Forbes highly as it showcases the significant impact of the PRC in supporting long-term recovery and building resilience in communities frequently affected by disasters. “The PRC remains steadfast in its commitment through the years to being ‘always first, always ready, and always there’ to provide critical humanitarian assistance,” Dr. Pang said, noting the transformative efforts in disaster management and community resilience initiatives led by the PRC.
“We are grateful to the international support and collaboration that such visits represent, further strengthening the PRC’s mission and the global Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement’s humanitarian goals,” she added.
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