Philippine Red Cross | Humanitarian Organization in the Philippines

“With the current Omicron surge, there is a rising need to ramp up vaccination rates. We should do all we can to boost up vaccinations,” said Philippine Red Cross (PRC) Chairman Senator Dick Gordon as he tells the public that PRC will be partnering with Lazada, Southeast Asia’s leading eCommerce platform. The partnership aims to boost vaccination rates through Lazada’s donations of Php 2.2 million, enabling PRC to support its Bakuna Bus Deployments up to May 2022. 

According to Senator Dick Gordon, “This donation will be able to help more communities in the fight against COVID-19. The Philippine Red Cross is very grateful for your efforts in helping us reach out to the most vulnerable.”

In partnership with Lazada, the PRC will deploy Bakuna Bus to Brgy. Gulod, Nova, Quezon City administering 500 booster shots in the community beginning January 26, 2022, Wednesday. 

PRC will also administer primary doses to Lazada Riders and 300 clients at the Lazada Hub in Cabuyao Laguna. 

As of January 24, 2022, the PRC has administered 884,279 doses while fully vaccinating 328,605 individuals in their 26 Bakuna Center, 17 Bakuna Buses, and Bakuna Teams nationwide.

Founded in 2012, Lazada Group is the leading eCommerce platform in Southeast Asia accelerating progress in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam through commerce and technology.

###

Philippine Red Cross (PRC) distributed more than four million liters of clean water to Typhoon Odette (International name: Rai) affected residents in Cebu, Bohol, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Surigao del Norte, Siargao, Palawan, Agusan del Norte, and Iligan.

PRC Chairman and CEO Sen. Dick Gordon said that it is important to provide swift assistance in water distribution to places with limited to no supply of clean water to prevent waterborne diseases such as diarrhea, cholera, typhoid fever, and other diseases caused by dirty water. 

Through PRC’s Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) unit, PRC can promote hygiene, provide access to water, and sanitation facilities in long-term programming. 

PRC reported that it distributed 4,472,242 liters of water to 200,793 individuals since the start of Typhoon Odette Operations. Chairman Gordon said that water collected by PRC is cleaned in the water treatment unit before being loaded into the water tankers for distribution and public consumption.

“We need to restore the lifelines immediately in every area na naapektuhan ng Bagyong Odette. Hanggang ngayon, marami pa rin ang walang access sa malinis na tubig kaya naman patuloy ang Red Cross sa pamamagitan ng 16 water tankers na nakadeploy upang patuloy ang pagibigay ng tubig,” Chairman Gordon said.

“Full force ang ating water tankers.  Mayroon kami sa Negros Occidental, isa sa Negros Oriental, lima sa Cebu, tatlo sa bohol, dalawa sa Surigao, mayroon din kami sa Siargao, Palawan, at Southern Leyte. Magpapadala pa muli tayo ng dalawa pa sa Surigao upang mas marami ang ating matulungan,” Gordon added.

PRC distributed 1,173,250 liters of water in Cebu, 810,000 liters in Bohol, 564,894 liters in Negros Occidental, 364,038 liters in Negros Oriental, 393,760 liters in Surigao del Norte, 449,369 liters in Siargao Island, 338,000 liters in Palawan, 5,340 liters in Agusan del Norte, and 13,610 liters in Iligan.

PRC water tankers are vital to the country’s need to promote proper hygiene and provide access to clean water to prevent diseases like cholera, diarrhea, dysentery, hepatitis A, and typhoid. To date, PRC has 22 water tanker units nationwide, ready to provide clean and potable water in times of disaster, calamity, and conflict.

PRC Chairman and CEO Sen. Dick Gordon continued his 2nd day of visit in the Visayas and Mindanao region to personally assess the situation to address the current needs of the Typhoon Odette (international name: Rai) affected residents.

Chairman Gordon will head first to Brgy. Punta Bilar, Surigao City and led the distribution of Jerry cans, Sleeping kits, Tarpaulin, and Hygiene Kits to 300 families. The donation is in partnership with Australian Aid.

Chairman Gordon will continue its route to Brgy. Jubang, Municipality of Dapa, Siargao Island to lead the distribution of food items, which contain soy sauce, salt, sugar, five cans of sardines, 25 kg rice, and 2 liters of cooking oil. Target beneficiaries for the food pack distribution are 250 families. The distribution is in partnership with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)

“ALL OUT TAYO SA SURIGAO! Ito Pangalawang araw ng aking paglilibot sa mga naapektuhan ng Bagyog Odette. Personal ko na pinuntahan upang makita ko kung ano pa ang mga pangangailangan ng tao upang mabigyan ng agarang aksyon,” Gordon said.

Recently, Chairman Gordon deployed two medical tents with 30 cot beds to support Siargao District Hospital due to the increasing number of diarrhea cases in the area. Chairman Gordon will also visit the medical tents and will turn over 20 boxes of Intravenous (IV) fluid.

During the entire distribution, PRC mobilized its food truck and water tankers to simultaneously distribute hot meals and clean water to the residents in the said areas.

“Mula umaga, hanggang gabi, Tuloy tuloy ang Red Cross sa pagbibigay ng tulong sa mga nangangaialangan. Laging Red Cross ang Una, Laging handa, at Laging Nandyan kung saan kami kailangan,” Gordon said.

One month after Typhoon Odette (international name: Rai) pummeled 325 cities and municipalities across the Visayas, Mindanao, and Palawan region affecting more than 7.8 million individuals, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) continues to provide humanitarian relief to different areas greatly affected by Typhoon Odette.

Typhoon Odette, hailed as one of the strongest typhoons recorded on earth in 2021, is similar to Typhoon Yolanda (international name: Haiyan), which brought torrential rains, strong winds, floods, and storm surges, affecting everything that comes through its path. 

Although Typhoon Odette is not as powerful as Typhoon Yolanda, Typhoon Odette damage is comparable to one of the most destructive storms to hit the Philippines.

According to the infographic published by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA), 1.36 million houses are damaged, displacing 2.9 million individuals.

PRC Chairman and CEO Sen. Dick Gordon said that the humanitarian organization continues to provide non-food items which include 2,240 sleeping kits, 1,008 shelter tool kits, 3,698 tarpaulins, 1,190 mattresses, 706-bed sheets, and 157 blankets to individuals who were displaced by the Typhoon.

“Kaagad tayo namahagi ng mga non-food items kagaya ng mga sleeping kits, shelter tool kits, at mga tarpaulin upang maging temporary shelters sa mga nawalan ng tahanan. Kahit papaano ay malagyan ng bubong ang kanilang mga sarili,” Chairman Gordon said.

last January 13, 2021, Chairman Gordon appealed for more donations from the international community as the humanitarian organization continuously responds to Typhoon Odette-hit communities. Part of the appeal is to provide homes to the most vulnerable families who lost their homes.

Chairman Gordon highlighted that PRC has provided homes to over 151,000 families as part of the recovery process of families affected by typhoons.

Through the leadership of Chairman Gordon, Red Cross provided 80,207 houses to displaced families with the help of the international community and partner national societies.

“Noon pa tayo tumutulong upang mabigyan ng bahay ang mga apektado ng mga nagdaang bagyo. We dont just build houses, but we build hope to the most vulnerable na kahit anong mangyari hindi kayo papabayaan ng Philippine Red Cross,” Gordon said.

Despite the ongoing surge of COVID-19 cases in the country, Red Cross continues to be of service to the Filipino people. PRC is all out against the pandemic response manning the isolation facilities, emergency tents, vaccination centers, and testing centers.

“This should not be a forgotten disaster. A lot of our fellow Filipinos are still struggling from the onslaught of Typhoon Odette. The Red Cross will continue aiding the most vulnerable until they get back on their feet,” Gordon added.

###