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Philippines solidarity

A renewed and urgent appeal for solidarity and humanitarian support for the survivors of super typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) in Central Visayas and Mindanao, Philippines

Monday 25 November 2013

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Pleasant greetings amidst sad realities in Visayas!

After more than 2 weeks since the unfortunate super Typhoon Yolanda hit the central regions in the Philippines, the head count of casualties, injured, missing and affected populations unfortunately continues to rise up every day. At the onset of disaster, it was estimated that the casualties in affected areas of Samar, Leyte, Sorsogon, Northern Cebu, Panay, Capiz and the rest of the areas where the eye of Typhoon Yolanda made her six landfalls could reach around 10,000 deaths. This figure is not far to happen given that fast rising death tool as of today has already reached 5,235 while 1,600 individuals are still missing and about 13,000 injured. The total affected populations are estimated to reach 12 million.

Threats of further deaths due illnesses brought about by the extra difficult situations in evacuation camps continue to haunt among survivors who are now temporarily sheltered in tents and in partially collapsed buildings. In fact, there are several reports of deaths already in evacuation camps due to deteriorating health condition, sickness and complications.

The Tri-People’s Organization Against Disasters (TRIPOD) together with the Ranao Disaster Response Rehabilitation Action Center (RDRRAC) in Iligan City lead the coordination efforts of around 50 network organizations in Mindanao in a Joint Emergency Response Operation dubbed as “Mindanao Solidarity for Typhoon Yolanda Survivors”. The campaign is initiated by a newly formed humanitarian network called the Mindanao Humanitarian Action Network against Disasters (Mi-HANDs).

On November 14-19, 2013, Mi-HANDs sent a team to the affected regions of Visayas to do Rapid Assessment on the needs and conditions of the survivors. They reached Daan Bantayan, Cebu, Palompon and Villaba in Leyte and Ormoc City. In these areas 95 to 100 % of the populations are affected but accurate data remain to be generated by local government units whose officials and workers also suffered severe devastations. Affected villages in these areas are among those that have not received yet any relief assistance from the government or any responding organizations; hence, these were identified by Mi-HANDs as priority areas for emergency relief assistance.

Series of logistical and materials preparations and emergency resource mobilizations are being done by all member organizations to prepare for our sustained Relief Delivery Operation (RDO) to begin on 26 November, 2013. There will be kind-hearted and skilled volunteers on this mission with 3 sub-committees to carry out Relief Delivery Operations, Psycho-social therapy and medical treatment. We are raising financial, materials and logistical support to provide food packs and hygiene kits to surviving families. Each household will receive a relief pack worth Php 1,500 each with food pack containing rice, dried fish, sardines, mongo beans, sugar instant coffee and cooking oil along with a pack of hygiene kit containing bath soap, detergent, toothpaste and toothbrush, face towel, nail cutter and sanitary napkin.

TRIPOD and RDRRAC together with network partners in Mindanao under the initiative of Mi-HANDs would like to APPEAL to you kind-hearted friends and organizations for any financial and materials support for our ongoing campaign to help the survivors of Typhoon Yolanda. Our intervention and assistance is foreseen as not only limited to doing emergency relief assistance but even to the recovery and rehabilitation phase as well as in future pro-active campaigns for disaster risk reduction, the rights-claiming of the survivors and for climate justice.

Please contact/channel your support to:

Mindanao Humanitarian Action Network against Disasters (Mi-HANDs)
www.mihands.org

c/o TRIPOD Foundation, Inc.
37 Tulingan Street, Usman Subdivision, Bagua 2
9600 Cotabato City Tel: +63 64 421 1369
Email: tripodcc@yahoo.com.ph; website: www.tripodcc.org

c/o RDRRAC Inc.
Door 2, Maca-agir Apartment, 6th East,
Tubod, Iligan City, Tel: 063 223-3171
Email: rdrrac_inc@yahoo.com

We will acknowledge your support accordingly and keep you posted on the progress of our actions at our website/s.

Thank you very much for your immediate attention.

Mindanao Humanitarian Alliance against Disasters (Mi-HANDs)
c/o RDRRAC Office Door 2, Maca-agir Apartment, Tubod, 9600 Iligan City
Tel: +63 64 223 3171, www.mihands.org/Facebook


How to donate from outside the Philippines

The association Europe solidaire sans frontières (ESSF or Europe in Solidarity Without Borders) is collecting funds for Mi-HANDs’ campaign: “Mindanao Solidarity for Typhoon Yolanda Survivors”.

Individuals and organizations willing to send donations to support Mi-HANDs initiative may use this channel, if it’s easier for them. We are regularly reporting on our website on the progress of the campaign and the use of the donations.

To send donations

Cheques
cheques to ESSF in euros only, payable in France, to be sent to:
ESSF
2, rue Richard-Lenoir
93100 Montreuil
France

Bank Account:
Crédit lyonnais
Agence de la Croix-de-Chavaux (00525)
10 boulevard Chanzy
93100 Montreuil
France
ESSF, account number 445757C

International bank account details :
IBAN : FR85 3000 2005 2500 0044 5757 C12
BIC / SWIFT : CRLYFRPP
Account holder : ESSF

Through PayPal
You can send money through Paypal: see the PayPal button on the upper left side of ESSF home page..