Schools provide refuge to victims of Typhoon Ruby
PBSP directs early recovery response in hard hit areas
More than the gift of education, the schools in the country once again provided the much-needed refuge to victims of Typhoon Ruby (International name Hagupit) who had nowhere to go the past few days as the typhoon destroyed their houses and temporary shelters.
Eighteen schools of member-companies, partners, and donors of Philippine Business for Social Progress, which are either completed or in different stages of construction have been used as evacuation centers of 362 families and 1,270 individuals from seven provinces in the Visayas Region.
In Northern Cebu, the schools were San Jose Elementary School (donated by Deloitte) in Bantayan, Guadalupe Elementary School (CTBC) in Bogo City, Ilihan Integrated School (CTBC), Tapilo Elementary School and Bagay Elementary School (Australian Government) in Bantayan.
In Tacloban, the schools-turned-evacuation centers were Panalaron Elementary School (Mondelez), and the newly-constructed Marasbaras Elementary School (Coca-Cola Foundation).
The San Francisco Elementary School donated by Fluor Daniel was also used as temporary shelter by typhoon victims in Isabel, Leyte, while Dr. Serafica Elementary School (Coca-Cola Foundation) was converted as evacuation center in Ormoc.
In Iloilo, a number of families sought refuge at Bancal Elementary School (Ace) and Estancia Elementary School (Yes Pinoy). Another of Coca-Cola Foundation’s Little Red Schoolhouses in Capiz, the Dr. E. Abalo Elementary School, was also used by the typhoon victims in the area.
In Samar which was among the hardest hit areas, six schools that were being constructed from the Australian government have also served as evacuation centers. These were Baybay Elementary School in Catarman, Don Julio Avalo National High School, Bantayan National High School, Catarman Central School II, Catarman Central School I, and Catarman National High School in Northern Samar.
EARLY RECOVERY RESPONSE
Philippine Business for Social Progress and its member-companies, donors and partners are also pooling funds to provide early recovery response to the victims in the hardest hit areas.
On Monday, PBSP led by its executive director Rafael C. Lopa worked with the local governments of Navotas and Malabon in distributing 100 relief packs to the evacuees in Bagumbayan Elementary School and Navotas National High School.
Fifty (50) Sphere-standard relief packs consisting of 10 kilos of rice, three (3) cans of sardines, ½ kilos of monggo beans, ½ kilos of dried fish, one (1) liter of oil, one (1) kilogram of sugar, ¼ kilos of iodized salt, and two (2) liters of water were given to the 50 families housed in each school. The relief packs were funded by the International Rescue Committee.
PBSP has also deployed Rapid Assessment Teams (RAT) to Samar and Bicol to assess the needs of badly-hit communities in these areas.
“Right now, we are asking for support for Shelter Repair Kits at Php15,000 each to help victims rebuild their homes, and provide immediate shelter to their families,” said Jay Jaboneta, Corporate Affairs head of PBSP.
More needs will be addressed as soon as the assessment teams have submitted their report.
Lopa also assured that there are no reported damages on the schools that were used as evacuation centers, and that construction will continue immediately after the families have returned to their places of residences.