Disaster Response Philippines Project #44625

Aid to Refugees of Storms, Floods, and Violence

by Asia America Initiative

Project Report | Feb 27, 2023
Through holiday season AAI continues relief in remote areas

By Albert Santoli | Project Leader

Dear Friends,

Asia America Initiative, along with local partners, One World Institute, IPI Foundation and hundreds of Filipino volunteers – whether members of Christian, Muslim or mountain tribes -- are continuing efforts to bring food, water, hygiene materials, and other supplies to villages damaged by typhoons and other natural disasters. The areas of support include the very southern Sulu Province bordering on Malaysia, then north through the 1,150 miles archipelago of 7,000 island -- with the northern most provinces sharing borders with Taiwan.

During the past four months from Christmas season through the Valentine’s holiday, we have shared life-saving aid to thousands of families displaced by volcanoes, typhoons, fires, and floods. AAI and our partners are providing emergency food, water, tarp shelters, blankets, hygiene, face masks, and basic health care items for displaced families and first responders who enthusiastic dedicate their time and energy for the well-being of their neighbors.

Asia America Initiative is working with local leaders, community organizations, police, and firefighters to deliver urgently needed goods and services to families who cannot return to their homes. At present, we are sending support for an additional 10,000 people in the Davao area of Mindanao region and the Cordilleras Mountainous region of northern Luzon. Thus far, we have delivered more than 10 tons of food and medical supplies and thousands of gallons of clean water.

In the Davao region of Mindanao, a local mayor observed, "It is unbelievable that volunteers would devote time away from their own families during the holidays so that our communities, who have lost everything in storms and floods, can feel they are not forgotten." In the remote mountains of Kalinga Province in the northern Cordilleras Mountain region, our volunteers and Igorot tribal people use rope pulleys and wooden pallets to transport tons of health and school supplies across mountain ravines, thousands of feet deep." It is as if we are visited by angels,” says a Kalinga tribal elder. "We could not imagine that outsiders could locate our village.”

We have the will and the dedication to further our outreach. However, our unsung heroes -- our GlobalGiving donors -- make these missions possible through your generous donations.

If you would like to add to your support, please click on the link below. We are accepting donations to send tons of supplies to AAI-supported communities in the weeks to come.

Thank you for helping families who have become refugees.

Aid to Refugees of Taal Volcano, Floods, COVID-19

Thank you,

Albert Santoli

Director Asia America Initiative

Links:

Asia America Initiative website

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Oct 14, 2022
Relief Trucks Deliver Aid to Remote Philippine Provinces

By Albert Santoli | Project Leader

Dear Friends,

In September 2022, Typhoon Talas damaged areas north of Manila. It was followed by massive winds on October 1, as Super Typhoon Karding cut a destructive swath through the same areas and others moving west. The intensity of the storm was unexpected and devastating. Both storms left behind communities in ruin, with thousands of families homeless and destroyed rice fields setting the stage for food shortages in coming months.

Asia America Initiative, One World Institute, and hundreds of local volunteers -- including many off-duty police officers -- rode into the pummeled storm areas on donated or rented trucks filled with food, water, hygiene materials, and bedding supplies. Because the two storms were closely sequenced. AAI and our partners were already coordinating relief materials into areas previously damaged from earlier storms in Luzon and Visayas regions. We were able to immediately increase support and carry relief supplies to areas where few other organizations had a presence. The support of GlobalGiving donors to this project was critical to our rapid and effective response.

Every year, thousands of families in the Philippines are displaced by volcanoes, typhoons, fires, and floods. Asia America Initiative and our partners are providing emergency food, water, tarp shelters, blankets, hygiene, face masks, and basic health care items for displaced families and first responders.

Dr. Yolanda, who worked around the clock organizing the various teams to meet the needs of hard-hit areas, says: "We made an immediate impact and did save lives. However, in mid-October fresh food, clean water, and shelter materials are still in short supply. Many roads and buildings are flood damaged. Families and especially the elderly must sleep on the cold wet ground where they develop many physical and internal illnesses."

Asia America Initiative is working with local leaders, community organizations, police, and firefighters to deliver urgently needed goods and services to at least 1,000 families who cannot return to their homes. Monsoon season has not reached its mid-point yet. However, many more typhoons and cyclones are expected in many areas of the Philippines, and other parts of Asia.

If you would like to add to your support, please click on the link below. We are accepting donations to send tons of supplies to AAI-supported communities in the weeks to come.

Thank you for helping families who have become refugees.

Aid to Refugees of Taal Volcano, Floods, COVID-19

Thank you,

Albert Santoli

Director Asia America Initiative

Links:

Asia America Initiative website

Permalink

Jun 12, 2022
Aid to "Ring of Fire" natural disaster refugees

By Albert Santoli | Project Leader

Since January 2020, thousands of families in the Philippines have been displaced by inrcease in local and regional volcano activity which has created non-stop rain patterns and dangerous air pollution in the Southeast Asian "Ring of Fire." In addition to the Taal and Bulusan volcanoes, numerous eruptions have occurred in neighboring Indonesia. These natural disasers have created tropical storms, fires, and floods,with relief efforts complicated by Covid-19 pandemic infections. Asia America Initiative and our partners are providing emergency food, water, tarp shelters, blankets, hygiene, face masks, and basic health care items for more than 2,000 displaced families and first-responders. We have provided 4 tons of relief supplies. Our GlobalGiving partners' donations have assisted AAI to continue our interventions in affected communities to provide aid to the homeless.

In March 2022, the Taal volcano erupted once again. And in June 2022, the Bulusan Volcano began erupting, also near the capital region of Luzon island in the Philippines. Explosive lava activity continues. On June 10, the Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC) Tokyo warned about a volcanic ash plume that rose up to estimated 17000 ft (5200 m) altitude, with a large cloud of ash moving in a westerly direction. In fact, since January 2020, the Taal Volcano erupted affecting over 502,500 people. The Philippine government estimated 73,000 school-age children were displaced among 146,992 persons in temporary shelters in 489 evacuation centers. Fresh food, clean water, and shelter materials are still in short supply. The volcanic ash high in earth's altitude has created unusual year-long heavy rain and flooding, especially in the Capiz, Visayas and Jolo, Mindanao areas where numerous AAI "peace through development" programs are based. Many roads are flood damaged. Worse, many other areas are affected by the COVID-19 virus with little to no hygiene or adequate medical supplies to protect aid workers.

Asia America Initiative is working with local leaders, community organizations, school teachers, police, and firefighters to deliver urgently needed goods and services to families who cannot return to their homes. We have already delivered four tons of food, blankets, and hygiene supplies. We are also preparing to send support for an additional 2,000 families (or 10,000 adults and children) who are homeless in especially hard-to-reach areas in Visayas and Mindanao regions.

Because many volcanoes are active across the Pacific Ocean Ring of Fire, Asia America Initiative is committed to long-term humanitarian relief to at least 5,000 displaced families. We are sending face masks and sterile gloves to firefighters and professional health workers. Relief supplies from the US, including food and hygiene items, will be sent to the Philippines to be distributed to refugees in shelters and health centers. Donations help us to acquire emergency supplies to send to affected communities.

Links:

web site

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