UPDATE: Oct. 27, 2009 - The Philippines remains in recovery mode following typhoons Ketsana and Parma.

Currently, the Health Specialist from the Compassion Philippines office, along with a team of volunteer doctors, nurses and staff, is conducting medical trips to child development centers affected by Typhoon Parma.

A group of graduating Leadership Development Program students are serving in the typhoon-struck area of metro Manila to help with trauma counseling, stress debriefing, community service and medical missions.

Typhoon Lupit was a third storm heading toward the Philippines, but it changed course and missed the country.

To date, many areas of the country along with several homes are still submerged in knee-deep waters. Some families continue to take shelter in evacuation centers.
       
Compassion-assisted child development staff are visiting affected families. In one center, up to 95 percent of the children have been affected by the flooding.

Please continue to pray for the children, families and staff in the Philippines during this season of tragedy. Pray for God's hand of mercy and comfort to be on them.

Compassion Philippines will keep us updated as more information is available.

Compassion International will contact you if your sponsored child has been affected.

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UPDATE: Oct. 14, 2009 - The Compassion Philippines office is continuing to recover and seek relief after Typhoon Parma caused deadly landslides in northern Luzon.

All of Compassion's church partners in northern Luzon have been affected.

Many families are still living in evacuation centers. Food and water are scarce as some areas are still without electricity, and banks and stores are still flooded.

The Compassion Philippines office has sent truckloads of relief goods to church partners in Pangasinan.

UPDATE: Oct. 9, 2009 - Flooding from Typhoon Parma continues to cause increasing destruction and landslides in the Philippines.

All 14 Compassion-assisted child development centers in northern Luzon have been affected.

We have received the following updates from the Project Facilitator:

• Some of the churches and many of the homes of registered children have been flooded.
• Quite a few parents of registered children have been unable to go out and look for work because of the prolonged rains.
• Most sources of livelihood such as grains and vegetables have been destroyed.
• Some families have been evacuated by the Red Cross.
• Many of the homes of children have been completely destroyed.

In one village a landslide of mud and water destroyed homes. A rescue mission is ongoing.

UPDATE: Oct. 5, 2009 - The Philippines continues to recover from the destruction of Typhoon Ketsana and is now also recovering from a second storm that recently hit, Typhoon Parma. Typhoon Parma, however, was much less destructive than predicted.

Although the rain has stopped and the sun is out, parts of metro Manila are still flooded with standing water including Compassion-assisted child development centers PH-227 and PH-210.

Compassion Philippines staff from the 19 affected child development centers continue to distribute relief packs and check on the children.

All affected Compassion-assisted centers have resumed regular activities.

UPDATE: Oct. 2, 2009 - The Philippines continues to recover from the massive destruction caused by Typhoon Ketsana. The country is also now bracing for Tropical Storm Parma, which is on path to hit within the next 24 to 48 hours.

Tropical Storm Parma is predicted to make landfall on the northern island of Luzon, the same island hit by Typhoon Ketsana, which will possibly affect our child development centers in Samar. This storm is estimated to be stronger than Typhoon Ketsana.

More than 250 people have died as a result of Typhoon Ketsana. No Compassion-assisted children have died.

Schools remain closed and are being used to provide shelter for displaced families.

The child development centers are gathering information, photos and testimonials about how registered children are affected. To date, the following have been affected:

• children from 20 child development centers
• babies and toddlers from three Child Survival Programs
• students from 11 Leadership Development Programs

Within 24 hours of Typhoon Ketsana, affected church partners were distributing relief packs to every registered child. These packs included:

• rice
• water
• sugar
• canned goods
• hygiene kit
• blankets and mats
• candles and matches

Affected Compassion Philippines staff helped in packing relief kits for the children.

UPDATE: Sept. 30, 2009 - The Philippines is beginning the recovery process from the massive destruction caused by Typhoon Ketsana this week.

So far, more than 240 people have died and there has been nearly $100 million in damages.

Schools are currently scheduled to remain closed through Sept. 30 due to flooding and the fact that many of them are being used to provide shelter for displaced families.

Affected child development centers are gathering information, photos and testimonials about how registered children are affected.

The Compassion Philippines office has already sent supplies to provide immediate relief to affected child development centers.

Compassion Philippines staff has also mobilized a donation brigade asking staff and friends to give blankets, towels, mats, clothes and food items to be distributed to partner churches.

Another tropical storm, Parma, is forming and predicted to make landfall later in the week on the northern island of Luzon, the same island hit by Typhoon Ketsana.

Sept. 28, 2009 - Typhoon Ketsana recently swept through the Philippines, causing widespread flooding, massive destruction and at least 140 deaths.

About 16 inches (424 mm) of rain fell in 12 hours, leading to flash flooding and the displacement of more than 450,000 people.

Telephone and electricity services are still out in parts of Manila, making communication difficult.

The government of the Philippines declared a State of Calamity for Manila and 25 other provinces. The government has also requested international assistance.

Compassion has 26 church partners in the area and all are affected. Out of these 26, at least two have been seriously affected, with children whose homes  were flooded or washed away.

Affected church partners are currently accounting for children and assessing the damage, as well as providing immediate relief.

Eighteen Compassion staff members, including the country director, had to evacuate and have lost homes or belongings in the flooding.