QUEZON CITY, Philippines — As a testament to its commitment to uplifting human dignity and alleviating human suffering, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) showcased its best practices in health, Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM), emergency response, First Aid, and volunteer engagement to the Embassy of France to the Philippines and to Micronesia, one of the PRC’s long standing partners in humanitarian service.

PRC Secretary General Dr. Gwen Pang, along with PRC volunteers and personnel from the national headquarters and Quezon City Chapter, warmly welcomed H. E. Marie Fontanel, Ambassador of France to the Philippines, during her learning visit to Batasan Hills on December 2.

Dr. Pang shared that this learning visit aimed to highlight the PRC’s deep connection to communities through constant engagement with the people, mobilization and training of Red Cross 143 volunteers and Red Cross Youth (RCY) at the grassroots level.

“The French government and French Red Cross have been invaluable partners in our humanitarian mission in the country, especially in their support for our efforts in the aftermath of Typhoon Yolanda (“Haiyan”). Together we built homes and lives, and restored hope to the people who were really hit hard by the storm. Ambassador Fontanel’s visit really reaffirms our shared commitment to alleviate suffering and promote human dignity. With her support, we can surely continue to build resilient communities, give hope, and save lives for a safer future for the Filipino people,” she said.

Ambassador Fontanel remarked: “The Philippine Red Cross is one of the most dedicated and committed [national societies] all over the world. Knowing that the Philippines is the most exposed to disasters in the world, you are the one who can teach other countries on how to find the strength, find the resilience to cope from all the typhoons you have experienced.”

The visit began at the Batasan Hills National High School, one of the most populous schools in the country, and home to the PRC’s strongest and most active RCY groups. Students were taught basic first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), wherein around 100 students and members of the school’s RCY joined the CPR demonstration.

They were also briefly given lectures on DRRM, the early warning system, and the importance of disaster preparedness. The booths featured the emergency “Go Bag,” and the virtual reality (VR) tool used for disaster response training.

The PRC also presented one of its food trucks, which is deployed to assist in the distribution of hot meals and food packs in times of disasters. At the Batasan Hills Barangay Hall, the PRC set up its mobile clinic for its “Health on Wheels” initiative, with beneficiaries lined up for health check ups, and volunteers ready to provide basic medicines.

Moreover, the delegation headed to the PRC Quezon City Chapter office to view the Command Center, and meet the chapter’s lively RC143 and RCY volunteers.

PRC Chairman and CEO Richard Gordon extended his thanks to the French Ambassador and the French Red Cross (FRC) for their unwavering support for the PRC’s programs.

From 2014 to 2015, the PRC partnered with the FRC, France-Philippines United Action and Habitat for Humanity Philippines for a housing, livelihood, and access to basic services project for people affected by Typhoon Haiyan in Northern Cebu. Through the project, 128 houses in the Red Cross Village in Barangay Paypay, Daan Bantayan were built, along with a livelihood center, day-care center, and barangay health center. Solar panels were also provided by the Electriciens Sans Frontieres, in partnership with the FRC, in the Red Cross Village and Mandaue Warehouse.