Humanitarian and relief operations are underway in the Philippines, after the nation was pounded by Typhoon Durian on November 30. The city of Legaspi in the Albay province in the Bicol region is still without power and telephone services. Bottled water is being brought in by neighbors from nearby towns. Grocery stores and shopping centers have temporarily shut down out of fear of looting — worsening the situation as the affected region already suffers from a shortage of food and supplies. The government has suspended classes at all levels in the Albay province until January 2007.
Compassion Philippines reports children and their families from projects: PH-400, PH-401, PH-437 and PH-438 have been displaced from their homes. Partnership facilitators report 651 Compassion-assisted families have been affected, making the total number of individuals at 3,906. Staff also reports 366 homes of Compassion-assisted children have been damaged and 159 have been destroyed.
Many of the homeless children and their families have been relocated to evacuation shelters. There are six shelters in the devastated region. The shelters — which are government facilities, private schools and gymnasiums — are overcrowded, with around 30 or more people in one room, raising serious hygiene and sanitation concerns.
Common illnesses in the centers are: respiratory tract infections, intestinal problems, skin infections and emotional trauma. Relief organizations such as the Red Cross, World Vision, Operation Blessing and Southern Baptist Relief are among the groups providing aid. Compassion Philippines is working with World Vision to ensure children are not being abducted or abused at the evacuation shelters. Compassion Philippines has also set up a team of Christian volunteer doctors who will be flown during the next two weeks into the devastated areas — providing medicines to address the illnesses at the shelters. The doctors will also provide much needed supplies, such as food, cooking utensils, clothes, bottled water, sleeping mats and blankets, and water filtering systems.
Compassion Philippines estimate the cost for providing food at 1.7 million Philippine peso. The cost for medicines and other supplies is estimated at 1 million Philippine peso. Staff reports a minimum of U.S.$50,000 would be needed to sustain the relief work in the next few days. Compassion Philippines expects to begin reconstruction work after the mudflows have stopped and basic services (electricity, water and phone lines) have been restored. Staff also requests support in the immediate release of funds to defray relief expenses.
Please continue to pray for our Compassion family in the Philippines, including staff, church partners, assisted-children and their families as they cope with the ongoing devastation brought on by this natural disaster.
Compassion Philippines will provide an update as information becomes available.
Compassion International will contact you if your child has been affected.
