Update on flooding situation in  the Philippines (see previous post for background)

General Overview

Luzon, including Metro Manila, continues to struggle against heavy rains and severe flooding. Schools, universities, work in public and private offices and businesses have been cancelled, and a stark reduction in public transportation has been felt since Monday.  The monsoon rains were induced by the enhanced southwest monsoon together with a shallow low pressure area (SLPA) spotted east of northern Luzon.

CAR Area – ChildFund’s projects in CAR in the North, have not been affected by the rains, with the exception of several mountain roads closed due to landslides.

Southern Luzon Area – ChildFund’s FCED Partner in urban Paco, Pandacan and San Andres, Manila – reports knee to waist-deep flooding. 12 of the 15 barangays our project covers are flooded. A total of 738 families of enrolled children are affected by the flooding. Food aid is requested, as many families cannot purchase food, without their previous days’ wages. One sponsored child’s father has died from leptospirosis, and the family are seeking assistance.

Urban project Partner Bukas-Kamay Abot-Kamay in Pasay, Metro Manila, has declared a Category 1 emergency. Flooding rose through most of our 11 areas beginning around midnight of August 6, 2012. The Partner office is inundated by flooding. 603 enrolled children and 5,774 families from our covered areas are now listed affected.

11 Barangays and 175 homes are counted under 6’ or more of water. Forced and voluntary evacuations to centers have been under way.  However there still remain many families stranded at their second story or rooftops, but are being attended to.

ChildFund’s YAKAP sa Kaunlaran ng Bata Partner, in the San Pablo Community in South of the capital, reports flooding in the Laguna Lake area. 7 barangays are reported flooded, displacing 745 families at evacuation centers. 162 of these are families of enrolled children.

Overview of ChildFund response

Partner Bukas-Kamay Abot-Kamay recommends support from ChildFund as follows:

• Provision of Emergency Kit for 603 families which includes 10 kilos of rice, canned goods, flashlight with batteries, first aid kit, signaling device, bottled water
• School supplies like school bags, notebooks, and pencils and pad paper.

The Partner is prepared for the provision of medicines for the injured children and families. Stress and trauma debriefing will be prioritized among affected children.

The Partner will announce acceptance of donations of used clothes, cooking utensils and other household needs for the affected families.

Partner Yakap sa Kaunlaran ng Bata identified the need for the following response:

• Provision of emergency kits on August 9
• Setting up of Child-Centered Spaces on August 9
• Assessment of home rehabilitation needs, once waters subside

Partner FCED’s response is identified as:

• Purchase of relief food packs for 738 families
• Burial assistance for the father of a sponsored child