THE Salvation Army in The Philippines is increasing its
collaboration with other agencies to provide help to the people affected by
Typhoon Haiyan who need the most urgent assistance. Much of the 54 tons of food,
water and medical supplies which have been gathered in Manila is still waiting
to be transported to Tacloban for distribution across the Island of Leyte, but
the first truckload of supplies – enough for 550 families – is expected
today.
A 'cluster coordination system' has been
set up to ensure that all agencies are working together, and The Salvation Army
is working within the system, attending 'cluster' meetings that address
logistics, health, food, shelter, non-food items (NFI) and protection.
The programme of support to people evacuating from
Tacloban Airport is continuing to assist up to 1,000 people every day. At
cluster meetings the potential for human trafficking was highlighted as an
immediate concern, so a registration facility has been set up in a tent at the
airport, with The Salvation Army given a tent next to this at which it will
provide refreshments and sandwiches.
Thanks to
arrangements made through a partnership with The Salvation Army USA, the Chief
Executive Officer of the Christian Medical and Dental Association of the USA
(CMDA), Dr David Stevens, arrives in Manila on Friday with a team of four
colleagues. By start of next week they hope to join forces with Salvation Army
medical staff on Leyte.
The emergency response team
in Tacloban is currently identifying the areas for its first big distribution.
Consideration is also being given to an additional food project for the areas
outside of Tacloban that haven't received support. With transport continuing to
be a major issue, enquiries are being made in Cebu to purchase food and other
items, along with a truck to transport the supplies to Leyte. A warehouse owned
by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will be used for storage – a
vital element in the process.
For the people who
remain on Leyte, shelter is a great concern. There is currently nowhere to
obtain tarpaulins which can be used to waterproof damaged houses, so The
Salvation Army is looking at ways to bring in roofing sheets that could provide
a simple, longer-term solution.
A video clip
containing information about The Salvation Army's typhoon response, produced by
International Headquarters employee Gary Rose, has been published on YouTube. Go
to sar.my/haiyanvideo to view the
video, then share the link with colleagues and friends. Also, follow and share
the latest news and photos via Twitter (@TSA_IHQ), Facebook (sar.my/facebook) and Flickr (sar.my/flickr).
Thursday, 21 November 2013
Tuesday, 19 November 2013
Philippines Typhoon Update
LONDON, 18 November 2013/IHQ/ –
SALVATION Army emergency personnel in the typhoon-hit city of Tacloban, The
Philippines, and other devastated areas in the Visayas Islands are seeing signs
of hope emerge as relief goods, medicines and other aid starts to reach the
people. The Salvation Army is continuing to provide essentials, and is working
in conjunction with local authorites and other agencies.
While The Salvation Army's Social Services Department coordinates the preparation and transport of relief goods, Major Reynaldo Magat (Central Philippines Division) and Damaris Frick (International Emergency Services) are leading a team of officers and Salvationists in Tacloban. They are collaborating with other agencies and preparing for the actual distribution of goods. One of the main priorities is to find storage facilities, and viable options are being explored. Personnel from The Salvation Army's Visayas Islands Division are spearheading relief operations in other affected areas.
The Salvation Army's response goes beyond the provision of emergency supplies. In the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan many people still need medical assistance. The medical services in the affected areas are unable to cope and have requested external support. The Salvation Army has been asked by the authorities to work in the Baybay area in partnership with the District Hospital.
The Salvation Army in The Philippines has medical personnel, and they will work with medical staff from the Christian Medical and Dental Association of the USA (CMDA), whose participation has been arranged through a partnership with The Salvation Army USA. The Chief Executive Officer of CMDA, Dr David Stevens, will fly to The Philippines this week to lead the first team and assess needs.
Together, medical personnel from The Salvation Army and CMDA will identify which medical supplies and equipment are required, looking to purchase as much as possible in The Philippines. The project will also look to bring in other medical personnel – where possible, from The Philippines – and a vehicle will be purchased to assist with transport of staff and all necessary supplies to Baybay and other areas.
The transportation of large amounts of relief supplies continues to cause concern. The Salvation Army is still waiting for cargo space to fly 54 tons of food, water and medical supplies from Manila. Other possible transport methods are still being explored, and John Graham, a trustee of the Propeller Club of Manila, has offered one of its vessels to transport goods and equipment to Tacloban on 29 November. The Propeller Club of Manila is a maritime institution that also trains young Filipinos for seafaring jobs.
Until the supplies arrive, the Salvation Army team in Tacloban continues to find other avenues of service, most recently by providing meals and counselling to people waiting to evacuate Tacloban by air or sea. Damaris reports: 'The number of people waiting for evacuation is slowly decreasing,' but she believes that this will be a useful ministry for at least a few more days.
'We're only giving out water and sandwiches – it's very simple,' she adds, but with the understanding that this basic act is a vital help to desperate people. She reveals that since the Salvation Army team began their ministry at the airport they discovered that, in the days immediately after the disaster, two people died at the airport because of the lack of food and drink.
Away from Tacloban a response is also under way to support evacuees as they arrive at the airport in Cebu and at Villamor Airbase in Manila, where The Salvation Army was one of a number of organisations that greeted thousands of people who had survived the typhoon. The demonstration of love and concern was overwhelming. After feeding the survivors, they were led to first aid or counselling areas.
Up-to-date information and full details about how to make a donation can be found on the new Typhoon Haiyan Appeal page: sar.my/haiyan
Also, we will be taking up an offering on Sunday at Marion Corps to support this appeal.
While The Salvation Army's Social Services Department coordinates the preparation and transport of relief goods, Major Reynaldo Magat (Central Philippines Division) and Damaris Frick (International Emergency Services) are leading a team of officers and Salvationists in Tacloban. They are collaborating with other agencies and preparing for the actual distribution of goods. One of the main priorities is to find storage facilities, and viable options are being explored. Personnel from The Salvation Army's Visayas Islands Division are spearheading relief operations in other affected areas.
The Salvation Army's response goes beyond the provision of emergency supplies. In the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan many people still need medical assistance. The medical services in the affected areas are unable to cope and have requested external support. The Salvation Army has been asked by the authorities to work in the Baybay area in partnership with the District Hospital.
The Salvation Army in The Philippines has medical personnel, and they will work with medical staff from the Christian Medical and Dental Association of the USA (CMDA), whose participation has been arranged through a partnership with The Salvation Army USA. The Chief Executive Officer of CMDA, Dr David Stevens, will fly to The Philippines this week to lead the first team and assess needs.
Together, medical personnel from The Salvation Army and CMDA will identify which medical supplies and equipment are required, looking to purchase as much as possible in The Philippines. The project will also look to bring in other medical personnel – where possible, from The Philippines – and a vehicle will be purchased to assist with transport of staff and all necessary supplies to Baybay and other areas.
The transportation of large amounts of relief supplies continues to cause concern. The Salvation Army is still waiting for cargo space to fly 54 tons of food, water and medical supplies from Manila. Other possible transport methods are still being explored, and John Graham, a trustee of the Propeller Club of Manila, has offered one of its vessels to transport goods and equipment to Tacloban on 29 November. The Propeller Club of Manila is a maritime institution that also trains young Filipinos for seafaring jobs.
Until the supplies arrive, the Salvation Army team in Tacloban continues to find other avenues of service, most recently by providing meals and counselling to people waiting to evacuate Tacloban by air or sea. Damaris reports: 'The number of people waiting for evacuation is slowly decreasing,' but she believes that this will be a useful ministry for at least a few more days.
'We're only giving out water and sandwiches – it's very simple,' she adds, but with the understanding that this basic act is a vital help to desperate people. She reveals that since the Salvation Army team began their ministry at the airport they discovered that, in the days immediately after the disaster, two people died at the airport because of the lack of food and drink.
Away from Tacloban a response is also under way to support evacuees as they arrive at the airport in Cebu and at Villamor Airbase in Manila, where The Salvation Army was one of a number of organisations that greeted thousands of people who had survived the typhoon. The demonstration of love and concern was overwhelming. After feeding the survivors, they were led to first aid or counselling areas.
Up-to-date information and full details about how to make a donation can be found on the new Typhoon Haiyan Appeal page: sar.my/haiyan
Also, we will be taking up an offering on Sunday at Marion Corps to support this appeal.
Tuesday, 12 November 2013
The Philippines
You will have seen the devastation that the super typhoon has caused in the
Philippines. 10,000+ people have died, hundreds of thousands are displaced and
many are in trouble. This includes some of our own Salvation Army people, with
at least four Corps in the devastated area.
The Salvation Army has already started to help those that are affected.
Already $100,000 in food supplies are being prepared for distribution, and,
obviously, more will be done. Damaris Frick, a friend of mine from IES is
leaving for Manila today to assess the best ways that we can work and the
worldwide Salvation Army is banding together to support whatever needs to
occur.
Our territory will be making a financial contribution to the relief
efforts.
We have also launched an appeal which can be accessed via www.salvationarmy.org.au
Thanks everyone. Let's keep praying for Colonels Wayne & Robyn Maxwell - the territorial leaders of The Salvation Army in the Philippines (Australians!), the people they work with, and most of all the people they will need to support following this disaster.
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