Makati NGO launches help for 150,000 kids hit by Lando

MANILA, Philippines —  A Makati-based non-government organization dedicated to promoting children’s rights launched an emergency response to answer to the needs of more than 100,000 children in areas affected by typhoon Lando.

Of the estimated 280,000 people affected by the recent typhoon which hit Central and Northern Luzon over the weekend, 150,00 are children, according to the independent organization Save the Children.

“Some of them are currently living in cramped evacuation centers, after they have been displaced by massive flooding in their respective communities,” noted Save the Children in a statement on Tuesday.

It added that with the typhoon’s slow movement going northwest, a lot of people would still be at a great risk of the effects of flooding and destruction of property due to strong winds.

The group’s director Ned Olney said children would likely suffer most the effects of severe flooding.

“We are now very concerned about their safety with severe flooding being reported. We expect that the worst affected families will face prolonged stay in evacuation centers, and this raises our concern considering such spaces are usually unsuitable for vulnerable children to live in for an extended period of time, because of limited hygiene and sanitation facilities,” Olney added.

The non-government organization said their response plan would last from three to six months and target 8,000 households in the most affected areas.

“The response will prioritize three to four sectors, including: emergency relief support (i.e. distribution of emergency shelter, household and hygiene kits), education, health and child protection,” the director noted.

Now, Save the Children said they already prepared about 1,000 initial relief kits to be distributed in the province of Aurora, where the typhoon made its landfall. Aside from this, the organization said they would also dispatch tarpaulins for emergency shelter, basic household kits like kitchen utensils, mosquito nets, sleeping mats, hygiene kits and water purification tablets.

Existing in the country for more than 30 years, Save the Children said they also launched an appeal “to mount a response in various areas” affected by the typhoon.

“We have been implementing disaster risk reduction programs in Aurora, Bulacan and Pampanga to better prepare children and their families in times of disasters,” added the non-government organization.  SFM