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PRC: Cash assistance, water, non-food items needed in Usman-hit provinces

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Philippines
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Philippine Red Cross
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THE PHILIPPINE Red Cross (PRC) is calling on the public to contribute to its effort to rebuild the lives of thousands of families in eight provinces affected by Tropical Depression Usman.

PRC’s action teams identified cash assistance, safe water, and non-food items, and basic household items as the immediate needs in Usman-hit areas, especially in Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, and Albay, where families were displaced due to landslides and flooding.

“We were first to respond in Camarines Sur, Sorsogon, and Albay, where we provided rescue, water, and hygiene facilities. We are now preparing mechanics for giving cash grants so our affected countrymen can start anew with dignity. We have volunteers on the ground getting people out of harm’s way and retrieving those that can be saved,” Gordon said in an interview with Al Jazeera.

Gordon added that there will be no letup even until “everyone has left.”

“I think there was a miscalculation on the damage. Usman was not as strong, but it brought a lot of rains. [It] is important that we become a little bit more aggressive and make sure that we respect any kind of tropical depression,” said Gordon.

Data from the PRC Operations Center show some 289 families are still housed in 24 evacuation centers in Camarines Sur and Northern Samar.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies is supporting PRC’s operations to provide non-food items, multipurpose cash grants, emergency water, health, and welfare assistance.

In his Twitter account, Gordon lauded Miss Universe Catriona Gray who earlier called for donations to support the operations of the PRC Camarines Sur Chapter, which was among the most gravely affected communities due to landslide incidents.

PRC has been on the ground planning its actions even before TD Usman made landfall and providing round-the-clock humanitarian assistance. Current efforts are concentrated on food and non-food items.

Recovery efforts are still ongoing to help restore the community as well as rebuild the lives of those who now face an uncertain future with the loss of loved ones, homes, and livelihood. Cash assistance will be used for necessary materials needed for recovery of homes and livelihood disrupted by TD Usman. It will also help support our relief activities as we continue to mobilize PRC personnel and volunteers during the recovery phase.

PRC National Headquarters has deployed three water tankers, a 6x6 truck, and a 10-wheeler truck with a load of 300 jerry cans, 300 sets of hygiene kits, 2,400 capsules of Doxycycline, and 30 pieces body bags for search and retrieval operations.

PRC also provides psychosocial support to survivors of the disaster, including a father from Baao, Camarines Sur who lost his wife and four children due to a landslide.

Summary of Assistance as of January 3, 8am

Retrieved: 11
Assisted: 8
Transported: 6
BP Conduction: 236
First Aid Management: 19
First Aid station: 3
Food Items: 200 families
Hygiene kit: 23 families
Doxycycline: 78
Bread: 800 individuals
Water: 27,080 liters
Psychosocial Support: 87
Hot meals: 6,365 individuals
Welfare desk: 10
Used Body Bag: 16

We are calling on the people to help us do more.

Donations may be deposited to:

PRC’s BDO Banco de Oro (Port Area) savings account (swift code: BNORPHMM): 00-453-0190938 (peso deposit) and 10-453-0039482 (dollar deposit)

Metrobank (Port Area) (swift code: MBTCPHMM): 151-7-15152434-2 (peso deposit) and 151-2-15100218-2 (dollar deposit).

For donations in cash or kind, call Shervi Corpuz at (02) 790-2413 or (63 917) 834-8378, and Rizza Genil at (02) 790-2410, or email emergencyappeal@redcross.org.ph.