International Volunteer Day: In the Philippines, volunteers brought unwavering support in the face of six devastating typhoons

In the course of just two months – October to November 2024 – the Philippines were hit with an unrelenting onslaught of destructive typhoons, each one bringing floods and landslides that devastated communities.With over 10 million people affected, the disasters have left a trail of destruction and heartache. But through it all, volunteers from the Philippine Red Cross have been there, in communities around the country, offering support and comfort to those in need.Felisa Buquel, a volunteer from the Isabela chapter has been out there every day, working in evacuation centres, talking, listening and conducting damage assessments to ensure that people get the support they need to recover and rebuild. As we mark International Volunteer Day [December 5] we she shares her story or perseverance, compassion and courage“My journey with the Philippine Red Cross began in school, where my classmates and I were encouraged to volunteer. We first got involved on World CPR (Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation) Day, where we were taught the basics. During the training, we thought, 'Wow, they're so skilled even though they’re so young!' After that, I thought, 'I want to know how this volunteering works; I want to try it myself.'I still remember the ashfall—it was so intense, I couldn’t breathe. I was shaking, and I thought, 'Lord, is this it? Will I be okay?'I realized that being a Red Cross volunteer isn't just about showing up—there’s a lot of training involved. So at first, it felt like just a small effort, but eventually, it became more challenging and meaningful.After volunteering at the Marikina chapter for a while, I was asked if I wanted to join a deployment. My first deployment took me to the eruption of the Taal volcano [in the Province of Batangas].My first task was preparing hot meals. I didn’t even know how to cook properly back then! But in the Red Cross, as a leader once told me, you need to be multitasking—you can’t just know one thing.I’ll never forget the Taal deployment. I still remember the ashfall—it was so intense, I couldn’t breathe. I was shaking, and I thought, 'Lord, is this it? Will I be okay?'Every time I joined a deployment, the thought would cross my mind: ‘What if something happens, and I don’t make it back to my family?’Every time I joined a deployment, the thought would cross my mind: ‘What if something happens, and I don’t make it back to my family?’Every time I joined a deployment, the thought would cross my mind: ‘What if something happens, and I don’t make it back to my family?’But when I see the people in the community who really need help, it feels like everything else doesn’t matter anymore. When I see how much they’re suffering, I can set aside my fears and just do what I can to help.With the typhoons, I have been supporting in a lot of different ways, especially in the evacuation centres. What’s important is that people know they’re not just a number, a statistic, to us.We genuinely want to hear how they are feeling and do what we can to help. For children, the impact of the back-to-back storms has been especially overwhelming. Every time it rains, even just a bit, I can see they get scared—they’re afraid it will start to flood again.When I see the children enjoying themselves, I feel relieved. But sometimes, when they start getting bored or upset, that’s when I know I need to step in and come up with a new activity or strategy to keep their spirits up.Singing and dancing to songs like ‘Baby Shark’ may seem simple but seeing the children happy made it all worthwhile. Their joy reminds me why we do this work—to bring comfort, even in small ways, when everything else seems lost.While we bring essential supplies, I believe what makes us unique is that we bring support and comfort too. One person said, ‘You became like family to us.’ They felt cared for and helped in a way they hadn't before.Their joy reminds me why we do this work—to bring comfort, even in small ways, when everything else seems lost.n the end, I’m proud to be with the Red Cross. I'm proud of the deployments I’ve been part of, and I’m grateful to my mentors at the Red Cross who have been like second parents to me, always supporting me in my studies and personal growth.When someone expresses their gratitude, saying, 'Thank you, ma’am, for coming,' even when you haven’t given them much—just a simple greeting, asking them how they are—that’s something you can’t forget. Those moments when you can show them someone cares, that’s the time I realize what volunteering is all about.”Philippines Red Cross has deployed over 4,000 volunteers to support communities in response to the six typhoons that hit the country from October to November 2024. As their work continues, the IFRC has launched anEmergency Appeal to support the work of Philippine Red Cross in helping communities to recover and rebuild.

Season of the floods: The Philippines Red Cross responds to the floodwaters that never went away

The floodwaters came, but they never left. In the region around Bulacan, a provincial area in Luzon, in northern Philippines, many communities have been literally knee-deep in water for more than three months plus now.Water that overflowed the banks of a river that surged in July, has remained, covering the landscape in a shallow pool ever since.“We got used to the flood waters stagnating in our homes,” saysMeldrid Liodel, a 53-year-old single mother. “We have tried not to get stressed about it. It is very difficult to stand up [due to the water], especially the cleaning, the cleaningof our homes [is difficult].”“I have six children and seven grandchildren.If you ask why we do not just move away, this is where we were born, we grew up, we made families, and we continue to fight for our lives.”Meldrid, as well as all her neighbours and communities, are learning to live their daily lives in shin-deep water. They get around in narrow canoes and many received boats from the local government to help with their daily commutes.The gardening they do for daily sustenance has also changed radically. They’ve started planting vegetables that grow well on water, and they began open air-drying fish that they catch from their rooftops. The fish and vegetables they use to earn a small income and feed their families.“These floods here started happening way back when Mount Pinatubo erupted many years ago,”Meldrid adds.“Before this, we had crops, we had a lot of rice fields, the farmers could farm, the fishermen could fish well.”Mount Pinatubo is just more than 90 kilometers from Bulacan, Central Luzon, where Meldrid’s community lives. Many years after the eruption, they realised that the entire local irrigation network, as well as the water channels and infrastructure in the surrounding regions, had been damaged by the volcano. Ever since, thousands of communities were suffering from continuous floods that would never subside.The floods are a result of a combination of back flooding, high-tide, and water brought in from storms and typhoons. This has occurred more frequently in the past decade.Just the beginningYet, this is not the full story. The Philippines sits one of the most disaster-prone zones in the world. Yearly, the country experiences multiple typhoons, floods, volcanic activity, and even earthquakes.By late November 2024, a total of six typhoons had pounded the Philippines back-to-back in various regions, dumping onto its land copious amounts of rushing water and causing widespread destruction. While international aid is vital for humanitarian purposes, it is not immediate, and affected people are in dire need of help the very hour the disaster hits.The storms only intensified the already chronic flooding problem. “Typhoon Carina was very strong, and it was sudden,”says Amelia Torres, who stands with her husband in their living room, which has been carpeted in to two feet of water since July 2024. “It suddenly intensified and didn’t go away and it didn't stop. The floods didn't subside.”All their belongings are hanging on the walls, dangling from the ceiling, or are perched on top of shelves and tables. Their bed and mattress are in the living room, about one foot above the water. “Sometimes, it's only dry for just 3 months of the year,” she adds.Rapid response fund to the rescueThis is where the IFRC DREF – Disaster Response Emergency Fund has been such a critical asset. This fund delivers financial support directly to local humanitarian actors—both before a crisis is expected to hit and after. These funds go directly to National Societies, and they are those that are very embedded in local communities.In the case of recent storms, the funds enabled the Philippine Red Cross to galvanize their response to quickly reach people while further funds are being procured globally. They were able to prepare evacuation centres,deploy evacuation teams, and quickly get hot meals, essential items, hygiene kits and more to the people.The IFRC-DREF mechanism was originally designed to respond to small- and medium-sized disasters, but it has evolved to include support for anticipatory action. By acting before disasters strike, IFRC aims for it to enable the saving of more lives and livelihoods and minimizing the devastating impacts.The Philippines have been a recipient of IFRC-DREF three times for the year 2024, and the Philippine Red Cross, along with the IFRC and partners, have been helping with relief, evacuation, hot meals, medical aid, and much more.That support is critical to people like Edgardo Sibbaluca, a construction worker in Rizal, another province in Central Luzon. His family of six experienced the full force of Super Typhoon Carina that hit in July this year.“We couldn’t save anything; we lost all our belongings,”he says. “We had to evacuate. We are now sleeping in the evacuation centre. Food is being brought to us, and that’s what we’re relying on. Fortunately, it occurred in the morning. If it had happened at night, many would have died.I felt weak; all I could see were piles of trash. I felt very weak. “But I’m thankful that at least our lives were spared. I’ll rebuild my house and fix my surroundings. I’ll plant again and go back to work. I’ll restore everything to how it was so I can get back on my feet.”“I feel like we have to be cautious now,”added Edgardo, who expressed gratitude for the support he received from the Red Cross. “We need to be prepared for disasters because we might have to evacuate again.I’m afraid of strong disasters that come suddenly.I want us to be strong and brave, to face challenges without fear and to be prepared.”By Rachel Punitha, IFRC Senior Communications Officer, Asia Pacific

Early warning systems only way to begin tackling unprecedented number of Philippines typhoons

Manila/ Kuala Lumpur/ Geneva, 18 November:Six tropical typhoons have hit the Philippines in a month in an unprecedented pattern of extreme weather, not seen since records in the Pacific basin began in 1951. While the overall impact caused by the latest Super Typhoon Man-Yi (local name Pepito) is still being assessed, the previous five typhoons - Trami (Kristine), Kong-Rey (Leon), Yin-Xing (Marce), Toraji (Nika) and Usagi (Ofel) - have already caused extensive destruction across the region, bringing torrential rains, landslides, widespread flooding and damage to infrastructure and livelihoods, stretching local resources to their maximum. Over 1.4 million displaced people have faced limited access to water, sanitation, nutrition and health care. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is urgently appealing for more aid, increasing its initialEmergency Appeal for 7.5 million Swiss Francs, launched for Typhoon Trami, to 9 million Swiss Francs with the aim of enabling the Philippine Red Cross to widen its scope of assistance to over 86,000 people in the 12 most impacted provinces by allsix typhoons.Dr. Gwendolyn Pang, Secretary General of the Philippine Red Cross (PRC), said: “While providing lifesaving support, we have initiated early actions to help at-risk communities to reduce damage. But no one can be well prepared for such an unprecedented number of storms in this short span of time. We need help to reduce the humanitarian impacts of these typhoons.” She also pointed out that the PRC has been responding to disasters from the beginning, alongside local authorities, to meet the immediate needs of the most vulnerable communities.Gopal Mukherjee, Programme Coordinator and IFRC Acting Head of Delegation for the Philippines highlighted the urgent need for more aid as local resources are stretched thin, including that of the Philippine Red Cross:“Already the recovery of impacted communities is interrupted by these typhoons and their compounding effects. The humanitarian situation is worsening as Super Typhoon Man-Yi is making its impact,” he added.For more information or to request an interview, please contact: [email protected] In Kuala Lumpur: Lili Chin: +60 162340872In Geneva: Hannah Copeland, +41 76 236 91 09

Philippines: Severe Tropical Storm Kristine

Philippines: Typhoons and Floods

In just three weeks during October and November 2024, the Philippines faced the devastating impacts of four tropical cyclones, displacing over 1.4 million people and severely affecting 9.9 million others. The destruction of homes, schools, and livelihoods has left vulnerable communities in urgent need of basic necessities like food, water, and shelter, with two more storms expected to intensify the crisis. This emergency appeal will help make a meaningful difference for more than 17,000 families supported by the Philippine Red Cross in this response.

IFRC calls for local level investment to scale up early warning systems in disaster response

Manila, Philippines – The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, disaster risk reduction practitioners, governments, civil society and other international organisations met in Manila last week at the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (APMCDRR) 2024. The event brought together these key stakeholders to share knowledge and accelerate action towards a resilient global future.This year’s theme, ‘Eyes on 2030: Enhancing Ambition in Asia-Pacific to Accelerate Disaster Risk Reduction’, strongly aligns with IFRC’s long-standing commitment to improving disaster preparedness and community resilience across the region.In collaboration with the IFRC, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) also aims to showcase the power of locally-led action and anticipatory approaches, emphasising the importance of inclusive and sustainable solutions to reduce disaster risks. As the Asia-Pacific area remains one of the most disaster-prone regions in the world, the participation of the Red Cross Red Crescent (RCRC) Movement at APMCDRR is crucial to driving forward local initiatives that build safer, more resilient communities.The IFRC, which serves as a global leader in disaster risk reduction and humanitarian response, supports PRC and 37 other National Societies in Asia Pacific in promoting community resilience, disaster law, early warning systems, and gender-responsive disaster governance. The IFRC will advocate for stronger policies that integrate DRR into national and local development plans and sustainable financing mechanisms ensuring that women, children, the elderly, and people with disabilities are at the heart of these efforts.During the event, the Secretary General of Maldivian Red Crescent, Fathimath Himya, was announced as one of the finalists for the Women’s International Network for Disaster Risk Reduction (WIN DRR) Excellence Award. Nominees are celebrated for their exceptional professional success in disaster risk reduction, representing the expertise and experiences needed to find solutions to understanding, preventing, and reducing the increasing disaster risk in the most disaster-prone region of the world. Throughout the conference, under the fourth pillar of the Early Warning For All initiative by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, the IFRC co-leads discussions and shares best practice in DRR, focusing on anticipatory action together with the World Meteorological Organisation and International Telecommunication Union.In addition to its contribution to DRR policy discussions, the IFRC leverages the APMCDRR as an opportunity to reinforce partnerships with governments, donors and other stakeholders, with the goal of increasing funding for locally-led disaster resilience programmes. The IFRC also co-hosted a series of side events focusing on anticipatory action and the role of women in leadership in disaster risk reduction.Looking Ahead: APMCDRR and the Road to GenevaThe outcomes of APMCDRR 2024 will feed into broader global efforts to enhance disaster risk reduction. The commitments made in Manila will be vital in shaping discussions at the upcoming Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, which will take place in Geneva in June 2025. The Geneva conference will build on the outcomes of regional platforms like APMCDRR, further aligning them with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).Juja Kim, Deputy Regional Director for the IFRC who was also in Manila, said:"The increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather and climate events poses severe humanitarian challenges that are already affecting millions of lives and livelihoods around the world. What we achieve at APMCDRR will resonate globally, including at the International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent in Geneva at the end of October, where we, together with States, are set to pass important resolutions regarding locally-led action, disaster law, and anticipatory action addressing extreme climate and weather events. Anticipatory action saves lives and livelihoods and massively reduces the need for post-disaster reaction. Some estimates suggest that 95% of people who might otherwise need post-disaster humanitarian aid would not need it if the right anticipatory action is taken in advance. So together, we must ensure that disaster risk reduction is fully integrated into every level of policy and planning.”About APMCDRR 2024Hosted by the Government of the Philippines in partnership with the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (APMCDRR) is the region’s largest gathering on disaster risk reduction. The event aims to review DRR efforts, share innovative solutions, and commit to accelerated action toward reducing disaster risk in the world’s most disaster-prone region.For media inquiries please contact: [email protected] Manila/Kuala Lumpur: Afrhill Frances, IFRC Regional Communications Manager, +60 19 271 3641

Super Typhoon Yagi causes severe flooding across Southeast Asia

Bangkok/Yangon/Kuala Lumpur 17 September 2024 – Super Typhoon Yagi, one of the strongest typhoons to hit Southeast Asia in decades, has left a trail of destruction in multiple countries, with severe flooding, landslides, and widespread infrastructural damage. The typhoon affected the Philippines, Laos, Vietnam, and Myanmar, triggering both immediate humanitarian responses and long-term recovery efforts. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), in collaboration with local Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, is mobilising resources to assist those in need.Regional impact of Typhoon YagiSuper Typhoon Yagi initially made landfall in the Philippines on 2 September. Locally known as Typhoon Enteng, it resulted in landslides and flooding, killing 21 people in its wake, prompting school and office closures and disrupting power and telecommunication services.Three days later, it traversed through southern China before landing in Vietnam on 7 September. Typhoon Yagi caused massive destruction in Vietnam’s Quang Ninh province and Hai Phong city. With continuous heavy rainfall, flooding, and landslides affecting 26 provinces, including the capital city of Hanoi, the typhoon left 344 people reported dead or missing. Over 235,000 homes were damaged, and the economic impact is so far estimated at USD 1.6 billion.The Vietnam Red Cross Society (VNRC) has been on the front lines, distributing emergency relief items, food, and cash assistance. The IFRC is launching a CHF 4 million emergency appeal to aid recovery efforts in the worst-affected areas, focusing on shelter restoration, health services, and livelihood recovery​.Myanmar also faced unprecedented flooding starting on September 8, as the remnants of Typhoon Yagi triggered heavy rains, displacing over 320,000 people and causing 113 reported deaths across nine regions. The Myanmar Red Cross Society (MRCS) has been actively conducting search and rescue operations, providing first aid, and distributing vital supplies such as food, water, blankets, and hygiene items. The IFRC, in collaboration with MRCS, has launched another emergency appeal, aiming to raise 2.5 million CHF to assist 25,000 people over the next 12 months​.While the direct impact of Typhoon Yagi was less severe in the Philippines, and later on in Laos, both countries experienced significant flooding and infrastructural damage. The local Red Cross Societies responded to urgent needs, and both countries are working to mitigate further risks posed by prolonged flooding and landslides.Flooding in Southeast Asia: A Regional CrisisSuper Typhoon Yagi’s impact has caused extensive flooding across Southeast Asia, affecting millions of people. Prolonged rainfall, soil saturation, and the sheer magnitude of the typhoon have exacerbated the already vulnerable situations in many communities. Local Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies across the region are responding to immediate needs, while the IFRC is coordinating support for large-scale recovery operations, including emergency shelter, healthcare, and psychosocial support.With emergency appeals being launched in Vietnam and Myanmar, the IFRC is calling for international solidarity to ensure a rapid and effective response to help affected communities rebuild their lives. The IFRC’s Regional Director for Asia Pacific, Alexander Matheou, says:"This year alone, the Asia Pacific region has faced an unrelenting series of climate-related disasters. The devastation caused by Super Typhoon Yagi is just the latest example of the compounding effects of the climate crisis on people who are already in vulnerable situations. From typhoons, floods, and heatwaves to droughts, these crises hit one after another, leaving little room for recovery.“The IFRC and our Red Cross and Red Crescent partners remain committed to providing life-saving assistance and long-term support. As we face this escalating climate emergency, our work is more critical than ever in helping communities prepare for, respond to, and recover from these frequent and severe disasters."The IFRC is working closely with national authorities and humanitarian partners in the region to coordinate efforts and scale up operations. The immediate focus is on providing life-saving assistance, restoring critical infrastructure, and supporting long-term recovery. Cash assistance, emergency shelters, and health services are among the priority needs as floodwaters continue to rise, threatening food security, sanitation, and public health.For more information or to request an interview, please contact [email protected] Media Inquiries:In Bangkok: Kovit Pholsena | +66 (0) 81 837 8876 In Kuala Lumpur: Afrhill Rances | +60 19 271 3641In Geneva: Hannah Copeland | +44 7535316633Visuals: Additional photos and video available here: Viet Nam , Myanmar

World Immunization Week: Delivering vaccines and trustworthy information to communities around the world

A mother of four and restaurant owner from Dabola, in central Guinea, Diaraye says she felt scared about vaccines. She didn’t think she had enough information and she’d heard rumours about harmful side effects.Several health workers came to visit her to try and convince her to vaccinate her newborn, Madiou, but she still felt uneasy.That was until she met Bérété, a Guinea Red Cross supervisor with theCommunity Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness Programme (CP3).A mother herself, Bérété connected with Diaraye and patiently explained how vaccinating her own children has kept them safe from diseases. She responded sensitively to Diaraye’s concerns.Newly informed and confident, Diaraye agreed for Bérété to take baby Madiou for his first immunizations. Since then, Diaraye has become a champion for vaccination within her community.“My advice to mothers is to agree to their children getting vaccinated," says Diaraye. "Since the Red Cross came to help me vaccinate my baby, I’ve seen that it’s good for children. And I tell all mothers to go and get their children vaccinated at the health centre.”A global story, playing out locally, house-by-houseDiaraya’s story is far from unique. People around the world often don’t have access to life-saving vaccines, do not have all the facts about how they work, or don’t know who they can trust to give them accurate and unbiased information.This is why trusted community organizations, like Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, are playing a critical role in reaching out at the local level, providing trustworthy information while enabling access to vaccines in places that are underserved by health services. In many cases, they are in the midst of ongoing emergencies.This year, World Immunization Week revolves around the theme of Humanly Possible, also the name of a global campaign to celebrate and build on the achievements made in protecting people from preventable diseases during the last 75 years.For its part, the IFRC is redoubling efforts to bring awareness and vaccines to people in vulnerable situations — conflict, outbreaks, forced migration, natural disaster — or who lack access to immunization services for whatever reason.The approach varies to meet the specific situation of each county. They also span the globe, from National Societies in Guinea, Afghanistan, Pakistan, andKyrgyzstan,and many others. Here are a few more examples of the ways Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies are taking on a wide range of very different immunization challenges.Philippine Red Cross takes on another measles outbreakThe Philippine Red Cross Society (PRCS) has been supporting the government of ThePhilippinesin responding to a measles outbreak by vaccinating more than 15,000 children ages 6 months to below 10 years old with measles vaccine.As of April 14, 2024, the Philippine Red Cross has vaccinated more than 15,500 children, mobilizing a total of 131 volunteers (35 vaccinators and 96 support volunteers) in 85 communities in four provinces.The PRCS’ measles outbreak response is being donein collaboration with the ICRC, which also has a long-time presence in theBangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, an area where people are impacted by internal conflict. Because of low immunization rates in the area, It's also one of the main places in the country where the measles outbreak is happening.The PRCShas been part of other polio and measles outbreak responses and plans to expand this current operation by deploying vaccination teams from other chapters, with the help ofresources from the IFRC and the United States Center for Disease Control.Using innovation to improve access to immunization in ThailandThe Thai Red Cross Society (TRCS), meanwhile, has been using technology in innovative ways tobring immunization services to people who would not otherwise have access to immunization services.In Thailand, many displaced people and undocumented residents are living without proper forms of identification required to access vaccination services. To address the health gap, TRCS partnered with the Department of Disease Control of the Ministry of Public Health and Thailand’s National Electronics and Computer Technology Center to develop the Thai Red Cross Biometric Authentication System.This system uses a biometric authentication system, using face and iris recognition technology — while still ensuring data privacy — to accurately identify and register vaccine recipients.This allows people without official documentation to still receive vaccines and it enables a way to keep a record of the vaccinations received.Using this technology, TRCS reached 20,000 adolescent girls (specifically ethnic minorities, migrants, and refugees) living in temporary shelters across the country with 40,000 doses of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. This helped to significantly decrease their chances of getting HPV, a major, but vaccine-preventable cause of cervical cancer.If this can be expanded, more displaced persons and undocumented residents can be assured to have access to their next essential vaccine, such as a booster shot.Local presence, ready to prevent and respondOver the long term, immunization campaigns are only fully effective if they are of high quality and result in high rates of coverage. The challenge now is to improve and strengthen routine immunisation to better prevents future outbreaks, while also ensuring there is capacity in place to respond quickly and engage communities — if and when outbreaks occur.This is why the work of National Societies is so critical. As national organizations with widespread local presence, they are ideally suited to work with local and national health authorities and communities to build trust while delivering consistent access to immunization. The video below shows how the Pakistan Red Crescent brings immunization through local clinics.Back in Guinea, Red Cross volunteer Bérété continues to visit Diaraye to make sure her son Madiou is doing well, as part of her work engaging members of her community on how to protect themselves and their families.“We keep supporting her, because every time I send her child to hospital to be vaccinated, I never forget to follow up,”explains Bérété. “Every morning I come to see her to check on the child. Because you can’t just vaccinate a child and leave without following up. If she can see that you are there for her at all times, she will have the courage” to keep up with necessary immunizations in the future.

Flooding around the world: Red Cross and Red Crescent teams responding

In recent weeks, floods have been hitting communities and making headlines around the world. Let’s take a look at some of the countries dealing with flooding and see how Red Cross and Red Crescent teams are helping people who have been affected. Slovenia Torrential rains over the past couple of weeks have affected two-thirds of Slovenia, prompting the country’s Prime Minister to declare it the ‘biggest natural disaster’ in the country’s history. The floods have killed three people and destroyed bridges, roads and houses - causing an estimated 500 million euros of damage. Volunteers from the Slovenian Red Cross have been delivering food, water and medicine to people affected by the floods – often on foot, since it’s the only way to reach many isolated communities. They’re also accompanying people staying in temporary shelters. The Czech Red Cross, Croatian Red Cross, Hungarian Red Cross and Polish Red Cross have all shown solidarity by sending additional food, water and hygiene items into the country to help with the response. Norway In Norway, Norwegian Red Cross volunteers are helping people affected Storm Hans, which is causing havoc across the south of the country – bringing extreme rain, landslides and floods. Volunteers are assisting with evacuations, running emergency ambulances, delivering food to isolated people and building sandbag flood defences. Many local branches remain on high alert, with more volunteers standing by to support as the situation develops. Sudan With millions reeling from the ongoing conflict in Sudan, communities across White Nile state have also now been impacted by heavy rains and flash floods. Torrents of water swept away and destroyed everything in their path. Families have lost homes and belongings, and many are resorting to sleeping outside in the open air. Shelter and clean water are needed urgently. Sudanese Red Crescent Society volunteers, who have already been responding to people’s needs during the conflict, are assessing the situation closely to provide additional support. China Torrential rains and floods have hit East Asia severely this summer, including areas of north, northeast and southern China. Beijing has seen the largest rainfall experienced in the city in the past 140 years. Disaster relief teams from the Red Cross Society of China are helping people in flood-stricken areas – supporting with clean-up and recovery, as well as distributing household items, quilts, waterproof jackets and more. Philippines In the Philippines, Typhoons Doksuri and Khanun (known locally as Egay and Falcon) have brought devastating floods. An estimated 313,000 people have been displaced by Doksuri alone, and more than 25 people have sadly lost their lives. Philippine Red Cross volunteers have been bringing relief supplies, meals, medical assistance and psychosocial support to affected communities. Afghanistan Flash floods and heavy rainfall have caused loss of life, injuries and severe damage to hundreds of households in Afghanistan – a country already experiencing complex humanitarian crises. Afghan Red Crescent and IFRC emergency teams are providing urgent relief – including blankets, jerry cans, tarpaulins and shelter kits. And mobile health teams are bringing medical services to remote communities. Iran In Iran, Iranian Red Crescent Society teams have been responding to flooding in Sistan Balochistan, North Khorasan and West Azerbaijan provinces – deploying 35 response teams and providing support to hundreds of people. Volunteer teams have been rescuing people stranded in the flood waters, setting up temporary shelters, and providing essential items. Honduras In western Honduras, localized flooding caused by rainstorms hit the town of Copan Ruinas – damaging homes and local businesses. The local Honduran Red Cross branch responded quickly to distribute relief items to local people and help clear up debris and fallen trees. -- Thank you to all our National Societies for supporting communities affected by floods in recent weeks. If you'd like to learn more about floods and how you can prepare, click here.

Building Trust programme

Building Trust during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Humanitarian Settings is our global programme supporting Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to build trust in public health responses and in the work of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.

Typhoon Noru batters Philippines as people evacuate to safety

Kuala Lumpur/Manila 25 September 2022 – People in northern Philippines are scrambling to safe areas and evacuation centres as Super Typhoon Noru (locally named Karding) begins to batter thousands of cities, homes, and infrastructure. The typhoon, hit maximum wind speeds of 260km per hour has made landfall at the Polillio islands, north-eastern Philippines this Sunday afternoon, local time. Philippine Red Cross teams are on the ground, mobilised to assist and evacuate people to safety. Typhoon Noru will be the strongest storm hitting the country this year and it is as intense and destructive as last year's Super Typhoon Rai which wrecked 1.5 million houses in December. Richard Gordon, Philippine Red Cross Chairman said: “This storm is the strongest one yet this year to hit us. It is critical that we move everyone to safety right now as this Typhoon is set to cause devastation in all Central Luzon, including our capital, Manila. “Our volunteers are on full stand-by mode working with authorities to move people to evacuation centres with all their necessities. We also pre-positioning emergency relief, hot meals, and medical supplies in anticipation. Our water tankers for drinking water and payloaders to quickly clear off debris, mud and fallen trees and make roads accessible to reach communities are also in place. “We are advising people to charge their phones, pack food, and grab their important belongings. There is no telling of the extent of the disruptions.” The eastern seaboard Luzon island, (facing the Pacific ocean) is already being hit with strong winds and heavy rains. Hundreds of people in ports are left stranded as air and sea operations halt. The island is the country's largest and most populated island. Alberto Bocanegra, IFRC Head of Philippine Country Office said: “We have learned from responding to last year's strongest typhoon, Rai. We believe we are continuing to adapt our emergency responses and are prepared to handle to the intensity of this storm. “These weather-related events are intensifying and becoming more frequent. The super storm that hit south-eastern Philippines was a mere ten months ago, and the people affected are barely picking up the pieces. We must be effective and quick to adapt no matter how bad the situation will be. “IFRC is working closely with the Philippines Red Cross and helping with relief and providing support." Philippines is hit with torrential rains, strong winds, floods and tropical storms multiple times in a year. For more information, contact, Asia Pacific Office: Afrhill Rances, +60 19-271 3641, [email protected] Rachel Punitha, +60 19 791 3830, [email protected] Soneel Ram, +679 998 3688, [email protected]

Philippines: 2 million exposed to climate disasters 3 months after Typhoon Rai

Kuala Lumpur/Manila, March 16, 2022 – More than 2.4 million still need ongoing relief and are left exposed to extreme climate disasters more than three months after Super Typhoon Rai ravaged the eastern Philippines. Typhoon Rai severely affected 11 million people and smashed over two million houses in December 2021. Most affected families are still living under roofless or makeshift homes made of tarpaulins and salvaged iron sheets while others remain displaced and are forced to live with relatives and friends. Millions of people lost income and have disrupted livelihoods made more difficult due to the severe impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, rising prices of food, construction materials and other basic commodities. Philippine Red cross Chairman Richard Gordon said: “Months have passed but we are still assisting communities hit by Typhoon Rai, one of the most destructive storms in our lifetime. The help of the Red Cross doesn't stop with providing hot meals, relief items, and giving access to safe and clean water. “We will be here to help people recover every step of the way, but we need to mobilise much more support to help people rebuild safer and stronger shelters to withstand the next storm.” Red Cross volunteers are providing food packs, clean water supplies, tarpaulins, iron sheets and shelter tool kits to repair damaged homes, and other essential relief supplies. Cash grants are helping families access basic needs, kickstarting the local economy. More than 400,000 people have been supported by Red Cross since the typhoon hit. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is concerned that greater action is needed to protect millions of people at risk due to the typhoon. IFRC Philippines Head of Delegation Alberto Bocanegra said: “This is a critical time for people whose homes were torn from their foundations by typhoon Rai. The longer it takes for people to recover, the more they become susceptible and exposed to the risks of extreme weather events. “We must not let these families who are most vulnerable to climate change be reduced to statistics.” IFRC is appealing for 20 million Swiss francs to provide more than 400,000 people with immediate relief, including food supplies, restored access to clean water, and longer-term support to help families rebuild their homes and shattered livelihoods. To date, the Emergency Appeal has received 35 per cent of funds needed for the response. For more information or to arrange an interview, contact: Asia Pacific Office: Antony Balmain, +60 12 230 8451, [email protected] In Manila, France Noguera, +63-998-9606-291, [email protected]

Philippines: New data reveals Typhoon Rai wrecked 1.5 million houses

Kuala Lumpur/Manila, 25 January 2022 – New assessments reveal the full extent of Super Typhoon Rai’s devastation when it slammed into the Philippines a little over a month ago, with the storm destroying or damaging a staggering 1.5 million houses, more than any other typhoon in recent decades. Philippine Red Cross is ramping up its shelter support by transporting table saws, chainsaws and generators to areas hardest hit by the typhoon, including Cebu, Bohol, Palawan, Siargao and Dinagat islands. The equipment is enabling Red Cross carpenters and trained volunteers to transform millions of fallen coconut trees into coco lumber to rebuild safer and stronger homes in the worst-affected areas. Carpenters are training local people in safer house construction, to provide vital wages for families who lost their livelihoods, including the agricultural and fishing equipment they relied upon to earn an income. Philippine Red Cross Chairman Richard Gordon said: “This is a much bigger disaster than the world realised a month ago. People who relied on farming, fishing and tourism can’t earn an income now. Millions of people don’t have a roof over their heads. "Red Cross is supporting 30,000 families with roofing materials like corrugated iron sheets and tarpaulins to protect them from the sun and rain, but we need greater international support to meet the enormous need for safer and stronger homes for millions of people. “The typhoon comes in the middle of a pandemic and a political campaign, which draw attention away from what truly is a catastrophe. This must not become forgotten tomorrow morning.” IFRC Head of Philippine Country Office Alberto Bocanegra said: “It’s a little over one month since Typhoon Rai slammed into the Philippines, yet millions of people still urgently need humanitarian support, including homes, clean water supplies and healthcare. “Assessment data reveals that this Super Typhoon has caused enormous devastation, destroying or damaging more homes than any storm in recent decades. “Filipinos are tough, and they are rebuilding, with support from Philippine Red Cross and other agencies, but more must be done to help people rebuild their shattered homes.” Philippine Red Cross has been on the ground since the super typhoon hit and has already reached 36,000 people with emergency shelter support, including toolkits, construction materials and tarpaulins to help people set up temporary shelters and start rebuilding. Emergency teams are providing kitchen sets, sleeping kits, pillows, mattresses, bedsheets, blankets and clothing. Longer-term support is required to enable families to rebuild their homes safely, particularly those in vulnerable circumstances, living on isolated islands and in remote or hard to reach areas. IFRC co-leads the Shelter Cluster Philippines with the Government of the Philippines to assess the typhoon’s impact on households, coordinating and prioritising emergency shelter work with all partners. The International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is appealing for CHF 20 million to support more than 400,000 people over 24 months. A top priority includes assisting people to rebuild safer shelters, including emergency housing materials and essential items, replacement of destroyed houses, and legal support on housing, land and property issues. For more information, contact: IFRC Asia Pacific Office: Antony Balmain, +60 12 230 845, [email protected] IFRC Philippine Delegation: Karina Coates, +61 (0) 404 086 006, [email protected]

Philippines: Mounting health crisis after super typhoon

Kuala Lumpur/Manila, January 6, 2022 - The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) warns of a mounting health crisis in the eastern Philippines after Super Typhoon Rai destroyed hospitals and affected more than 7.3 million people. Philippine Red Cross is scaling up critical healthcare on islands devastated by the typhoon, locally known as Typhoon Odette, to prevent further spread of COVID-19, and deadly waterborne diseases including gastroenteritis and acute watery diarrhoea. There have been more than 400 cases of diarrhoea and gastroenteritis in typhoon-affected areas, with 141 health facilities damaged by the storm, according to Philippine Government agencies. Philippine Red Cross Chairman Richard Gordon said: “Philippine Red Cross health teams are providing vital care at emergency medical tents on Siargao Island, boosting health services at the hospital, which was severely damaged by the typhoon, losing much of its roof. “We’re urgently sending more health teams, hygiene kits and resources, including safe water supplies and water filtration systems to Siargao island, Cebu, Palawan and Bohol, to prevent the spread of disease.” IFRC Head of Philippine Delegation Alberto Bocanegra said: “It is extremely concerning that people have been getting very sick and even dying in areas smashed by this typhoon, which has left millions without access to clean drinking water, hospitals and health facilities. “Red Cross is urgently ramping up healthcare and providing clean water to prevent severe illness and death from diseases like gastroenteritis and diarrhoea.” The IFRC is appealing for 20 million Swiss francs to provide more than 400,000 people with immediate relief, including food supplies, restored access to clean water, and longer-term support to help families rebuild their homes and shattered livelihoods. For more information or to arrange an interview, contact: Asia Pacific Office: Antony Balmain, +60 12 230 8451, [email protected] IFRC Philippine Delegation, Karina Coates, +61 (0) 404 086 006 [email protected]

Philippines: International aid vital after typhoon devastation

Kuala Lumpur/Manila, 19 December 2021 - International action is critical for hundreds of thousands of people whose homes and livelihoods have been decimated by Super Typhoon Rai. In response to the devastation caused by the typhoon, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has launched an Emergency Appeal for 20 million Swiss francs to fund urgent relief and longer term recovery efforts for an estimated 400,000 people. Typhoon Rai slammed into the eastern Philippines on Thursday, 16 December ravaging islands and coastal communities in the eastern Philippines and carving a path of devastation, flooding towns and cities across the country. Philippine Red Cross Chairman Richard Gordon said: “Filipinos are rallying together with courage, but after losing everything in this savage storm, international support will enable hundreds of thousands of people to rebuild their homes and decimated livelihoods. “Red Cross emergency teams are reporting complete carnage in the coastal areas. Homes, hospitals, school and community buildings have been ripped to shreds. “Our volunteers are providing urgent relief for people who have lost everything, including food, drinking water, first aid, medical care, and somewhere safe to shelter.” Typhoon Rai is one of the most powerful storms on record to hit the southern Philippines. The super storm has caused widespread flooding for millions of people hit hard by the social and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. IFRC Head of Philippine Country Office Alberto Bocanegra said: “Red Cross teams are describing widespread devastation in coastal areas. It’s going to be a long, tough road for people to rebuild and get their lives back on track. “The emergency appeal that we have launched in support of the Philippine Red Cross will enable relief and longer-term assistance. We need to be ready to urgently increase support as the full extent of the disaster becomes clear.” The Philippines is struck by around 20 typhoons a year, with climate change intensifying the risk of more powerful and frequent storms. For more information or to arrange an interview, contact: Kuala Lumpur: Rachel Punitha, +60-19-791-3830, [email protected] In Bangkok: Preeti Abraham, +66 61 412 3910, [email protected] In Geneva: Teresa Goncalves, +44 7891 857 056, [email protected]

Philippines: Devastation in areas hit by Super Typhoon

Kuala Lumpur/Manila, December 17, 2021 – Villages have been smashed by destructive winds and towns are underwater after Super Typhoon Rai bulldozed across the Philippines. Red Cross emergency response teams are helping rescue people in severe floods that submerged large areas of cities including Cagayan de Oro, Bohol and Kabankalan city according to initial assessments. More than 140,000 people have been severely affected. Homes and infrastructure have been devastated across islands in the eastern Philippines including Mindanao, Siargao and Nonoc. Philippine Red Cross Chairman Richard Gordon said: “This is one of the most powerful typhoons to ever hit the southern Philippines. It has torn houses to pieces, it's dumping torrential rain, and severely flooding cities and towns. “Top priority is preventing loss of life, rescuing people from floodwaters, providing medical care and first aid, hot meals, and drinking water to people who don’t know whether they still have a home left standing. “We are ramping up relief efforts and standing by our Filipino people. This typhoon is a terrible surprise for the festive season.” Red Cross volunteer and emergency teams are serving thousands of hot meals and providing relief, including medical care, first aid and psychological support, with tens of thousands of people stranded at evacuation centres. Emergency teams are rushing to the worst affected islands to assess the scale of the damage and provide critical relief. IFRC Head of Philippine Country Office Alberto Bocanegra said: “The full picture is only just starting to emerge, but it is clear there is widespread devastation. It is heartbreaking to see homes, Red Cross offices and even a hospital ripped apart. “We hold grave fears for people in areas including Siargao and other islands that still have no communication and contact with the outside world. “It’s essential to get relief, including tarpaulins for shelter, food supplies and healthcare to people who face the toughest days of their lives.” For more information or to arrange an interview, contact: In Kuala Lumpur: Antony Balmain, +60 12 230 8451, [email protected]

Philippines: Race to keep millions safe from super typhoon

Kuala Lumpur/Manila, December 16, 2021 - One of the world’s strongest storms of 2021 is bearing down on the Philippines threatening millions of people with destructive winds and flash floods. Philippine Red Cross teams across eastern areas of the country are working around the clock to preposition rescue vehicles, first aid teams, evacuation and safety equipment as well as relief supplies including pre-prepared meals and drinking water. Typhoon Odette has intensified rapidly in the past hours, adding urgency to emergency preparations made more difficult by the COVID-19 pandemic. Philippine Red Cross Chairman Richard Gordon said: “Red Cross emergency teams are urgently helping as tens of thousands of families bunker down for the most powerful storm they have faced this year. Volunteers are equipping shelters with blankets, first aid and food supplies. We are doing thit to protect the people. “Filipinos are tough but this Super Typhoon is a bitter blow for millions of people who are still recovering from devastating storms, floods and COVID-19 in the past year.” Typhoon Odette is one of the most powerful storms to menace the Philippines in recent years. Millions of people are still rebuilding their homes and livelihoods that were shattered in eight major storms that battered the country late last year. IFRC Head of Philippine Country Office Alberto Bocanegra said: “This monster storm is frightening and threatens to hit coastal communities like a freight train. We are very concerned that climate change is making typhoons more ferocious and unpredictable. “Red Cross emergency teams are in overdrive to help people evacuate, minimize loss of life and get any help needed in the face of this dangerous storm.” The Philippines is hit by an average of 20 storms each year. In October, Tropical storm Kompasu affected more than 200,000 people in the north of the country and swamped thousands of homes. For more information or to arrange an interview, contact: In Kuala Lumpur: Antony Balmain, +60 12 230 8451, [email protected]

COVID-19: Southeast Asia battles world’s highest deaths

Kuala Lumpur/Geneva, 18 August 2021:Southeast Asia is battling the world’s highest COVID-19 death toll driven by the Delta variant and unequal global distribution of vaccines. Hospitals remain overwhelmed by record surges across Southeast Asia, from Vietnam to Malaysia and Myanmar as fears mount of greater suffering and loss of life with COVID-19 spreading from cities to rural and regional areas. In the last two weeks, Southeast Asia has recorded38,522 deaths from COVID-19, nearly twice as many as North America, according to theJohn Hopkins UniversityCOVID-19 data dashboard. Alexander Matheou, Asia Pacific Director, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, said: “This COVID-19 surge driven by the Delta variant is claiming a tragic toll on families across Southeast Asia and it’s far from over. We fear that as the virus spreads from cities to regional and rural areas that many more lives will be lost among the unvaccinated. “Vaccinations are at record rates in some countries, yet many Southeast Asian nations have low portions of the population fully vaccinated and are languishing far behind Western Europe and North America.” The United Kingdom has fully vaccinated 60 per cent of its population, while Canada and Spain stand at around 64 per cent, according to Oxford University’sOur World in Data. By contrast, Malaysia has fully vaccinated 34 per cent of its population against COVID-19, Indonesia and Philippines, close to 11 per cent and Vietnam less than 2 per cent. Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia and most Southeast Asia countries are all battling record COVID-19 infections or death tolls. Seven of the top 10 countries where COVID-19 deaths have doubled the fastest are in Asia and the Pacific, with Vietnam, Fiji and Myanmar all in the top five, according toOur World in Data. “In the short-term, we need much greater efforts by richer countries to urgently share their millions of excess vaccine doses with countries in Southeast Asia. We also need vaccine companies and governments to share technology and scale up production,”Mr Matheou said. “These coming weeks are critical for scaling up treatment, testing and vaccinations, in every corner of all countries in Southeast Asia. We must aim for mass vaccination rates of 70-80 per cent if we want to win the race against the variants and overcome this global pandemic.” Until vaccination levels reach a critical mass, in the short-term it is also crucial to reinforce health protection measures, such as wearing a mask, physical distance and meeting outdoors or in well ventilated spaces. The IFRC is seeking vital funding for its global emergency COVID-19 appeal, with around 60% of the appeal covered so far. The funds are crucial to support the lifesaving actions of the IFRC and member Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies around the world. Photos of Red Cross and Red Crescent activities are available for download

Empress Shôken fund 100th distribution announcement

The Empress Shôken Fund is named after Her Majesty the Empress of Japan, who proposed – at the 9th International Conference of the Red Cross – the creation of an international fund to promote relief work in peacetime. It is administered by the Joint Commission of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross, which maintains close contact with the Japanese Permanent Mission in Geneva, the Japanese Red Cross Society and the Meiji Jingu Research Institute in Japan. The Fund has a total value of over 16 million Swiss francs and supports projects run by National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to benefit their communities in various ways. The first grant was awarded in 1921, to help five European National Societies fight the spread of tuberculosis. Since then, 169 National Societies have received 14 million Swiss francs. To mark the Fund’s 100th year of awarding grants, a short video was developed to highlight what the Fund stands for and showcase how it has supported National Societies through the years. The imperial family, the Japanese government, the Japanese Red Cross and the Japanese people revere the memory of Her Majesty Empress Shôken, and their enduring regard for the Fund is evident in the regularity of their contributions to it. The grants are usually announced every year on 11 April, the anniversary of her death. This year the announcement is being published earlier due to the weekend. The selection process The Fund received 28 applications in 2021 covering a diverse range of humanitarian projects run by National Societies in every region of the world. This year the Joint Commission agreed to allocate a total of 475,997 Swiss francs to 16 projects in Argentina, the Bahamas, Benin, Costa Rica, Estonia, Georgia, Iran, Kenya, Malawi, Nicaragua, Pakistan, the Philippines, Romania, South Sudan, Timor-Leste and Viet Nam. The projects to be supported in 2021 cover a number of themes, including youth engagement, disaster preparedness, National Society development and health, especially the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. The Fund continues to encourage new and innovative approaches with the potential to generate insights that will benefit the Movement as a whole. The 2021 grants The Argentine Red Cross is taking an innovative approach to talent management using new technologies. It will use the grant to develop a talent-management module to be implemented in 65 branches, enabling the National Society to attract and retain employees and volunteers. The Bahamas Red Cross Society will put the grant towards building staff and volunteers’ capacities and expanding its network on five islands, with a view to implementing community- and ecosystem-based approaches to reducing disaster risk and increasing climate resilience. The Red Cross of Benin seek to help vulnerable women become more autonomous. The grant will support them in developing income-generating activities and building their professional skills. The Costa Rica Red Cross will use the grant to enable communities in the remote Cabécar and Bribri indigenous territories to better manage emergencies, holding workshops on first aid, risk prevention and emergency health care in connection with climate events and health emergencies, including COVID-19. The Estonia Red Cross is working to build competencies in four key areas, including in recruiting, training and retaining volunteers. The funds will support the development of a volunteer database to help effectively manage information, especially against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic. With widespread COVID-19 transmission in Georgia, the Georgia Red Cross Society is working to help national authorities limit the impact of the pandemic. It will put the grant towards promoting good hygiene and raising awareness of the importance of vaccination. The Red Crescent Society of Islamic Republic of Iran is focused on building local capacity with youth volunteers by boosting small businesses in outreach areas. The grant will be used for training, capacity-building and development in local partner institutions, generating income for community members. The COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions have affected how the Kenya Red Cross Society does its humanitarian work. The grant will be used to launch an online volunteer platform to encourage and facilitate youth volunteering. The Malawi Red Cross Society must be ready to respond to disasters due to climate variability and climate change. The funds will allow the National Society to establish a pool of trained emergency responders who can swing into action within 72 hours of a disaster. The Nicaraguan Red Cross is working to protect the elderly from COVID-19. The grant will be used in three care homes located in the municipalities of Somoto, Sébaco and Jinotepe to provide medical assistance, prevent and control infections, and promote mental health as a basic element of self-care through training and support sessions and other activities. The Pakistan Red Crescent seeks to improve how it manages blood donations. The funds will enable the National Society to increase the capacity of its blood donor centre and raise awareness of voluntary unpaid blood donation by holding World Blood Donor Day in 2021. The Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) for All project of the Philippine Red Cross aims to develop WASH guidelines and promote them in the community. The grant will be used for training and capacity-building around providing health services in emergencies. In Romania, teenagers in residential centres are vulnerable to sexual and gender-based violence for a number of reasons, including a lack of both psychosocial education and staff trained in dealing with this kind of violence through trauma-informed care. The grant will enable the Red Cross of Romania to reduce the vulnerability of 60 teenagers in residential centres by increasing knowledge and aiding the development of safe relationships. The South Sudan Red Cross is working to encourage young people to adapt to climate change by planting fruit trees. The grant will support this initiative, which aims to reduce the impact of climate change and increase food production. In 2020 the Timor-Leste Red Cross launched an education programme aimed at increasing young people’s knowledge about reproductive health. The funds will be used to expand the programme – already active in five of the National Society’s branches – to the remaining eight branches. The Viet Nam Red Cross aims to further engage with authorities and become more self-sufficient through fundraising. It will use the grant to build its personnel’s capacities by providing training courses on proposal writing, project management and social welfare.

New report: Alarming levels of climate-related displacement

Kuala Lumpur, 16 March 2021 – A new report reveals 12.6 million people have been internally displaced around the world in the last six months mainly due to climate and weather-related disasters, according to data available through the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) report, Responding to Disasters and Displacement in a Changing Climate, comes hot on the heels of a record-breaking 26 climate-related disaster response operations launched across Asia and the Pacific in 2020. Helen Brunt, Asia Pacific Migration and Displacement Coordinator, IFRC said: “In just the last six months, there have been 12.6 million people internally displaced around the world and over 80 per cent of these forced displacements have been caused by disasters, most of which are triggered by climate and weather extremes. “Asia suffers much more than any other region from climate disaster-related displacements. These upheavals are taking a terrible toll on some of the poorest communities already reeling from the economic and social impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 has complicated the provision of humanitarian support to displaced communities, with greater space needed when evacuating, along with increased safety protocols. Longer term support is also more complicated for people with shattered livelihoods. “We are seeing an alarming trend of people displaced by more extreme weather events such as Typhoon Goni, the world’s most ferocious storm last year, that smashed into the Philippines. Three storms hit the Philippines in as many weeks, leaving over 3 million people destitute. “We need greater action and urgent investment to reduce internal displacement caused by the rising risk of disasters. Investing much more in local organisations and first responders is critical so they have the resources needed to protect lives, homes and their communities.” The report analyses climate-related displacement as well as a post-earthquake response across eight countries, examining response by National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in coordination with governments and other agencies. The research finds that displacement disproportionately affects already marginalised and at-risk groups including women, children, the elderly, people with a disability, migrants and refugees. When disasters destroy villages and entire neighbourhoods, the report shows that people also face long-term housing, land and property issues. Women and children are also confronted with increased risks of violence due to climate-related displacement. “Investment in long-term solutions is urgently needed before disasters force more people away from their homes, livelihoods and communities,” said Ms Brunt. About IFRC IFRC is the world’s largest humanitarian network, comprising 192 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies working to save lives and promote dignity around the world. www.ifrc.org-Facebook-Twitter-YouTube Note to editors: The figure of 12.6 million displaced in the past 6 months includes 2.3 million conflict displacements. The remaining 10.3 million are displaced due to disasters triggered by natural hazards, mainly related to climate and weather extremes, but also including a small number of geophysical hazard events, particularly earthquakes. The figures come from analysis of publicly available data provided by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre.

Philippine Red Cross

No more excuses! The next disaster is coming, what are you doing about it?

By Robert Kaufman, Head of Philippines Country Office, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Imagine getting hit by six typhoons during a deadly pandemic. For millions of people in the Philippines, this is their reality as 2020 comes crashing to a close. Predictions of the increasing severity and frequency of emergencies have come true. It’s heart-breaking, exhausting, and scary. But most of all it’s frustrating as much of this human and economic toll can be prevented. We have known about the brutal effects of climate change for a long time, yet we haven’t been doing enough to fix it. Debates about the effects of climate change or whether partners should support more preparedness are failing people. If your roof blows off three times in one month and this extreme weather happens with relentless certainty, there’s nothing to debate. It is time to prepare more for what’s coming. We know that the Philippines is one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world, topping the charts with the most disasters of all countries the past two years. It’s number two for the past decade just behind China. We know the number of climate-related disasters has risen almost 35% since the 1990s. The stuff of Hollywood movies has become a reality for tens of millions of people around the world, as they face bigger, more violent storms and more disease outbreaks. For decades we anticipated another pandemic. Hollywood blockbusters told horror stories of contagious diseases. Since 2008, we’ve seen fantasy become reality with several pandemics, the H1N1 flu virus, SARS and now COVID-19. Yet somehow, the world has been taken by surprise. Let’s make no mistake, we have made inroads. Governments, humanitarian agencies and countless communities deserve credit for helping to save lives. Just seven years ago, the most destructive typhoon to hit the Philippines on record, Haiyan, killed close to 7,000 people. When Typhoon Goni hit in 2020, a storm as strong as Haiyan, less than 70 lives were lost. Still, I’m frustrated. Early on in management, I learned that when you spend significant time and money on something, it is a priority. Most of the time and money in the aid sector is still spent on response, as if we don’t know what’s coming; neither the humanitarian community, the policymakers, nor the big donors. Why are we not using our extraordinary capacity to anticipate crises to prioritize our time and money? What price do we need to place on the lives of people who have died or had their livelihoods ripped apart by disease and disaster before we change our priorities? Today, we largely know the types of risks we are going to face, where they are going to hit and even in many cases, when. Many of the answers are clear as day.Typhoons strike the Philippines every November and December. Floods always follow drought in East Africa. We know the risks and we know what to do about it. The latest study on the value of preparedness confirms what we already knew. Every dollar invested in reducing risks from climate-related disasters saves us $6 when we are fixing up the mess, according to the United States Institute of Building Sciences and the United Nations. Super Typhoon Goni packed the most powerful winds of any storm in the world last year. Together with typhoon Vamco and other major storms, they came at a huge cost, seriously affecting the lives of more than 8.1 million people. More than 425,000 homes have been damaged or destroyed. Among the millions whose livelihoods were disrupted, at least 200,000 farmers and fishermen lost their only source of income. The cost of agricultural damages totalled more than ₱12.3 billion (US260m) according to the Philippines Department of Agriculture. Together, the storms were considered the secondmost expensive typhoons on record, costing more than $US 1 billion. Money normally reserved for responding after disasters strike needs to be made available earlier and for longer-term solutions. We need to stop soil erosion, plant trees and improve drainage. We need to avoid crop wastage with better grain storage and irrigation. We need to build safer houses with stronger and more permanent foundations. We need to protect land rights and strengthen economic development and social protection programs so that people are not dependent on aid when disaster strikes. There needs to be a public accounting of how well resource allocation aligns with scientific prediction and the lessons we have learned. We must put our money where our mouth is. Failing is a dereliction of our responsibility to those most at risk and to ourselves. This past year, millions have faced often insurmountable hardships and heartache. We have a duty to protect the hope and dignity of those we pledge to support by ensuring everyone has a fair chance of a decent life. There just can’t be any more excuses.

Typhoon crisis: 305,000 houses wrecked in Philippines

Kuala Lumpur/Manila/Geneva, 26 November 2020 – Consecutive, devastating typhoons in the Philippines have laid the foundations for a long-term humanitarian crisis as more than 305,000 homes have been damaged or destroyed according to humanitarian assessments. Typhoons Molave and Vamco, followed by Super Typhoon Goni, shattered the already precarious livelihoods of more than 200,000 farmers and fisher-folk, the social and economic consequences of which will reverberate across these rural and fishing communities for months or even years to come. Millions of people affected by these typhoons already faced huge social and economic hardships due to COVID-19 restrictions Philippines Red Cross rescue and relief teams across the region supported hard-pressed local volunteer teams and strained local government relief efforts. The same teams are now turning to the massive task of providing basic services like water and psycho-social support to traumatized populations, and helping to rebuild and reestablish lost livelihoods. Philippine Red Cross Chairman Richard Gordon said: “These huge back-to-back storms have passed for now but we have growing concerns for those hundreds of thousands of families who have lost their homes and livelihoods and are now facing the very hard realities of picking up the pieces.” “Millions of lives are at stake, so it’s critical we re-double our efforts to support these families as they rebuild their homes and reestablish livelihoods.” With the support of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), Philippine Red Cross teams are providing emergency shelter, food, clean water, and essential household items to displaced families. The IFRC has revised its international Emergency Appeal upwards to 10.8 million Swiss Francs to support at least 120,000 people whose lives were turned upside down, and face the daunting task of rebuilding homes and livelihoods destroyed by Typhoons Goni, Vamco and associated floods. More than 1.15 million Swiss Francs has already been released from the IFRC’s Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) to provide emergency relief and immediate support for typhoon and flood-affected communities. Head of IFRC Philippine Country Office Robert Kaufman said: “This is a growing humanitarian crisis caused by non-stop climate-related disasters. People have had no time to recover from one shock before the next one is upon them. It is tragic to see people who are ready to rebuild their lives facing set back after set back. “The enormity is driven home when you visit these communities and meet the women, men and children confronting the impact of climate change on a daily basis. They are not numbers or statistics, but people trying to put roofs on their homes, cook a meal for their family and who want to send children to school, but instead have to deal with the growing frequency and severity of horrible storms. “It is vital that we, as an international community, bring resources to bear where they are needed, and right now we need to support these people as they struggle with lives torn apart by multiple storms on top of the relentless toll of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Succession of typhoons leave Filipino families with life-altering decisions

Rebuilding your home, reestablishing income source, or feeding families are all the basic right of people. But those in the Philippines, devastated by typhoons Goni and Vamco are now facing incredible life changing decisions. They have to now prioritize one basic need over the other as they start to rebuild their lives in the wake of back-to-back super typhoons. For Jesus and Jocelyn Onsay, rebuilding their damaged home and providing a roof for their five grandchildren is a priority. However, they can’t buy any materials to start the repairs because their crops, their only source of income, were destroyed by the storms. With their crops destroyed, even providing food for the family is a challenge, and the food relief currently available is not enough. Jesus Onsay blows air to start a fire and boil water. His grandchildren share a pack of instant noodles from the food relief for breakfast. “It’s really difficult. We can’t do anything but rebuild our house. We can’t go to work because we need to repair our house first so the children will have roof above their heads. It pains me to see them get wet by the rain,” Jesus said. Jocelyn checks their belongings covered by a tarpaulin that was provided by Red Cross after Typhoon Mina in 2007. Their home’s roof was completely ripped off by Typhoon Goni’s powerful winds. Typhoon Vamco compounded their suffering, dumping rains that drenched possessions and inundated their house. Ceferino, 67, and Celeste, 65, have tried to make their destroyed house habitable again using a tarpaulin provided by the Philippine Red Cross and nails and pieces of wood salvaged from the ruins of their home. Ceferino earns a living as a part time construction laborer but with his age, finding a job has proven not to be that easy. “Only few people hire me because of my age. I am trying my best to repair our house to make it livable without enough materials because I have no money,” Ceferino explained. Christopher has to make the difficult decision of cleaning and repairing his house first but that means losing his source of income. “That’s the problem, instead of attending to our livelihood, we have to fix our house first, so we have a shelter. Our income comes from harvesting copra (dried coconut kernel) and abaca. Our abaca is already rotting (up in the mountain). This is life. We have to accept it,” Christopher said. Abaca crops – an important source of income for many families, were destroyed by typhoons Goni and Vamco. The typhoons have also devastated fishing communities, like in Bato, Catanduanes. Food for his two children and wife is Alvin’s priority. He is at a loss on how to recover from all the devastation brought by the massive flooding to their home and farm. He was able to save the water buffaloes, but said he will need support to replant his crops and rebuild the farm. Typhoons Goni and Vamco have destroyed crops that are crucial for food supplies and income, including these corn fields in Amulung, Cagayan. Elma Navarro’s house was seriously damaged by the flood brought by typhoon Vamco. With the help of relatives, they managed to repair the house, but Elma has doubts if it could withstand another major disaster. As a single mum, Elma’s focus is now to look for work and an income that can help her rebuild a safer home while supporting her three children and 97-year-old mother. “This is the worst flood I have experienced since Typhoon Mangkhut in 2017. I wash clothes to earn money to support my family and without an additional source of income, I don’t think I will be able to rebuild our house,” Elma said. Nearly 1.3 million people are still suffering after consecutive storms destroyed their homes. The livelihoods of over 200,000 farmers and fishermen are affected. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has released 1.15 million Swiss francs from the Disaster Relief Emergency Fund to provide immediate and urgent needs of affected communities. More support is needed to help people get back on their feet. IFRC launched a revised Emergency Appeal for 10.8 million Swiss francs to support the Philippine Red Cross in its operations to assist families in rebuilding their homes and restarting their disrupted livelihoods.

Catastrophic floods submerge whole towns in Philippines

Kuala Lumpur/Manila/Geneva, 15 November 2020 – Catastrophic floods have completely submerged entire towns and villages in the northern region of the Philippines, forcing tens of thousands of people from their homes just days after Typhoon Vamco tore through the country. Dozens of towns and villages have been devastated in the Cagayan Valley, north of the capital Manila as flood waters up to 12 metres deep swamped tens of thousands of homes. Red Cross fears for the safety and wellbeing of thousands who remain trapped, with at least 47,000 people rescued so far according to local authorities. Initial assessments indicate around 90 per cent of homes have been flooded in Tuguegarao, the Cagayan provincial capital. Red Cross teams have been working through the night searching in the floodwaters by flashlight and rescuing people stranded on rooftops. Philippine Red Cross Chairman Richard Gordon said: “Our teams are urgently searching for people trapped in these horrifying floodwaters and rescuing people who have been forced to camp on their roofs. We’re making sure people have access to critical first aid, shelter, hot meals and safe drinking water. “These floods are a calamity and the worst we have seen in Cagayan for at least 40 years. More Red Cross rescue teams and resources are being rushed to help with our massive rescue and relief operations." The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies is releasing 750,000 Swiss Francs to assist with immediate relief for 40,000 people affected by the floods and Typhoon Vamco, including communities in Cagayan Valley. IFRC has also more than doubled an international Emergency Appeal to 8.5 million Swiss Francs, to support at least 100,000 people whose homes and livelihoods were devastated by Super Typhoon Goni earlier this month. Head of IFRC Philippine Country Office Robert Kaufman said: “These catastrophic floods are another sad and brutal blow for the people of the Philippines. This is a terrible triple disaster as these terrifying floods and two devastating typhoons strike communities already reeling from the health, social and economic impacts of COVID-19. "We are urgently redoubling our support for the people of the Philippines, all while keeping people safe from COVID-19, in one of the most complex relief operations ever. People need immediate relief as well as longer term support to recover and rebuild livelihoods in the weeks and months ahead. We must build back better in the facing of recurring threats.”