The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) joined the country on Wednesday, Nov. 8 in commemorating the 10th anniversary of super typhoon Yolanda by reflecting on the past decade of recovery and resilience.
“Gusto naming iparamdam sa mga kababayan natin na hindi sila nag-iisa. (We want to make our countrymen feel that they are not alone),” PRC Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Richard Gordon said.
The PRC said its organization played a crucial role in the relief and recovery efforts by providing food, non-food items, and cash assistance to millions of individuals, and their efforts extended beyond immediate relief.
The organization also said it had built schools, and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities for over 100 schools, 1,168 community-based WASH facilities, and vocational training centers, and rehabilitated almost 100 health facilities.
These efforts were made while simultaneously responding to the Zamboanga siege and the 7.2 magnitude earthquake in Bohol, crises that struck the country months before "Yolanda" made landfall.
Gordon pointed out that the organization's ability to simultaneously respond to multiple crises has made the PRC a preferred partner of choice for donors and Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies.
Meanwhile, he called on Filipinos to be "ahead of the curve" in disaster preparedness.
Gordon noted the importance of building homes away from shorelines and fault lines and practicing the 4Ps—Predict, Plan, Prepare, and Practice.
He emphasized the importance of comprehensive relocation plans that consider livelihood opportunities and access to roads and public transportation.
"People will just return to danger zones if half-baked relief and recovery efforts are going to be provided," Gordon added.
PRC Secretary-General Dr. Gwen Pang also highlighted the organization's efforts to reduce community vulnerability to disasters through climate-resilient development practices.
"We've embraced streamlined approaches like Early Warning Systems, Anticipatory Actions, Nature-based Solutions, Climate Change Education, Food Security, and Waste Management, among others," she said.