The United Nations - Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA) said that the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) topped overall responses to communities struck by Typhoon Odette, the organization bared on Thursday, Jan. 20.
"With our mandate of being always first, always ready, and always there, we will continue to be the first to respond to save lives and provide immediate humanitarian assistance and protection to those with the most urgent need," PRC Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Sen. Dick Gordon.
UN OCHA reported that out of the 62 International Non-Government Organizations (INGO) which responded to Typhoon Odette, PRC conducted 765 activities which is more than double of what the INGOs have done.
The agency mentioned that PRC recognized water's importance as the most valuable resource in or outside of a disaster, to which they immediately provided immediate access to water with 396 water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) operations out of its 890 completed activities.
PRC also contributed to food security and agriculture initiatives, as well as to healthcare, strengthening disease surveillance and outbreak control, and shelter operations which are all geared to help communities recover from the devastation.
Additionally, the PRC also continued to conduct activities for early recovery, coordination, e. telecom, Camp Coordination, and Camp Management (CCCM), livelihood, nutrition, education, logistics, multi-cluster, and other operations.
As of Jan. 19, PRC volunteers and staff members distributed 3,960,057 liters of safe and clean water, held hygiene promotion sessions for 117,086 individuals, conducted a health promotion session for 8,114 individuals, provided 84,258 hot meals, gave out 4,769 food items, distributed 2,240 sleeping kits, donated 460 units of blood, served 17 persons in medical tents, and cleared 2,468 cubic yards of debris.