With the support of the Canadian Red Cross, the Philippine Red Cross is better prepared to provide relief to communities affected by Typhoon Hagupit, which recently made landfall. As of December 8, while the extent of damage has not yet fully been realized as emergency responders work around the clock to access remote communities, the Philippines is also bracing for potential flooding caused by the tropical storm.
As of December 8, the Red Cross has helped evacuate more than one million people to safety, and has been working to provide meals in nearly 700 shelters. The Red Cross plans to distribute emergency supplies including water cans, tarpaulins, cooking sets and hygiene kits for up to 50,000 families, as well as food packs — enough to feed a family for three days — for 25,000 families.
A Canadian Red Cross field hospital donated to the Philippine Red Cross also stands ready to deploy as needed.
“Since Typhoon Haiyan struck, the Canadian Red Cross has been steadily working alongside the Philippine Red Cross to help build its expertise to better respond to future emergencies, such as this one,” said Conrad Sauvé, Secretary General and Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Red Cross, on December 8. “By helping the Philippines better prepare for disasters, the Red Cross is mitigating the devastation that can be caused by natural disasters, such as a typhoon.”
Following the devastation of Typhoon Haiyan in November 2013, the Canadian Red Cross, with support from the Government of Canada, provided critical life-saving care to those affected through provision of its mobile field hospital and a team of trained aid workers. In February 2014, the Canadian Red Cross handed over to the Philippine Red Cross the field hospital, which when fully established can provide care for up to 30,000 people. The Canadian Red Cross has personnel in the Philippines to support local recruitment and training efforts so that the hospital can be deployed locally.
“During disasters, our teams do not just provide temporary solutions to meet immediate needs. We provide long-term support,” said Sauvé. “At this time, thanks to the support of the Canadian Red Cross, the field hospital is ready to deploy with local healthcare workers and support staff.”
While the Red Cross is actively responding to the current typhoon response, the Canadian Red Cross also continues to support communities affected by Typhoon Haiyan, including work to rebuild and reconstruct houses, public infrastructure and water and sanitation facilities, provide immediate and longer-term livelihood support.
As always, the Canadian Red Cross is ready to support disaster relief operations including fundraising. At this point, a specific fund for Typhoon Hagupit relief operations has not been created however Canadians can donate any time to our International Disaster Relief Fund online at redcross.ca , by calling 1-800- 418-1111 or by contacting their local Canadian Red Cross office.