World Vision Philippines deploys assessment team to Typhoon Nock-ten affected areas

 By Florence Joy Maluyo, Monday December 26th 2016 

World Vision Philippines emergency staff will travel to Typhoon Nock-ten affected areas once weather alerts have been lifted and travel is permitted.

An assessment team – consisting of a five staff skilled in emergency response management, child protection, health and nutrition and documentation – will travel to the central province area to check on well-being of children and their families. 

“The team will focus on conducting rapid assessments on the situation to determine the degree of impact, needs and existing capacities, liaise with other organisations and co-ordinate with local partners in the area. This will determine the level of our response,” said Ajab Aram Macapagat, Director of Humanitarian and Emergency Affairs for WV Philippines.

Sorsogon, Albay, Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte have been identified as affected. The World Vivsion Luzon team will send its rapid assessment team tomorrow (27th Dec) morning.

World Vision Philippines is mobilising more staff to join the assessment team.  World Vision staff in affected areas are coordinating with local governments to get information about the impact.

Fallen trees and electric posts are blocking the roads in the Bicol region, a 10-12 hour drive from metropolitan Manila. World Vision-assisted community areas are still without electricity
and some houses are damaged.

The typhoon left significant damage according to accounts from World Vision staff living within the affected areas.

 “My family and I are safe. I can’t go around the area yet because of many fallen trees. We still don’t have electricity due to damaged electrical posts,” says Karen Gonzales, World Vision staff living in Camarines Sur.

Evacuees are starting to head home to check on the damage caused by the typhoon, according to Joy Mallapre, World Vision staff residing in Albay.

World Vision funded Area Development Programs (ADP) in the Bicol Region include Sorsogon – Bulan (WV Canada), Camarines Norte – Jose Panganiban (WV US), Camarines Sur – Lagonoy (WV Canada) and Albay – Pio duran (WV Canada).

The Department of Social Welfare and Development and various local government units have extended P7,109,686.00 million (USD 1, 428, 293) assistance to the provinces of Albay, Camarines Sur and Sorsogon according to a National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) report.

As at 11:00 (3:00 UTC time), the typhoon was located near Batangas province, according to the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

Prior to landfall on Sunday, December 25, 2016, more than 380,000 people (NDRRMC report) had fled to evacuation centres. Thousands more remained in their homes and endured a Christmas night with severe weather as Typhoon Nock-ten slammed central Philippines.

Typhoon Nock-ten (local name Nina), made  landfall over Catanduanes province with maximum sustained winds of 185 kph and gusts up to 255 kph at around 6PM (local time). The typhoon made a second landfall over Camarines Sur province at around 11PM.

 Media Interviews please contact:

 Joy Maluyo

Emergency Communications Specialist

Mobile: +63 977 830 1914 (mobile/cell)

Skype: fjmaluyo

Lanelyn Carillo

Field and Emergency Communications Specialist

Mobile: +63 906 357 1522 (mobile/cell)

SatPhone: +8821.6555.40380 (sat phone)

Skype: lanie.carillo

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.