Singapore 28 Dec 2011 – The Singapore Red Cross (SRC) is sending its 2nd team of seven personnel to the Philippines on Wednesday, 28 December, to bring more relief items to the 47 relief centres in Cagayan De Oro City, which are temporary shelters to over 12,000 displaced families affected by Typhoon Washi which struck southern Mindanao on 17 December 2011. The team will be spending their New Year’s Eve there and returning on the same evening.
The 2nd team will be distributing SGD 200,000 worth of food and family items donated by the people of Singapore. The items in the “Family Christmas Pack” include priority needs such as food, clothing, sleeping materials, blankets and school supplies and footwear for the children. The items were purchased locally by its sister national society, the Philippines National Red Cross (PNRC). They have been working tirelessly to relocate stranded families left homeless because of the floods and landslides.
The 1st relief team, which included the Secretary General, Director of Operations and 4 volunteers of the SRC, had just returned from their mission on the eve of Christmas Day. They were working alongside the volunteers and staff of the Philippines Red Cross to distribute relief items at the temporary shelters.
“Our hearts go out to the families at the 47 relief centres who had to spend their festive season there. Many had already decorated their houses for the festive holiday and to suddenly lose it is very disheartening. We hope that these Family Christmas Packs will bring some happiness to the families, especially the children who will be able to use some of the school supplies there to prepare them for school in January”, said Secretary General of Singapore Red Cross, Mr Christopher Chua who will be returning to the Philippines to lead the 2nd team.
According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, a total of 24,700 families equivalent to some 135,100 persons have been affected. 16 were injured and 309 missing with 432 rescued survivors. 8,100 families (45,000 persons) are currently being assisted by the (PNRC) in 47 evacuation centres. A total of 1,334 houses have been completely damaged while 3,070 others have been partially damaged.