The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) Operations Center sent the PRC Davao Chapter emergency personnel to respond on a fire at Purok 1, Barangay Andili, Mawab, Davao de Oro on June 21.
According to a statement released by PRC, an ambulance unit was delegated on-site to provide medical assistance to the victims in need.
A first aid station and welfare desk with 2 trained personnel were also set up.
Six large tents were installed at the Brgy. Andili Gymnasium as a temporary shelter for the fire victims.
As per the statement, over 52 families with 162 individuals were devastated by the fire that raged for more than five hours in a residential and commercial area. It reached the second fire alarm.
After the fire was under control at 9 p.m, PRC planned the deployment of its food trucks to provide hot meals prepared by PRC’s Welfare Services Team to the affected residents.
"Laging handang tumulong ang PRC sa pangangailangan, alinsunod sa aming layunin na maging laging una, laging handa, at laging nandyan para sa ating mga kababayan (PRC is always ready to aid those in need in line with our mission to be always at first, always ready, and always present for our countrymen),” said PRC chairman and chief exeutve officer Senator Richard Gordon.
"The PRC Activity Plan schedule is to continue to have a Welfare desk set-up, to conduct a Hygiene Promotion briefing with hygiene kits being distributed after, and to conduct psychosocial support for all the families concerned," said in the statement.
The PRC resources such as fire trucks, ambulance units, food trucks, and trained emergency personnel were part of the organization's national rescue and relief teams to provide emergency needs all over the country. (Luisa Cabato)