From August 17-21, 2013, a southwest
monsoon enhanced by Tropical Storm Maring brought widespread flooding to
various areas of Luzon.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction
Management Council reported that around 400,000 families in 118 municipalities
and 33 cities of 16 provinces were affected. Damages to infrastructure were
estimated to have reached PhP 78 B and agriculture at PhP 22B.
PBSP appealed for relief assistance and the following
donations/pledges were received:
a.
Philippine
Disaster Recovery Foundation P500,000
b.
The
Philippine Stock Exchange/PSE Foundation P300,000
c.
Epson
Precision Company Phils., Inc. P1,000,000
d.
Dow
Chemical Pacific Ltd. US$11,000
e.
The
Hershey Company/United Way Worldwide US$10,000
f.
Lao
Integrated Farm P1,500
g.
Citibank
P50,000
h.
Deloitte
P 129,000
i.
Phoenix
Petroleum Corporation P300,000
j.
Fluor
P50,000
k.
Accenture
P100,000
l.
Mr.
Victorino/Anselma Carreon US$100
m.
Mr.
Victor Carreon US$100
n.
Ms.
Grace Carreon US$100
o.
CDO
Foodsphere, Inc. 24 cases of canned goods
p.
Integrated
School for Young Children 300 packs of groceries
Through these donations and in
coordination with the different LGUs, PBSP was able to organize series of relief operations from August 21-September 13 and was able to reach 3,823 families in
the following affected areas:
Casiguran, Aurora 862 households
Las Pinas 460 households
Binan, Laguna 1,000 households
Mabitac, Laguna 870 households
Pila, Laguna 241 households
Sta. Cruz, Laguna 390 households
The relief assistance is consistent
with Sphere Project design which will help provide basic household needs for a
family of six covering a period of five days. The relief packs at the minimum, contained
the following:
• 10
kilos of rice
• 3
cans of sardines
• ½
kilogram of monggo or equivalent canned meat
• ½
kilogram dried fish or equivalent canned meat
• 1
pint of cooking oil
• 1
kilogram of sugar
• ¼
kilogram of iodized salt
• 5-L
bottled water
The Sphere Project was launched in
1997 by a group of humanitarian NGOs, Red Cross and the Red Cross Crescent
Movement. Sphere is based on two beliefs, namely: first, that all possible
steps should be taken to alleviate human suffering arising out of calamity and
conflict, and second, that those affected by disaster have a right to life with
dignity and therefore right to assistance.
For this year’s relief operations, at
least 50 volunteer employees from the donor companies spent time to distribute
the relief packs. Employees saw how the families have received the relief packs
with gratitude, “Salamat po nang marami.
Napakalaking tulong po nito sa amin.”
