Philippine Red Cross (PRC) Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Sen. Dick Gordon led on Thursday, Jan. 6 the distribution of the multi-purpose cash grant (MPCG) to 877 individuals in Mandaue while non-food items were provided to affected residents in Talisay in Cebu City.
In a statement, PRC said that Gordon led the distribution of P3,500 cash assistance to 627 families in Mother Retrude Gym, Brgy. Jagobiao, Mandaue and also traversed to Brgy. Inayawan, Cebu City to distribute P3,500 cash assistance to 250 families.
After the cash distribution, PRC then traveled to Talisay, Cebu to distribute relief items such as 500 sets of hygiene kits, 500 sets of jerry cans, 500 sets of sleeping kits, and 500 sets of tarpaulins.
“Sabay sabay tayong babangon mula sa hagupit ni Bagyong Odette. Hatid ng Red Cross ay pagasa sa mga labis na naapektuhan ng bagyo. Laging kaming narito upang tumulong upang maibalik ang dignidad sa mga tao at makatulong na tumayo uli sa sarili nating mga paa (Let's rise up together from the onslaught of Typhoon Odette. Red Cross brings hope to those affected by the typhoon. We're always here to help to bring back the dignity of the people and help them get back on their feet),” Gordon said.
PRC said that it was able to provide ready-to-eat meals to 5,169 individuals in Cebu through the hot meals on wheels, aided 71 individuals through psychosocial support, distributed 338,750 liters of water, hygiene promotion to 10,232 individuals, and cleared 315 cubic yards of debris using payloaders to make way for more relief.
To combat COVID-19, PRC said it also conducted vaccination drives through its Bakuna buses and led the COVID-19 testing through establishing the Mandaue City molecular laboratory. As part of PRC’s humanitarian response, in providing relief to the affected families, it mentioned that it also provided 8,671 houses in the province of Cebu.
Meanwhile, PRC Cebu Chapter has announced that its molecular laboratory in Cebu has opened and is prepared to accommodate all walk-in clients while the chapter is waiting for the booking platform to be activated again.
"As the country's premier humanitarian organization, we made it a point to immediately resume operations of the molecular laboratory especially with the increasing number of COVID-19 cases and the threat of the new Omicron variant," Gordon said.
"I also call for a sense of urgency, a call for the sense of duty in the highest order. As we are still in a pandemic, I want to reiterate the importance of regular testing to isolate the asymptomatic spreaders," he added.