Philippine Red Cross | Humanitarian Organization in the Philippines

When PHIVOLCS reported that Mt. Mayon was on alert level three, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC), led by its Chairman and CEO, Dick Gordon, immediately sent a humanitarian caravan to meet the essential needs of the people who were pre-emptively evacuated because of the imminent eruption. The premier humanitarian organization in the Philippines has been alongside the Bicolanos, providing them with clean water, food, health care, and other basic necessities during their stay at the evacuation centers since Day 1.

More than three months later, as Mt. Mayon has not shown signs of being stable, the PRC renews its commitment to the families seeking temporary shelter in evacuation centers. Gordon calls on the families affected to endure, saying that the situation, too, will pass. He assures them that the PRC will continue to be a lifeline during this time of crisis. He encourages them to maintain composure and a positive outlook amidst the situation.      

“There is no other way out of a crisis but hope. Do not let your hope get dampened by your surroundings or the mood of the people around you get the better of you. Be a thermostat, which controls temperature, rather than a thermometer, which simply reflects the temperature. The Red Cross will be with you, for as our hymn says, ‘When the world no longer watches, we do what must be done’,” says Gordon.

As of 19 September, the PRC has provided the following humanitarian aid to the families displaced by the Mt. Mayon eruption, among others: 2,580,500 liters of water through the PRC water tankers; 81,352 hot meals; hygiene promotion to 13,342 persons; psychological first aid to 4,016 children and 1,521 adults; 3,662 feminine kits; 2,531 dengue brochures; welfare services to 2,474 individuals through the PRC welfare desks; 2,436 sleeping kits; 2,436 water containers; 2,393 cough and colds brochure; menstrual hygiene management lecture to 1,389 individuals; and 1,210 hygiene kits.    

The PHIVOLCS reported in its Twitter account today, 20 September, that Mt. Mayon is on Alert Level 3, as lava slowly flowed from it during the last 24 hours, from 5:00 am of 19 September to 5:00 am today. The PHIVOLCS also said that Mt. Mayon registered nine volcanic eruptions and 147 rockfall events in the same period.

The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) will celebrate its 75th Founding Anniversary on 15 April at Shangri-La The Fort Manila. The event will commemorate the PRC’s 75 years of transformative humanitarian service and will give due recognition to PRC donors and volunteers for years spent alleviating human suffering and uplifting human dignity.

“April 15 is a day of celebration, the day we express our appreciation to our donors and volunteers who embodied the values and mission of the PRC in the last 75 years,” PRC Chairman Richard Gordon said.

PRC’s passionately uplifting programs for the most vulnerable provide the incentive for old and new local and international donors to continue building partnerships with PRC. Last March, conglomerates and houses of the Congress chose PRC to assist in their donations to victims of the 7.8-magnitude earthquake in Türkiye and Syria, which is considered the strongest earthquake that hit the region for over 80 years.

The PRC’s enhanced logistics department partnered with the increasing number of volunteers inspired by Chairman Gordon’s vision and supported by PRC’s Operations Center (Information Technology) fulfills the equation “Volunteers + Logistics + Information Technology = A Red Cross that is Always First, Always Ready, and Always There. This mantra guides PRC in its responses to vulnerable communities, especially recent ones such as Typhoon Karding, the North Luzon Earthquake, and Typhoon Paeng.

“As we venture into the next 75 years of humanitarian work, the Philippine Red Cross is prepared for stronger and more frequent disasters as climate change rears it ugly head,” added Chairman Gordon.

PRC Chapters nationwide will also hold simultaneous activities to celebrate the 75 years of PRC. Among the activities are Mass Lecture-Demo on First Aid/CPR, RC143 Recruitment/Orientation, Blood Donation Drives, Walk for Humanity/Parade, Clean up Drive, Fund Run, Medical Mission and Operation Tuli, Webinar Podcast, Concert for a Cause, and Tree Planting.

PRC Secretary General Dr. Gwendolyn T. Pang said that the PRC has developed not just as the foremost humanitarian organization in the country but also as one of the best Red Cross societies in the world.

To further help curb the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 20,000 vaccine doses are to be administered by Philippine Red Cross(PRC) Chapters to support the upcoming third round of the National Vaccination Days this February 10 and 11, 2022.

” Kahit marami hamon ngayon ang ating bansa, ang Red Cross ay patuloy na nagpapadala ng mga bakuna sa mga tao, at palagi naming tinitiyak ang kaligtasan at pagiging epektibo ng mga bakuna dahil. Tulong-tulong tayong upang mapigilan na ang pandemya,” said Chairman and CEO Senator Dick Gordon.

According to the PRC Health Services, 42 PRC Chapters will operate 17 Bakuna Centers, 11 Bakuna Buses, and 26 Bakuna Teams to provide primary and booster doses. The PRC will also mobilize around 600 volunteers as vaccinators and support volunteers for the vaccination days.

Meanwhile, as the government has now expanded the vaccination program to the younger population, teams are now preparing for pediatric vaccinations for those aged 5 to 11 that target to be launched before the end of the month.

As of February 8, 2022, the PRC has administered 984, 764 doses while fully vaccinating 340, 560 individuals since launching its vaccination program on March 2021.

The PRC National Vaccination Program is made possible through the support of the International Federation of Red Cross(ICRC), Netherlands Red Cross, German Red Cross, corporate partners such as Procter & Gamble, Coca-Cola Foundation, LAZADA, and Bakuna Bus partners; Victory Liner, Ceres Bus, and UBE Express.