Under the direction of its Chairman and CEO, Sen. Richard “Dick” Gordon, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) continued its response to TD Agaton in Baybay City and other severely affected areas in Visayas and Mindanao, providing search and rescue, emergency medical services, drinking water and hot meals, and psychosocial first aid. As of April 13, 2022, 108 volunteers and staff are still on the ground for PRC’s TD Agaton operations.
“It should not be a forgotten disaster. The magnitude of the calamity does not matter. Red Cross responds to people in emergencies everywhere,” Chairman Gordon said.
PRC first responders have rescued 25 individuals in Barangay Loctogan, Roxas City, Capiz from rising floodwaters. The teams have assisted 41 persons in Davao de Oro and Leyte to evacuate and 13 residents from Sitio Seguinon, Barangay Libertad, Ormoc City who were forced to evacuate.
The ambulance teams in General Santos City, Leyte, Davao De Oro, Sorsogon, Surigao Del Norte, and Passi City have served 535 individuals, who had their blood pressure taken. Five persons received emergency medical treatment. Six first-aid stations have been set up in Sorsogon, Surigao del Norte, and Negros Occidental. The ambulance teams deployed in Baybay City stand ready to transport patients from lower- to higher-level hospitals as needed.
The PRC teams have distributed hot meals to 7,204 individuals in General Santos City, Davao De Oro, Southern Leyte, Sorsogon, Ormoc City, Leyte, Hilongos, Negros Occidental, Passi City, Iloilo City, and Capiz. Ready-to-eat meals were distributed to 100 persons in Leyte. Bottled water were given to 197 individuals in Surigao del Norte and Leyte.
The PRC water tanker has distributed 620 liters of water in Leyte. Hand sanitizers were also given to 97 residents of Surigao del Norte.
The welfare teams have provided psychosocial first aid (PFA) to 440 adults in General Santos City, Leyte, and Passi City and child-friendly activities designed as PFA for 27 children in General Santos City. Welfare desks have been set up in Sorsogon and Surigao del Norte.
Local governments in Davao de Oro, Davao Oriental, and Maguindanao have also tapped PRC volunteers and staff to help them distribute food packs, to 7,116 families and meals, to 664 persons.
PRC has deployed three rescue boats, three ambulance units, one water tanker, two mobile kitchens, two service vehicles, one pick-up truck, and one Land Cruiser.
