Red Cross to Set Up Emergency Operations, Local Branch in Batanes

A shipment full of emergency shelter repair materials and other relief supplies from the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) is now loaded in a Navy Ship that is bound to leave Sangley Point in Cavite for the island of Batanes. The provision of the said materials is part of PRC’s emergency response to the needs of families and communities that were affected by Typhoon Ferdie (Meranti).

Among those that were shipped are Corrugated Galvanized Iron Sheets for 348 families, sleeping kits (blankets, plastic mats, mosquito nets) and hygiene kits for 1,208 families and tarpaulin for 1,170 families.

“We at the Philippine Red Cross never forget a disaster. We never take a community for granted despite the distance or the difficulty to reach the affected areas. With the support of our volunteers and teams on the ground, we hope that the provision of these initial materials will help the affected families repair their damaged homes and provide them with some of the things that they need,” said Senator Richard Gordon, chairman and CEO of the PRC.

According to Senator Gordon, the provision of emergency shelter assistance and other relief materials for the affected families were based on the recommendations of the PRC assessment team that was deployed to Batanes in the aftermath of the typhoon.

To better serve the affected population, the PRC will also send operations and relief team to cover Itbayat and Basco in Batanes for the selection and validation of beneficiaries, facilitate distribution of items, coordinate with local government and other stakeholders and conduct community awareness campaigns.

The team is also tasked to initiate discussion with the provincial government on the establishment of a local branch and to recruit Red Cross 143 volunteers to ensure presence of a wide network of volunteers ready to provide humanitarian services in the area.

Typhoon Ferdie made landfall in Itbayat, Batanes on September 11, 2016 and left a trail of destruction in the northern part of Luzon.

The Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office of Batanes reported a total of 2,902 houses damaged in the province, of which 1,420 were totally destroyed and 1,482 were partially damaged.

Keep informed and updated about the deployment team’s journey to Batanes by following PRC’s website. (PRC)