Valenzuela City- Amidst the Covid-19 global pandemic, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) Valenzuela Chapter held its 8th Biennial Chapter Assembly on November 25, 2022, at the PRC Valenzuela City Chapter Building, ALERT Center Compound, Malinta, Valenzuela City, with the theme “Embracing the new normal towards a resilient community.”
PRC Chairman and CEO Richard J. Gordon, in his address to the Assembly participants, said that the premier humanitarian organization is “addressing the new challenges as seen in recent disasters through an intensified RC143 volunteer system.” Current Valenzuela City Chapter Board of Directors’ Chair Elizabeth Chongco reported that the number of the Chapter’s volunteers is increasing.
The Chapter’s new set of Board of Directors was also elected during the biennial assembly.
PRC staff and volunteers from various PRC teams attended the event. Delegates from select government agencies, such as the Philippine National Police, DepEd, Health Centers, Department of the Interior and Local Government-Valenzuela City, Valenzuela City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, Office of the City Mayor, and Valenzuela City Anti Drug Abuse Council, were also present.
The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) quickly responded to aid the affected individuals in a fire that raged in a residential area in Brgy. Marulas, Valenzuela City last Friday, July 15.
At 3:10 pm, the blaze was raised to the fourth alarm; 72 families, with 246 individuals, were affected and an estimated 50 houses were damaged.
The PRC Valenzuela City Chapter, in coordination with the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Valenzuela City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (VCDRRMO), and City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), dispatched its fire truck and ambulance unit. It served hot meals and distributed drinking water to 150 individuals and gave face masks to 50 persons.
Affected residents have sought shelter in Valenzuela National High School as the designated evacuation center. The blaze was declared under control at 5:00 pm.
“Ang Red Cross ay laging handa sa ganitong insidente. Agad tayong umaksyon upang magbigay ng tulong sa ating mga kababayang naapektuhan ng sunog sa Valenzuela City. Hindi natin sila iiwan hanggang maibigay natin ang kanilang pangangailangan at matiyak natin ang kanilang kaligtasan,” Chairman Gordon said.
Last Saturday, July 16, the PRC intensified its assistance in the community by conducting Health and Hygiene Dissemination and other services until the community reaches its recovery.
The Philippine Red Cross Malabon Chapter distributed 500 loaves of bread to 350 families in Barangay Hulong Duhat, Malabon City who were affected by two weeks of flooding caused by high tide and damaged floodgates. The bread loaves were donated by Gardenia.
According to the PRC chapter office, the flood subsided on July 1 after the floodgates were fixed, but PRC gave away food to assist the residents whose incomes were adversely affected by the flooding.
Malabon, located in the northern part of the National Capital Region, has a low-lying, flat terrain that makes it a catch basin. It is part of the CAMANAVA area, or Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, and Valenzuela, four cities that are commonly affected by interconnected rivers, among them the Tullahan and Navotas Rivers.
Delivering health services directly to the communities, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC), in coordination with the Valenzuela Barangay Councils, continued its Health Caravan in Barangay Marulas, Valenzuela City on April 7, 2022.
“Laging handa ang Red Cross na magbigay serbisyo sa ating mga kababayan. Tiniyak natin na sa pamamagitan ng ating Caravan ay malilibot natin ang mga lugar na nangangailangan ng ating tulong at malaman ng ating mga kababayan ang mga serbisyo ng Red Cross bukod sa blood donation,” PRC Chairman and CEO Richard Gordon said.
A total of 107 Residents (97 adults, 10 children) of Valenzuela City availed of the Blood Typing Booth, First Aid and Basic Life Support Lecture and Demonstration, Health and Hygiene Promotion, and Volunteer Recruitment. Hot meals were also served to all participants.
Aside from health services, the PRC conducted a livelihood training program through its Material Recovery Facility, a project of the PRC and Netherlands Red Cross partnership completed in 2014, which trained the participants on how to do urban gardening and sell ornamental plants and other agricultural and recycled products. Beneficiaries of this program were able to increase the productivity of their livelihood assets. They even shared with the participants their livelihood operations and practices.
Since the start of the caravan in Valenzuela City in 2019, the PRC has reached 26 barangays with 2,139 participants facilitated by 276 volunteers and staff. 7 more barangays will be visited before the year ends.
