Volunteers and staff of the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) Laguna and Quezon-Lucena chapters provided hot meals through PRC’s Hot Meals on Wheels Program to 100 passengers affected by the fire in a Roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) vessel called MV Mercraft 2 in Real, Quezon Monday, May 23.
The Red Cross Welfare Teams also gave psychosocial support to 30 victims who were transported at the Real Port Terminal and at the Claro M. Recto District Hospital while 20 passengers received health kits.
PRC also quickly responded to the situation by deploying two ambulance units with trained emergency medical services personnel right after receiving a report that MV Mercraft 2 was on fire.
A total of 16 Red Cross emergency response and relief personnel were dispatched.
“Tunay na maaasahan ang Red Cross volunteers and staff sa iba’t ibang parte ng ating bansa sa pagresponde sa pangangailangan ng ating mga kababayan kapag may emergency (We can truly rely on Red Cross volunteers and staff from different parts of the country on aiding the needs of our countrymen in times of emergency), ” PRC Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Senator Richard J. Gordon said in a statement released Tuesday, May 24.
The burned vessel, which was on the way to Real, Quezon from Polillo Island, has affected more than 120 passengers. (Luisa Cabato)