Philippine Red Cross

Philippine Red Cross sent hot meals, aid to people affected by shearline, LPA

Written on November 21, 2023. Posted in News and Events.

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.

Philippine Red Cross joins World Mental Health Day Celebration

Written on October 12, 2023. Posted in Features, News and Events.

The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) joined the World Mental Health Day (WMHD) Celebration on 10 October by organizing training events for staff and volunteers on Psychological First Aid (PFA) across its chapters nationwide. WMHD’s thrust is to raise awareness about mental health issues.

“We have trained staff and volunteers who provide psychosocial support to people affected by disasters. We are continually training more, so that people will have this needed support available in case a disaster strikes, especially because the Philippines is disaster-prone,” said PRC Chairman and CEO Dick Gordon.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), PFA involves humane, supportive and practical help to fellow human beings suffering serious crisis events. PFA is part of PRC’s package of services provided to people affected by fire, typhoons, earthquakes, armed conflict, and other crises. At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the PRC operated the national, toll-free COVID-19 Hotline 1158 dedicated to providing callers with PFA. In the aftermath of a crisis event, the PRC sets up child-friendly spaces where trained staff and volunteers facilitate activities for children designed as PFA.

“The PRC interventions in mental health aim to equip community-based volunteers to be able to provide support to people who experience a crisis. It aims to raise awareness of mental health issues and the services available,” Dr. Gwen Pang, secretary-general of the PRC, added.

A scientific brief published by WHO in March 2022 says that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a severe impact on the mental health and wellbeing of people around the world.

PH Red Cross provides support to Paeng-affected communities in Laguna to rebuild their lives

Written on November 22, 2022. Posted in News and Events.

Heavy rainfall and consequent flooding brought by Severe Tropical Storm Paeng (international name: Nalgae) left communities in Laguna without access to clean safe water aside from the massive cleanup required to clear roads of mud and other debris. The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) deployed its water tankers and payloaders to these affected localities to speed up the recovery of the most vulnerable.

“Ang Philippine Red Cross ay katuwang ng ating mga komunidad hindi lang sa kasagsagan ng bagyo kung hindi pati na rin pagkatapos nito. Ipagpapatuloy namin, sa PRC, ang pagde-deploy ng water tankers at payloader para mas maraming komunidad sa malalayong lugar ang maabutan ng ating mga tulong,” Chairman and CEO Richard J. Gordon explained.

Since PRC Paeng operations, the PRC WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) unit had distributed a total of 286, 300 liters to storm-affected areas in Laguna. PRC installed a water bladder in Alonte Arena Evacuation Center Biñan, Laguna, providing 20, 000 liters of water to 731 displaced individuals. Meanwhile, 2, 868 persons from Dela Paz Main Elementary School and Saint Francis Covered Court evacuation centers received 24, 000 liters of water from water tankers. Biñan City was placed under a state
of calamity on 31 October due to extensive damage caused by STS Paeng.

In addition, PRC’s payloader conducted clearing operations in Canossa School, Barangay Kanluran Santa Rosa, Laguna to make roads accessible for more relief operations. Over 210 cubic meters of mud were cleared in the area.

On 15 November, PRC served hot meals and bread to 511 persons in the Barangay Dila evacuation center. PRC distributed sleeping kits to 40 families and hygiene kits to 192 families in several affected municipalities. PRC Welfare Services, under the Psychological Support System (PSP), provided psychosocial services to 47 persons and Child-friendly Spaces (CFS) to accommodate the needs of 136 affected children.

PRC is in full-blast in providing assistance to Paeng-affected families across the country and vows to continue its relief and recovery efforts to alleviate the sufferings of the most vulnerable.

PH Red Cross reaches out to children in Santa town, Ilocos Sur with Child-Friendly Space, other services

Written on August 3, 2022. Posted in News and Events.

Five days after a magnitude 7.0 earthquake hit North Luzon, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) immediately provided a Child-Friendly Space, where over 90 children participated in different activities designed as psychological first aid (PFA), such as a clowns’ and magicians’ show, in the municipality of Santa, Ilocos Sur, August 1. Overall, 323 children received PFA in Ilocos Sur.

“Bukod sa mga nasirang kabahayan at kabuhayan ng ating mga kababayan, naapektuhan din ang ating mga kabataan dahil nanatili sa kanila ang takot dulot ng malakas na lindol. Laging handa ang trained volunteers and staff ng Red Cross upang tulungan ang ating mga kabataan sa aspetong ito ng kanilang kalusugan,” Chairman and CEO Richard J. Gordon said.

Aside from the Child-Friendly Space, the PRC distributed hygiene kits and 10,000 liters of water to 103 families or 317 individuals in Santa, served hot meals to 350 persons, and provided health services to 67. To protect the community against COVID-19, the PRC also distributed 800 face masks and 50 pieces of COVID-19 leaflets.

Present during the distribution of services in Santa were Mayor Jesus Bueno Jr., Barangay Tabucolan Captain Armando Baguyo, and personnel from the Social Welfare and Development Office, Philippine National Police, and Bureau of Fire Protection.

The PRC continues to provide other much-needed aid to people affected by the earthquake in Abra and Ilocos Sur, the hardest hit provinces. As of August 1, it has distributed 148,649 liters of water through its water tankers, 6,155 hot meals, 2,341 face masks, 1,250 COVID-19 leaflets, 868 hygiene kits, 662 packs of bread, 264 sleeping kits, and 33 tents, among other humanitarian aid.

“Tuloy-tuloy pa rin ang ating pagtulong sa ating mga kababayan sa Abra at Ilocos Sur, na syang lubos na naapektuhan ng lindol at aftershocks nito. Laging maaasahan ang Red Cross sa ganitong uri ng sakuna,” Chairman Gordon assured.

PRC PROVIDES SUPPORT TO SUNKEN FISHING BOAT SURVIVORS

Written on October 8, 2021. Posted in News and Events. Leave a Comment

The Philippine Red Cross (PRC), led by Chairman and CEO Sen. Dick Gordon, mobilized PRC Bacolod City Chapter to provide humanitarian assistance to survivors and surviving families of the submerged fishing boat last September 24, 2021.

The PRC Bacolod Chapter, along with the Disaster Risk Reduction Management (DRRM) Offices of Cadiz City, provided food assistance and psychosocial support to 25 survivors of the submerged fishing boat, which led to 9 casualties.

“Nakikiramay ang buong Philippine Red Cross at ako sa mga namatay sa trahedya. Ipinadala namin ang aming Welfare Services team upang magsagawa ng psychosocial support at magbigay ng food assistance sa mga survivors ng trahedya,” Sen. Dick Gordon said.

The PRC Welfare Services, with the help of its trained staff and volunteers, offers psychosocial support and critical incident stress management to individuals affected by typhoons, calamities, disasters, and conflicts to cope with the current situation.

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Red Cross assists Chuzon employees, Aeta community

Written on April 26, 2019. Posted in News and Events. Leave a Comment

The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) continues to assist communities affected by the magnitude 6.1 earthquake in Porac, Pampanga, including the displaced indigenous people and the survivors of the Chuzon supermarket collapse.

PRC, led by Chairman Richard Gordon, partnered with the Department of Health to provide psychosocial support to the survivors, mostly employees of Chuzon, and bereaved families of the strong earthquake.

“It is important that we work together in this time of need. The Red Cross is supporting government efforts to alleviate the suffering of people who lost their friends and families and the population who were forced to flee their homes regardless of their race,” Gordon said.

PRC’s welfare teams have conducted psychosocial support to 20 employees of Chuzon supermarket and 12 survivors currently admitted at Julio B. Lingad Memorial Regional Hospital in San Fernando.

A group of volunteers, headed by Deputy Secretary General Dr. Susan Mercado, also reached out to the displaced Aeta community in Porac last April 24 by providing welfare services to 55 families (207 individuals).

“The Aetas refuse to stay in any type of concrete evacuation center as they are traumatized by the shaking. There are also those with pre-existing mental health issues who are further triggered into depression and anxiety,” Mercado said in a Facebook post.

Today, the Red Cross is at Sitio Pasubul, Brgy. Camias in Porac to distribute hygiene kits to 60 indigenous families to protect them from infections and diseases. Red Cross also provides psychosocial support to indigenous people.

“We focus on the immediate needs of the most vulnerable and we will continue to provide services with the support of our volunteers and donors,” Gordon said.

PRC local chapter earlier provided hot meals to 450 individuals at the Aeta Market evacuation center.

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Tag: Psychosocial support