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| World Vision Philippines has dropped relief packs containing food and bottled water, with the help of the Coast Guard helicopter to reach Typhoon Ketsana victims. Photo by World Vision Philippines. |
World Vision Philippines is aiming to meet the urgent needs of 100,000 survivors of massive flooding in Manila caused by Typhoon Ketsana.
Staff with the humanitarian agency have already been distributing relief packs by helicopter, in partnership with the Philippine Coastguard. They saw many families trapped on roof tops and in desperate need of assistance after being stuck for hours without food or water in the pouring rain.
World Vision Philippines is aiming to target four of the worst affected areas of Manila (Marikina, Cainta, Rizal, Pasig) which are home to thousands of poor settlement dwellers based near rivers and in low-lying areas. Many of these homes have lost everything as they were flooded up to their ceilings, and inundated with mud, sludge and garbage.
The agency needs US $2 million to pay for the planned response and is appealing to its funding offices around the world, to governments and to corporate donors in the Philippines to assist. Some large Philippines businesses have already pledged their support.
World Vision Philippines Humanitarian and Emergency Affairs Director Boy Bersales said: “Thousands of people have lost all they owned – their food, their clothing, bedding, school items, and kitchen equipment. But their immediate needs are for food and water. Many have gone without either for hours and hours and the children are especially vulnerable having been trapped in flooded conditions for several days. The city is only now waking up to the massive extent of the devastation.”
Staff are hoping to operate food and cash for work programmes that will lead to community clean ups of roads, community buildings and schools. The agency also aims to establish special places for children to play, to allow them to escape from the distress of the last few days.
World Vision is also planning to distribute rice, sardines, cooking oil, water, iodized salt, biscuits and canned meat. Other items include mosquito nets, blankets and kerosene lamps or candles along with hygiene items including soap, laundry soap and women’s sanitary items.
Bersales said, “State weather forecasters are saying that this massive huge downpour is due to climate change. People are wondering what this means for the future since the impact of this storm have been so enormous and widespread. People are just not ready.
“If it is due to climate change then we are witnessing what could be the first terrifying indications of what changed weather patterns could mean for millions of people living in Manila, especially the poor. This has to be a wake up call for the world as it prepares for the climate change talks in Copenhagen, later in the year. The developing world, especially in Asia, needs help."
I WISH TO HELP!
World Vision in Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos are aiming to raise funds to support the emergency relief and rehabilitation plans in Typhoon Ketsana floods that have swept across the nation, destroying the lives of many.
If you wish to help, please click here, and indicate that your contribution is for the Typhoon Ketsana floods in Manila. |
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