MANDALUYONG CITY, Philippines — Even as the weather begins to ease after four weeks of non-stop tropical cyclones and typhoons, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) continues to mobilize its full force of volunteers, staff, assets, and resources in hard-hit provinces to help all affected communities have access to basic necessities and support as they recover their homes and livelihoods after the storm.
A caravan, consisting of a food truck and response team of volunteers and staff together with a drone operator from the local chapter, was deployed to Polillo Island, which was battered by fierce winds and heavy rains by Super Typhoon Pepito (“Man-yi”) after Catanduanes.
The food truck and team arrived at 12 nn on November 20, in Polillo from the PRC Quezon-Lucena Chapter after nearly eight hours of land and sea travel overnight, passing by Lumban and Famy, Laguna to the Port of Real in Quezon to get to the island. The food truck is currently in Sitio Corrigidor, Barangay Libjo and the response and assessment team will visit different municipalities such as Burdeos, Patnanungan and the island of Jomalig.
The PRC Quezon team has conducted assessment activities in communities, prepared hot meals for evacuees, as well as set up welfare desks, health stations, first aid stations, and conducted psychosocial support, health and hygiene promotion in evacuation centers and communities.
Meanwhile, a separate caravan of trucks loaded with corrugated galvanized iron (CGI) sheets, PGI sheets, and shelter tool kits (which contain a handsaw, shovel, nails, ropes, and other construction tools) will be headed to PRC Cagayan Chapter from PRC’s warehouse in Subic. This is in addition to the continuous response of the PRC to the affected families because of the multiple cyclones from cyclone Marce, Nika, Ofel to Pepito.
These materials will be distributed to assist people in rebuilding or strengthening their homes especially those families whose houses were damaged by the storms.
PRC Chairman and CEO Richard Gordon stressed that these caravans are part of post-disaster relief efforts to help individuals and families recover with dignity from the storms.
“In the Red Cross, we believe that the help we extend must be holistic and forward-looking. When the typhoon is slashing through an area, our volunteers’ hot meals and welfare services bring the warmth of home away from home, especially as families stay in evacuation centers for long stretches of time. But for the future, we provide roofing materials and construction tools so they can strengthen their homes to withstand the next storm, and more importantly, begin rebuilding their lives. As we alleviate human suffering, we must also uplift human dignity, ” said Gordon.
PRC Secretary General Dr. Gwen Pang added: “This is a crucial time since it’s in the aftermath of a storm where you can really see the extent of the damages done to communities, properties, and livelihoods. Many communities, especially remote ones, have been deprived of basic needs, and it is our mission to help them bounce back. We will see to it that our relief operations continue until every single family is able to recover from this disaster.”
In its operations for Super Typhoon Pepito, as of November 21, the PRC has given hot meals to over 29,000 individuals, psychological first aid to 3,000 people, and provided child-friendly spaces that has benefitted more than 500 children, according to the PRC’s Operations Center. 30,000 liters of water have been distributed, while more than 3,500 individuals have participated in disease prevention and hygiene promotion activities.
