Philippine Red Cross (PRC) Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Sen. Dick Gordon personally visited areas in Surigao City that were hit by Typhoon Odette to lead the aid distribution, the organization said on Friday, Jan. 7.
PRC said in a statement that on the second day of his visit in the Visayas and Mindanao region Gordon personally assessed the situation in the areas to address the current needs of the Typhoon Odette victims.
Gordon first headed to Brgy. Punta Bilar and led the distribution of jerrycans, sleeping kits, tarpaulins, and hygiene kits to 300 families. The donation was in partnership with Australian Aid, PRC said.
Gordon then went to Brgy. Jubang, Municipality of Dapa, Siargao Island to distribute food items that each contain soy sauce, salt, sugar, five cans of sardines, 25 kilograms of rice, and two liters of cooking oil to 250 families. The distribution was in partnership with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
“Ito Pangalawang araw ng aking paglilibot sa mga naapektuhan ng Bagyong Odette. Personal ko na pinuntahan upang makita ko kung ano pa ang mga pangangailangan ng tao upang mabigyan ng agarang aksyon (This is my second day visiting the areas affected by Typhoon Odette. I personally went here to see what the people need so we can address them immediately),” Gordon said.
PRC said that Gordon deployed two medical tents with 30 cot beds to support the Siargao District Hospital due to the increasing number of diarrhea cases in the area. It added that Gordon is set to visit the medical tents and to turn over 20 boxes of IV fluid.
Chairman Gordon’s last stop was New Mabuhay, in the Municipality of Dinagat, Dinagat Island, where he will lead the distribution of food packs to 200 families. During the entire distribution, PRC said that it mobilized its food truck and water tankers to simultaneously distribute hot meals and clean water to the residents in the said areas.