mercy relief ops pq relief update 2 -...

Extending Hands, Connecting HeartsExtending Hands, Connecting HeartsExtending Hands, Connecting HeartsExtending Hands, Connecting Hearts

Ops PQ Relief Update #2 - Persistent DownpoursPose Problems

Landslides cut access to communities and inflict more deaths and displacements

Bohol, Philippines, 21 October –The death toll in last Tuesday’s earthquake that hit the Philippines has touched 198, with185 of those occurring in Bohol, the epicenter of the 7.2 Richter quake. More than 2.9 million people have been affectedand 378,000 families are displaced, while many more are staying across 104 evacuation centres.

Singapore humanitarian relief and development NGO, Mercy Relief (MR), had its assessment personnel at the affectedgrounds of Bohol within 15 hours from the appeal for assistance by the Philippine’s Citizens’ Disaster Response Center(CDRC) last Friday evening, and joined by its relief team the next day.

The 5-man team personally deployed the manual-powered PedalPure water filtration systems across the devastatedmunicipalities of Loon, Antequera and Sagbayan, manouvering around collapsed bridges, cracked roads and landslides,with the conditions worsened by persistent rains which made the soil-laden roads slippery. With access to clean waterrestored, the MR team distributed food parcels comprising rice, canned food, noodles and preserved seafood to over 600families in Bohol.

Leading the relief team, MR’s chief Hassan Ahmad said, “Strong aftershocks can still be felt daily. The survivors are tootraumatised to return to their homes. The priority is to continue reaching out to the more remote communities to provide themuch-needed clean water and food for their survival. Persistent bad weather is slowing down those efforts but everyone ischipping in –from the government agencies, the local people’s organisations and the NGOs –all trying to help stabilise thesituation for everyone affected”.

The first tranche of aid worth SGD20,000 was through the early donations from Cuffz Holdings and Cargill. The PedalPuresystems reached Bohol safely and swiftly with the assistance from the Philippines embassy in Singapore which facilitatedthe cross-border administrative requirements and the Philippines Airlines (PAL) which provided complimentary cargo space.

Homes and public buildings were badly damaged by the 7.2 magnitude earthquake.

Mercy Relief http://www.mercyrelief.org/web/Contents/Contents.aspx?Yr=2013...

1 / 3 2013/10/28 21:41

More than 600,000 people are displaced and living in temporary shelters, with limited basic needs.

Deliveries of relief supplies were slowed down by collapsed bridges, damaged roads and landslides caused by ongoing

landslides and downpours.

MR’s water filtration systems were deployed to severely-affected areas to provide clean and potable water to the

communities.

Over 600 families in Bohol received jerry cans and food parcels comprising rice, canned food, noodles and preserved

seafood.


2 / 3 2013/10/28 21:41

MR worked alongside local authorities and community leaders for the distribution of aid supplies to the affected

communities.

* MR has been implementing relief and development projects in five areas across the Philippines - Bicol Region, MetroManila, Mindanao, Zambales and Visayas - continuously since 2006 as part of its disaster risk reduction efforts in line withthe Hyogo Framework and AADMER. Click here to read more on “MR in the Philippines”.

Public can help the quake victims through:. Modes of Donation

1. Cheque crossed to Mercy Relief Limited, with 'Philippine Quake Relief 2013' written on the reverse, and mail to Blk160, Lorong 1 Toa Payoh, #01-1568, S310160;

2. Cash donations personally presented at 160 Lorong 1 Toa Payoh #01-1568 Singapore 310160.

3. ATM/Internet funds transfer to Mercy Relief DBS Current 054-900-741-2,

4. Credit card donation via Give page (proceed to eNets and Pledge to "Foreign Fundraising 1")CoC Permit No.:0043/2013

Last updated on 24 Oct 2013


3 / 3 2013/10/28 21:41

mercy relief ops pq relief update 2 -...

Documents