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We, at the Philippine Red Cross (PRC), express our deepest concern for the 216 people reported by Agusan del Sur Provincial Health Officials, as having been hospitalized on Monday night due to a food- or water-borne illness in Brgy. Tandang Sora in Esperanza, Agusan del Sur.

The welfare of the people is of utmost concern to us and we are doing everything we can to ensure that every individual taken to the hospital is out of harm’s way at the soonest time.

We are comforted to learn from our chapter in Agusan del Sur that as of last night, 90 of the patients were already discharged and our local teams assisted the local government in taking a number of the patients to their respective houses. We will continue to follow up on their situation.

We have coordinated with the local government to ensure that the needs of the affected people are immediately addressed. We have also set up a welfare desk at Esperanza Medicare Community Hospital to help the remaining patients and their relatives. We provided medicines to help patients as some hospital executives alerted PRC of the need for increased medicines.

While the cause of the health emergency remains under investigation by the local government, our hot meals program in the province was suspended until the completion of the probe.

We will wait for the results of the ongoing investigation and extend our support to the authorities as they conduct the investigation. We will remain transparent and will closely coordinate with the local government on this serious matter.

As of 10pm on February 20, we have served 1,142 food packs in Agusan del Sur. For the entire Mindanao operation, from the time the province started experiencing shearline and trough of the low pressure area (LPA), we have provided sleeping kits to 916 families – 211 of which were sent to Agusan del Sur (AgSur); hygiene kits to 1,042 families – 286 of which went to AgSur; non-standard hygiene kits to 96 families; jerry cans to 1,042 families – 286 of which were sent to AgSur; and kitchen sets to 984 families – 518 to families in AgSur.

A total of 432 PRC volunteers and 59 PRC staff showed up to help Mindanao. About 3,020 families received non-food items; and prepositioned 140 pieces of cadaver bags, 50 of which were already utilized.

PRC sent an overwhelming response for Mindanao with eight food trucks, three water tankers, one 6×6 truck, five ambulance units, three relief trucks, three volunteer emergency response vehicles (VERVs), one buffalo tank, and four water bladders composed of 5,000-liter load and 10,000-liter load.

In a press conference on Tuesday, Esperanza Mayor Deo Manpatilan, Jr. was quoted as saying: “This is not the time to point fingers especially since the Philippine Red Cross only wants to help. There is an ongoing investigation. We hope to prevent the same situation from happening in the future.”

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MANILA, PHILIPPINES – The Rotary Club of Manila (RCM), Rotaract Club of Manila (RAC Manila), and Rotary Club of De La Salle University (RAC DLSU) signed a memorandum of agreement with the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) yesterday at RCM’s 27th weekly membership meeting in Makati City.

“We just sent 20 bags of blood in Davao de Oro because of the landslide. In this country, the Philippine Red Cross is the biggest supplier of blood. If you need blood, just call 143 and we will deliver blood to hospitals. We have the Blood Samaritan Program for those who cannot afford blood processing fees. Through this MOA, I hope that we can have an active partnership with the Rotary Club” said PRC Chairman and CEO Dick Gordon.

The agreement states that the RCM, RCA Manila, and RAC DLSU shall continue to conduct mobile blood donations every year with the PRC to ensure sufficient blood supply in the country. In 2023, the PRC supplied 60% of the country’s demand for blood; this year, the foremost humanitarian organization aims to supply about 70%.

Aside from the intensified blood donation partnership, the Rotary Club also encourages its members to be part of the PRC’s Enhanced Platinum Membership, a program that offers accidental, death, disablement, dismemberment, medical, burial assistance, and hospitalization benefits with an annual fee of P1,200. The members are also entitled to free ambulance service and one blood unit in times of need.

“This MOA sets the stage for Rotarians to donate blood within six months, and this will continue beyond my term. In fact, the major feature of our MOA is to have our members sign up as members of the Philippine Red Cross. We’re looking at the safety and welfare of our members through this joint venture with the PRC,” Rotary Club of Manila President Rafael Alunan III added.

The RCM has been an active ally of the PRC Blood Services since 2009; almost 300 blood units were accumulated in total. Aside from the blood donation partnership with the PRC, the RCM also donated more than 400 wheelchairs to numerous people with mobility impairments in the country through its Imagine Rotary: Mobility for Dignity program that started last year.

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LEFT-RIGHT: REACT Regional Chief, Dr. Antonio Agustin; REACT National President, Mr. Henry Bicoy; PRC Secretary-General, Dr. Gwen Pang, and PRC Assistant Secretary General for Corporate and Business Services, Mr. Ramon Murillo.

The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) and the Regional Emergency Assistance Communications Team (REACT) Philippines, Inc. signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) today to solidify their collaboration in humanitarian responses and intensify the former’s communication capacity in times of emergencies and crisis. 

PRC Secretary-General Dr. Gwen Pang signed the MOA with REACT National President, Mr. Henry Bicoy, and REACT Regional Chief, Dr. Antonio Agustin, at PRC’s National Headquarters in Mandaluyong. 

The MOA ensures that the PRC can call on and mobilize REACT’s first aiders, medical personnel, engineers, search and rescue teams, and radio operators, among others, during emergency and disaster operations. REACT also pledged to utilize its communication resources to help PRC fortify its communication capacity and support PRC’s service delivery programs and humanitarian campaigns, such as blood donation drives and RC143 volunteering program.  

PRC Chairman and CEO, Richard “Dick” Gordon, expressed his gratitude to REACT, saying, “We are looking for organizations, agencies, and individuals that can work with us in alleviating the sufferings of the most vulnerable Filipinos and REACT is definitely one of them. We stand ready to provide training to your first responders.”

Dr. Gwen Pang, in her speech, reiterated the importance of the partnership and its crucial role in supporting PRC’s operations: “In situations where internet and communication networks are unreliable, we use radios to communicate. This partnership with REACT is vital in the communication aspect of our humanitarian operations, especially those in geographically-isolated areas where there is limited network coverage.” 

REACT is the largest Radio Civic Organization in the country, and it first started its partnership with the PRC in 2008. PRC Assistant Secretary General for Corporate and Business Services, Mr. Ramon Murillo, and PRC Disaster Management Services Manager, Ms. Criselda Longga, were also present in the MOA signing ceremony. 

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Caption: PRC Secretary-General, Dr. Gwen Pang, signed the MOA along with PRC Caloocan Chapter OIC, Mr. Carlo Angeles, Chairman of PRC Caloocan Chapter’s Board of Directors, Mr. Danilo Sanchez, MCU University President, Dr. Renato Tanchoco, Jr., and MCU Academic Affairs Director, Ms. Giandelu Carissa Santos.

CALOOCAN, METRO MANILA – In a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signing ceremony today, January 22, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) and the Manila Central University (MCU) strengthened their partnership to serve the country together in case of disasters and humanitarian emergencies. 

“We are establishing partnerships with different institutions to prepare for crises and disasters, especially now that more catastrophic events are happening in the world, and our country is ranked number one in disaster risk. The partnership between the PRC and the MCU is one excellent way to be prepared,” PRC Chairman and CEO Richard “Dick” Gordon said. 

In the agreement, the PRC and MCU vowed to optimize each other’s medical and welfare services. PRC and MCU will further train their medical personnel in mass casualty incidents (MCIs) to prepare for large-scale disasters, especially earthquakes and typhoons. In the event that hospitals become overwhelmed or there are not enough beds for patients during such cases, the PRC will build Emergency Field Hospitals (EFH) and MCU’s member-doctors will be ready to provide emergency medical duties to PRC’s EFH.  

MCU also agreed to intensify its support to PRC’s humanitarian activities, such as the Red Cross Youth and Membership Accident Assistance Benefits (MAAB) program, which provide protection to members through accident insurance coverage in exchange for their volunteer service. The PRC, meanwhile, vowed to provide capacity-building activities, such as simulation exercises and immersion experiences, for MCU employees and students. 

PRC Secretary-General, Dr. Gwen Pang, meanwhile, views the partnership as an opportunity to nurture students, the future citizens of the country, to not only be academically proficient but also compassionate, resilient, and ready to contribute to the betterment of society.

MCU has been a partner of PRC in various humanitarian endeavors for the last decade, including participation in PRC’s blood donation drives, providing training to its medical students and teaching personnel under PRC’s first aid and basic life support courses, and enrolling over 1000 students and university personnel for PRC’s MAAB program. Member-doctors of the MCU also served as volunteers in PRC’s Operation during the Feast of the Black Nazarene and currently assist in PRC’s health caravan, a healthcare and medical consultation activity conducted nationwide. 

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PASAY CITY, METRO MANILA – Philippine Red Cross (PRC) Chairman and CEO Richard “Dick” Gordon expressed gratitude to Italian food company Barilla and Marriott Hotel Manila for celebrating the World Pasta Day by donating 500 bowls of nutritious pasta and 500 banana loaves to students, some of whom are Red Cross Youth, at Villamor Air Base Elementary School last October 25, 2023.

“We’ve partnered with hotels, restaurants, bakeries, and food storage facilities to provide food for the most vulnerable, whether during times of disaster or in non-disaster situations. I am grateful to all our partners for helping PRC support our most vulnerable communities,” Gordon said.

Executive Chef Meik Brammer of Marriott said that donating food to the underprivileged through the PRC is among the hotel giant’s means of addressing food wastage. Marriott Hotel is a food donor of the PRC for over 12 years, serving freshly-cooked food to over 20,000 beneficiaries.

Food donations significantly contributed to addressing two of PRC’s key advocacies: food insecurity and child malnutrition, which Gordon reiterated during his discussion at the International Society for Southeast Asian Agricultural Sciences (ISSAAS) conference on November 8 in Manila.

Gordon, during his first term as a senator in 2009, authored the Republic Act No. 9803 (RA9803) or the Food Donation Act of 2009, which aims to address the country’s growing hunger problem and bring dignity back to the most vulnerable simultaneously. Under this law, donors are encouraged to donate food for charitable purposes and to reduce food wastage. Chairman Gordon explained that the donors give untouched food from buffet tables, not leftover food.

PRC’s food coordinator, Ms. Micot Juico, and PRC-Pasay City Chapter staff, Ms. Shara Mae Arceo, facilitated the food donation activity. 

MANDALUYONG, METRO MANILA –  Volunteers and staff of the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) continue to aid families affected by the low pressure area (LPA) and the shearline that brought incessant rains over the weekend in the eastern sections of Visayas and Luzon.

The PRC – Northern Samar Chapter served hot meals to 153 individuals and set up a welfare desk and first aid station at the Polangi Evacuation Center to provide physical and mental medical attention to evacuees. In Quezon Lucena, the PRC’s first aid station monitored the blood pressure of 38 evacuees, while the PRC’s welfare desk provided psychological first aid (PFA) and facilitated child-friendly spaces for over 100 individuals. 

Provision of food, water, PFA, and basic medical care constitute the standard response and rescue efforts of the PRC to reinstate evacuees’ access to essential necessities amid disruptions.

According to PRC Chairman and CEO Dick Gordon, terrains and other areas in the affected regions are susceptible to landslides and mudslides due to the saturated soil caused by heavy rainfall. “Our payloaders are positioned for clearing operations, ensuring continuous assistance to geographically isolated areas,” he added. 

As of writing, there are 12 evacuation centers in Northern Samar, Western Samar, and Masbate housing 1,460 individuals.

In September 2023, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported that the employment rate among the youth, aged 15 to 24 years old, was 86.9%. 

With that, 13.1% of Filipino youth were unemployed. Youth unemployment is higher than overall unemployment, which is 4.5%.

The Philippine Red Cross (PRC), in partnership with TESDA, technical-vocational schools, and the Spanish Red Cross, is making strides in helping the youth and other vulnerable groups gain skills for employment or self-employment. The PRC project covers the tuition fees for the beneficiaries and also provides them with meals and transportation allowances. 

“We are committed to assisting the youth and other vulnerable groups among our kababayans in finding employment or engaging in self-employment,” said PRC Chairman and CEO Richard “Dick” Gordon.

On 13 November 2023, 54 youth and members of other vulnerable groups from Manila, Caloocan, and Pasay received their certificates from TESDA for completing courses such as baking, housekeeping, and caregiving. The graduation ceremony was held at Manila Atelier of Food Arts and Hospitality, Inc. in UN Avenue, Ermita Manila. 

“The primary goal of PRC’s Employment Project is to enhance the connectedness of urban poor communities to better access economic opportunities,” explained the PRC Secretary-General, Dr. Gwen Pang.

Philippine Red Cross (PRC) Chairman and CEO Dick Gordon convened the PRC team today to plan the humanitarian organization’s response to communities affected by the 6.8 magnitude earthquake that struck Sarangani, Davao Occidental and neighboring provinces at 4:14 pm today.

As of writing, the PRC’s emergency medical services (EMS) personnel, Red Cross 143 volunteers, and assets are deployed to provide EMS to affected students from Holy Trinity Junior High and Golden State College, and other affected communities.

“PRC volunteers and staff are on the ground assessing the needs of communities. We are mobilizing our volunteers in the affected barangays to ensure that reports are transmitted to our Operations Center immediately. In this way, we can immediately provide humanitarian assistance to those affected,” said Chairman Gordon. 

According to reports from the PRC Davao Del Sur Chapter, the earthquake caused power outages in Digos City. Alberto Olarte Sr. National High School in Sarangani and two malls in Koronadal and General Santos City suffered from collapsed ceilings and broken glasses. A construction crane in Davao City with a block of cement also collapsed.

According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, the earthquake’s depth of focus was 10 kilometers. PRC Davao del Sur Chapter reported that in Digos City, strong shaking lasted for 10 seconds.

Photo: Damages in Alberto Olarte Sr. National High School in Mabila, Sarangani, Davao Occidental (photo from Red Cross 143 volunteer Shyluck Regino)

After receiving reports from the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) Operations Center, PRC Cagayan de Oro Chapter immediately responded to stranded passengers of a Cebu-bound ship that tilted due to strong winds and heavy waves shortly after leaving the port of CDO on November 12. The vessel was operated by Cokaliong Shipping Lines. 

Soon after all the passengers safely disembarked from the ship at the port of CDO, the PRC’s Welfare Services Team arrived. Volunteers from PRC CDO Chapter distributed hot meals (arroz caldo) to 125 passengers and food packs to 129 passengers who were shaken by the incident. Seven (7) passengers received medical attention, one of whom had a sprained ankle, and two (2) passengers received psychological first aid from PRC’s first aid and welfare stations. 

PRC Chairman Dick Gordon directed the deployment of PRC’s ambulance team in Macabalan Port to provide pre-hospital treatment to passengers who may need it. 

PRC’s OpCen also coordinated with the Philippine Coast Guard. Stranded passengers are currently housed in the PPA passenger amenity building, awaiting instructions regarding the vessel’s departure or clearance.

On October 7, the PRC dispatched two ambulance units to assist in the disembarkation of passengers from a cargo vessel still operated by Cokaliong Shipping Lines. The vessel was en route to Samar when a chemical leak on board took place.

“In this country, every day, I witness a disaster,” Philippine Red Cross (PRC) Chairman and CEO Richard “Dick” Gordon remarked on the pressing issues of food insecurity and child malnutrition in the Philippines.

According to the 2021 Expanded National Nutrition Survey (ENNS) by the Department of Science and Technology – Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI), two percent of Filipino households are severely food insecure. This translates to over 500,000 households, as indicated by the Philippine Statistics Authority’s 2020 Census of Population and Housing (CPH). UNICEF reports that every day, 95 children in the Philippines succumb to malnutrition.

Addressing agricultural scientists from Southeast Asia at the International Society for Southeast Asian Agricultural Sciences (ISSAAS) conference on November 8 in Manila, Gordon urged them to collaborate with humanitarian leaders, including himself and the government, to “wage a war” against food insecurity and child malnutrition and emphasize the urgency of addressing these issues.

“PRC will concentrate on tackling malnutrition among zero-to-five-year-old children, a critical phase in a child’s development. During the first two months, the PRC plans to distribute food to children aged zero to five and those from impoverished households using its fleet of food trucks. Simultaneously, the PRC will train mothers or guardians on how to prepare nutritious food independently, providing them with sustainable livelihoods.” Gordon explained.

Gordon shared some of the PRC’s ongoing interventions related to food security and nutrition, including hot meal distribution during disasters through PRC’s Hot Meals on Wheels, food distribution to impoverished communities through the Food Donation Law (which he authored), the establishment of vegetable and fruit farms nationwide, and the deployment of payloaders to clear farms inundated by mud after typhoons or flooding.

Philippine Red Cross

Born officially in 1947, but with roots that traces back to the revolutionary days, the Philippine Red Cross has truly become the premier humanitarian organization in the country, committed to provide quality life-saving services that protect the life and dignity especially of indigent Filipinos in vulnerable situations.

Address: 37 EDSA corner Boni Avenue, Mandaluyong City 1550
Emergency Hotline: 143
Trunkline +63 2 8790 2300
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