PRC continues to pour aid to Mindanao quake victims
TO ensure the continuity of education, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) will send Temporary Learning Spaces (TLS), or tents, to areas affected by the series of earthquakes in Mindanao, particularly in two of the hardest-hit provinces, North Cotabato and Davao del Sur.
“A lot of school buildings aren’t safe yet after they sustained damages and large cracks due to strong aftershocks since October 16. Aside from food, medicine and water, more children are also in need of education which is their right,” PRC Chairman Richard J. Gordon said.
According to the Department of Education, over 1,000 schools were damaged almost a month after a series of earthquakes hit several parts of Mindanao.
Gordon said that the mission will be headed by Red Cross Youth (RCY) staff to help thousands of displaced students to ensure the continuity of education “after their schools were damaged by temblors, while other learning facilities are now being utilized as temporary evacuation centers.”
A total of 10 TLS will be initially deployed, or five tents each, for North Cotabato and Davao del Sur. Each tent can accommodate 40 to 50 students. These tents, Gordon said, are expected to arrive in their designated locations by Monday, November 18.
Classes at all levels in three regions—Regions 11, 12 and BARMM —remain suspended as of this writing.
Gordon also extended his gratitude to the PRC’s operation partners and donors—the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the International Committee of the Red Cross, the Embassy of Republic of Korea, San Miguel Food Corp ., Nickel Asia Corp ., Filminera Resources Corp., Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, Thome Ship Management Group and Ramon Tulfo Good Samaritan Foundation Inc.
As of November 13, PRC has mobilized 569 volunteers, staff and RCY, providing first aid to 81 individuals in eight first-aid stations in Kidapawan City, Davao del Sur and General Santos City, distributing food items to 1,122 families in
Davao del Sur and North Cotabato.
Likewise, 18 temporary shower facilities were installed in the Municipality of Magsaysay, Davao del Sur, which are now being utilized by the affected families as part of PRC’s commitment to promote hygiene and sanitation whenever a calamity or disaster hits.
A total of 1,004,208 liters of water were distributed along with Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Promotion to 5,690 families, or 22,097 individuals, in Davao del Sur and North Cotabato. The WASH unit also conducted hygiene promotion to 6,163 individuals, installed 40 portable toilets and established 19 water collecting points also in Davao del Sur and North Cotabato.
Gordon also assured that the PRC would install an additional 20 portalets, especially in remote areas, and will set up basic health-care units to address health problems in Kidapawan City and other affected areas.
The PRC also distributed hot meals to 9,482 families in North Cotabato (6,860) and Davao del Sur (2,622), administered psychosocial support to 3,338, individuals, including child-friendly spaces to 1,198 individuals in North Cotabato, South Cotabato, Davao del Sur, General Santos and Sultan Kudarat.
The PRC also deployed 20 water bladders from General Santos-Sarangani, Davao City, Leyte, Cebu, Agusan del Sur; five water tankers and three water treatment units to North Cotabato and Davao del Sur; ambulances from National Headquarters, South Cotabato, North Cotabato, Davao del Sur and Zamboanga del Norte chapters; and two additional mobile kitchens from Bacolod and Iloilo.
The PRC will create a community kitchen kiosk per evacuation center so evacuees will not need to cook inside their tents, thereby avoiding a fire hazard.
Since October 16, more than 30,687 families, or 153,435 individuals, in 15 municipalities and cities, in seven provinces have been affected by the series of earthquakes.
More than 10,684 families, or 42,736 individuals, are taking temporary shelter in 64 evacuation centers, 39 in Davao del Sur (5,980 families or 23,920 individuals) and 25 in North Co tab a to (4,766 families or 18,816 individuals).