What truly happened 2 years after Yolanda?

The 8th of November 2013 was a very unfortunate date for the Philippines, especially for my mom because of a super typhoon that has left her hometown in ruins.

Typhoon Yolanda has rendered countless people dead and homeless.
I remember it was heartbreaking to see my mom calling our relatives without fail but luckily they were all okay.

Filipinos indeed are remarkable people because we are all willing to lend a helping hand no matter what.
I once tried to ask for donations on my Facebook account to see if the people there are willing to participate in any charitable programs.
Usually when it comes to asking for donations, most of us would head for the hills.
But it was not disappointing at all.
I personally gathered and get the donations from them and transported it all to a relief good center.
My primary reason is to still bring hope to these people when obviously there was still none.

The Philippine Red Cross wanted to make sure that everyone who was badly hit with that disaster, especially the most vulnerable, would be given the opportunity and the chance to move forward and beyond the tragedy.
Everybody played a vital role in allowing the PRC to communicate stakeholders, movement partners, both here and abroad, what they have done so far.
The Philippine Red Cross have come a long way since November 8 but indeed, there is still a long way to go and of course, we are here to help them document and share these stories about things that happened since typhoon Yolanda Slammed into Eastern Visayas. They highlighted what they have achieved and how they have change the lives of these people.
Some were even there at the site, covering Yolanda's aftermath and it is not over yet after 24 months of operation, there is still 1 and a half years more to go.
PRC has always been supported by the international group, corporate partners here and abroad, different organizations, other civic groups and even individual donors or partners.

Right after the initial emergency base of their Operation Eastern Visayas, they have focused all their efforts on rebuilding the communities devastated by typhoon Yolanda.
In particular, chairman Richard Gordon, directed them to pour PRC resources in affected areas focusing on 5 sectors-- Shelter, Livelihood, Health Services, Education, Disaster Services -- to ensure they will be able to provide a holistic approach.

PRC, along with the international Red Cross, led a recovery and response operation that extended across 10 heavily affected provinces in 5 islands --Panay, Cebu, Leyte, Palawan, Samar.
According to them, that was one of the biggest disaster recovery operation in the Asia Pacific and the largest in the Philippines with around 137 societies joining the operation to serve the Filipinos.
Their program to build resilient shelters for more than 4 thousand families in the island of Samar, was the biggest of its kind for the ICRC in the world!

Everybody working hand-in-hand, including the international Red Cross team-- Canadian, Swiss, Taiwan, Australian, American, Swedish, British-- along with the PRC team in 102 branches across the nation.
Chairman and CEO of PRC , sir Richard Gordon, mentioned at the presscon that they were already prepared at the very beginning. He wrote to all the societies of the world , getting all the assistance and help they can, assigning each international Red Cross participant in a specific province.
When Yolanda happened, he already sent warnings to different people to mobilize their 143 base. 143 was in all barangays to easily evacuate people.
You could not imagine how strong the Typhoon was.

1 story the chairman shared to public that truly hit me was when the time the typhoon struck the land and there was no communication whatsoever but 1 lady was able to call them through a satellite phone after the typhoon, informing them about the havoc caused by the super typhoon. She was asking for help and there were dead bodies all over, and looting was already rampant.
It was hell on earth.
Getting there was only by highway and after 18 hours, truckloads of relief goods were released and took them 4 days to get there. They brought 10 thousand pieces of ready-to-eat meals because there was no way to cook if you're in that kind of situation.
With the help of ICRC, they made everything as organized as possible.
By January, they were able to put up house and schools already.
When Yolanda happened, the PRC and ICRC just finished with the earthquake operation in Negros Occidental but the Philippine Red Cross is up to the challenge of every single Natural disaster that will strike the country.
Not only because the Red Cross is there but they are creating a culture in being able to renew the life and fortify it in becoming even stronger.
They will never cease.
Thus, the Ceaseless Recovery and Renewal.

For more stories, visit http://www.redcross.org.ph/







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