Aid distributions continue in Manila area despite
Concerns over outbreak of respiratory diseases and diarrhoea

Relief workers in the Philippines battle against time to reach those who have yet to receive any aid since Typhoon Ketsana struck. Photo by World Vision Philippines.

Relief workers in the Philippines have been battling heavy rains in an attempt to reach those yet to receive any aid following the earlier Typhoon Ketsana.

More rains were dumped on Manila today adding to the misery of those who are still living in evacuation centres and flooded slums following the earlier devastation of Typhoon Ketsana.  The rains are part of an unsettling weather condition and a prelude to an impending Typhoon Parma – which appears to be a category 5 super typhoon currently on track to strike northern Luzon at 00:00 GMT on October 3.

Working through the rain World Vision relief teams were out delivering aid, and finding out what needs still exist in communities that were just opening up to the outside world after being cut off for days.

A Child Friendly Space has been set up for children in Marikina, east of Metro Manila, to help dozens of children recover from the distress of the disaster, giving them a haven where they can play and sing songs. Staff are planning to set up more of these Child Friendly Spaces in the coming days.

Relief packs were also dispatched to Antipolo, Rizal about 30 kilometres east of Manila, to a poor community that had been cut off since Saturday from any aid.

Elnora Avarientos, national director for World Vision Philippines, said: “These rains are yet another challenge to our relief staff. Not only do they threaten to push Manila back into flooding chaos but they hamper our reaching families and communities already devastated by Typhoon Ketsana.”

“Some communities are still submerged by floodwaters,” she said. “I am fearful that further heavy rains brought about by Typhoon Parma could make already fragile living conditions even worse, leading to a great deal of misery. “

Yesterday (1 Oct 2009) World Vision dispatched five teams of relief staff. Before that, World Vision handed out 720 family relief packs that included rice, noodles, canned goods and water, at an elementary school in Marikina, eastern Manila, with the distribution finishing past 10pm.

Boy Bersales, Humanitarian and Emergencies Director for World Vision Philippines, said, “A number of children have been reported to be suffering from respiratory problems, colds and fevers. We fear an outbreak of diarrhoea because there is not enough potable water to drink. We are organising a medical mission of doctors and nurses to go out today to address this issue.

“People are also asking us for underwear because they have lost most of their clothes and have been unable to change into new ones. We are accepting donations of old clothes [in Philippines].  We have received hundreds of items and we have hundred of volunteers who are sorting out these clothes and accepting donations at our head office in Manila. Many students are also packing hundreds of relief items that will be handed out in our distributions.”

Volunteers have been congregating at the World Vision Philippines office to help in the organisation’s relief operations since Sunday.