PHILIPPINES: Typhoon Nock-ten (Nina) - World Vision ready to provide 4,000 families with relief items

Sunday, December 25, 2016

By Florence Joy Maluyo, December 25th 2016

As Nock-ten nears landfall in Catanduanes, Bicol region, World Vision is ready to respond with emergency relief items such as hygiene kits, emergency shelter kits (tarps and ropes) and kitchen sets, initially to 4,000 families.

                                                        

 

Humanitarian and Emergency Affairs Director Ajab Macapagat said that teams in Luzon, especially in the Bicol region have activated their disaster plans. “Staff on the ground have also been monitoring the situation. If needed, our prepositioned emergency items are ready for distribution.”

 

Junna Daniel, Programme Officer in Albay shares, “We are in close coordination with both the local government authorities and our community leaders. WV-assisted families near the sea are now in evacuation centres.”

 

Destructive winds, massive storm surge flooding and medium-to-heavy rainfall are expected. Photo Credits @Donnie Haviera

 

World Vision has been working in the Bicol region for 34 years About 10,000 children are being supported through programmes on education, economic development, health and nutrition and disaster risk reduction (DRR). In December 2015, more than 10,000 people were provided with life-saving essentials after Typhoon Melor hit the region. In the months following the typhoon, World Vision intensified its DRR initiatives, conducting child-focused DRR training for a range over groups, including government and community level groups.

 

“I can say that people are now more prepared. Since the other day, I’ve seen people stocking emergency foods while those who needed to be evacuated were not as resistant as before,” Daniel adds.

 

Several provincial governments such as Albay and Sorsogon declared state of imminent danger as early as December 23, mandating municipal chief executives to execute mandatory evacuations. The national government, through the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) has been liaising with stakeholders for information sharing and coordination of possible emergency response. The Department of Social Welfare and Development announced that it has stockpile and standby funds of P115,372,014.64 (USD 2,317,671).

 

Typhoon Nock-ten is now at 195km east of Virac, Catanduanes, packing maximum sustained winds of up to 175kph and gusts of up to 215 kph. The typhoon is expected to intensify as it nears landfall.

 

About WV Philippines:

World Vision has been in The Philippines for 60 years. We help improve the lives of more than 120,000 children and 16 million Filipinos in 33 provinces and 44 cities in the Philippines.