Residents of 'Pablo'-hit areas troop to Chruch for Simbang Gabi

December 16, 2012 8:09am

Despite their difficult situation, residents of areas hit hard by Tropical Cyclone Pablo (Bopha) still got up early in the morning on Sunday and trooped to Church to attend the first day of Simbang Gabi, as they start the nine-day countdown to Christmas Day.

In Compostela Valley, residents of New Bataan town gathered at their parish church to attend the traditional dawn Mass, radio dzRH reported.

A photo posted on the Twitter account of dzRH's Cesar Chavez showed residents of New Bataan town inside the the San Antonio de Padua Parish, with at least two of them becoming emotional.

New Bataan was one of the areas hit hardest by Pablo, which devastated parts of Mindanao and Visayas before dissipating in the Ilocos area.

As of Saturday, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said at least 955 were left dead in Pablo's wake.

Long-term assistance needed

The International Committee of the Red Cross said Pablo's victims, especially those in Mindanao, may need long-term assistance to be able to recover from their loss.

An ICRC emergency team member who was deployed to one of the affected areas said the destruction was so severe it wiped out the livelihood of many residents.

"The destruction is so severe that almost no coconut trees are still standing. Many people have seen their entire livelihood wiped out in this one event. They will need assistance for a long time to come," said ICRC emergency team member Wilson Mondal, who hails from one of the areas.

Mondal noted many of the evacuation centers had collapsed, leaving some people to just live on roadsides. "They need everything,” he said.

Now, the ICRC's emergency response is focused on Baganga, Cateel, Boston and Caraga.
"People here have not only lost their homes but are facing almost total destruction of the crops and vegetation upon which they depend for their livelihoods," it said.

The ICRC and Red Crescent Societies and their partners are working in other affected provinces.

"All are ready to provide further assistance as needs arise," the ICRC said.

The ICRC also said it is stepping up its operations, by dispatching more food and important emergency items such as hygiene products and cooking material from its warehouses.

It said it is dispatching three large freight aircraft carrying an additional 280 tons of relief supplies from its emergency stock in Kuala Lumpur.

Food and relief

Upon the request of the Philippine Red Cross (PRC), the ICRC dispatched food kits and relief items for 21,000 people in Davao Oriental, Compostela Valley and Surigao del Sur, three of the worst-hit areas.

The ICRC said it has had to find ways around bridges and roads rendered impassable, and expects to distribute the supplies in the coming days.

It added relief has arrived in New Bataan, having distributed food for 3,700 people for three weeks, plus enough hygiene, emergency shelter and cooking items for 600 people.

Emergency relief kits and food that can last three weeks, have been given to 2,000 people in Surigao del Sur, while 1,600 displaced people in Baganga, Davao Oriental, received food for three weeks.

Treating injured

Medicines and medical supplies had been prepositioned in case of such emergencies in hospitals around Mindanao – a part of the ICRC's regular support for years.

ICRC provided additional support to such sites as Davao Regional Hospital, as well as two hospitals in Bukidnon and Compostela Valley.

The supplies included intravenous fluids, painkillers, antibiotics and plaster for fractures.

Access to water

With Pablo damaging water networks in some areas, joint ICRC and PRC emergency response teams are working to treat and transport water to be brought to strategic locations.

One of the most badly hit areas, Montevista in Compostela Valley, benefited from the ICRC’s donation of pipes and other materials to help a provincial hospital repair its damaged water system.

A donation for construction materials helped repair its district jail.

The ICRC has also provided 150 body bags to the PRC at its request. — LBG, GMA News