Plan relief efforts continue as second typhoon hits the Philippines

Plan continues to provide emergency relief to children and families affected by Typhoon Ketsana and Typhoon Parma in the Philippines.

Downpours continue to swamp the northern regions of Luzon Island as a second typhoon hit over the weekend causing further devastation in the Philippines.

Typhoon Parma struck the north western Luzon region on Saturday, causing landslides and floods that killed at least 16 people. Fortunately, Parma veered off its predicted course, missing the Metro Manila area, which is already reeling from last week’s Typhoon Ketsana.

Millions affected

Statistics from the National Disaster Coordinating Committee show the total number of casualties is now at 335: 288 dead, 5 injured and 42 missing since Typhoon Ketsana hit Manila on September 26. More than three million people have been affected.

Plan has launched an emergency appeal for US$750,000 to provide survivors with basic needs, sanitation, psychosocial care, tools to clean schools and temporary educational materials.

Typhoons bring threat of disease

Typhoon Ketsana has also left high quantities of stagnant rainwater, raising concerns over disease transmission.

“Many of the schools are still being used as evacuation centers; the children have lost their school uniforms, their homes in many cases, the school equipment, text books, and some of the school buildings are also badly damaged,” said Plan’s country director in the Philippines, Michael Diamond. “There is water knee-deep in these municipalities and it has not been able to drain away yet.”

None of Plan’s projects in the Philippines are directly affected. Plan is currently working in partnership with numerous government departments as well as a coalition of international non-governmental organizations.

Relief effort

The country office is focusing its relief efforts on providing basic needs in four parts of the worst affected areas in Rizal province, west of Manila.

Plan hopes to stay in the Rizal province for at least six months after the floods have subsided, concentrating on reopening schools and ensuring that children in the area can be educated as normal.


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