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CHILD RIGHTS ADVOCATES
REACH OUT TO VICTIMS OF TYPHOON "ONDOY"; CONDUCT RELIEF DISTRIBUTION IN
MARIKINA CITY
Child Rights advocates led by SALINLAHI Alliance for Children's Concerns,
today reached out to the victims of typhoon Ondoy in Marikina City, one of
the worst hit by the typhoon. SALINLAHI, together with its member
organization the Children’s Rehabilitation Center launched its relief and
fund drive for the victims of Typhoon Ondoy, to immediately reach out the
depressed residents of Sitio Olandes, where another Salinlahi member
organization, the Samahan ng Maagang Pagkatuto ng mga Bata (SMPB) runs a
day care for pre-school children in the area.
Earlier, the CRC conducted a rescue operation to the staff and families of
SMPB whose homes were submerged in 20 feet of flood waters. The CRC office
temporarily shelters 5 families (19 individuals, mostly children).
The immediate relief assistance held this afternoon (3pm, Sept. 29) was
made possible through the support of Citizen Disaster Response Center (CDRC)
and the Gabriela Women’s Party, which provided the relief goods. The child
rights advocates reached at least 300 families, through a standard relief
pack of rice and canned goods, as well as clothes. Another relief
operation is schedule in the area on Thursday to reach out to another 300
families.
Donations from the De La Salle University COSCA and private companies and
individuals started to pour in this afternoon. We are still accepting
donations for the relief operation so that we can reach out to more
affected families and communities particularly in Barangays Tagumpay (in
Project 4), Bagong Silangan, Tatalon all in Quezon City, as well as other
areas in Marikina City.
We are also asking for volunteers to help us in repacking relief goods,
helping in the temporary evacuation center and especially in cleaning the
Olandes-Batibot Learning Center. Repacking of relief goods is scheduled
tomorrow (Sept 30) while the relief operation and the “Operation Linis”
will be on Thursday (Oct 1).
We welcome donations in cash or in kind. We also need vehicles to pick up
and drop off relief goods as well as in moving the salvageable furniture
and other school materials from the day care to the CRC office for
clean-up |
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URGENT APPEAL FOR SUPPORT
FOR THE VICTIMS OF TROPICAL STORM “ONDOY”
September 26, 2009, around 10am, tropical storm “Ondoy” landed in Luzon
and hit 25 provinces. Heavy rains continued to pour causing the rivers to
overflow at about noon, severely flooding the surrounding urban poor
communities.
One of the areas affected was Sitio Olandes, Bgy. Industrial Valley
Complex in Marikina City which is located near the banks of the Marikina
River. Sitio Olandes is home to about 3000 families and the Olandes
Batibot Early Learning Center (OBELC), a member organization of SALINLAHI
Alliance for Children’s Concerns.
As floodwaters rose up to their roofs in a matter of 3 hours, women and
children were crying for help on their roofs, waiting desperately to be
rescued. OBELC was submerged in flood waters causing damage to the center,
including books, school supplies and other things used for their daily
operations.
Our network organizations, from other urban poor communities of Quezon
City and City of Manila, are also affected. In Sitio Talanay, Barangay
Batasan Hills in Quezon City, the houses were washed away by the raging
waters. The day care center, an extension of the Busilak Learning Center (BLC)
program in Sitio Veterans, Quezon City, experienced severe damage similar
to the OBELC.
The same effects of “Ondoy” were also experienced in Bgy. Tatalon, an
urban poor community in Quezon City perennially flooded during storms. The
houses were also washed away by the fierce flood currents. The residents,
who still have their houses also stayed on the 2nd or 3rd floor or on the
roofs to avoid the rising flood waters.
In Vitas, Tondo,in the City of Manila, one of the areas organized by the
Samahan ng Maralitang Kababaihang Nagkakaisa (SAMAKANA) or the Association
of United Urban Poor Women, the residents, especially women and children
were also severely affected by “Ondoy’s” wrath.
Tropical storm “Ondoy” left serious damage on properties and even deaths
in some parts of Luzon. The areas that were hit the hardest are the cities
of Marikina, Quezon, Manila, Pasig and some areas of Rizal like San Mateo,
Cainta, Taytay and Antipolo.
With these numbers of families affected by the storm and the floods,
SALINLAHI Alliance for Children’s Concern and Children’s Rehabilitation
Center (CRC) is trying to extend its help by providing immediate
assistance like relief goods and financial support. This is necessary as
efforts of the local and National government are inadequate and slow,
especially with the large number of victims needing immediate assistance.
Through the help of our fellow child rights advocates and other child
focused organizations, a rescue operation in Sitio Olandes, Bgy.Industrial
Valley Complex, Marikina City was conducted last September 27. SALINLAHI
is currently part of a Task Force overseeing immediate relief for the
families of OBELC. About 4 families are temporarily housed in CRC office
where they were immediately evacuated.
The victims call for:
1. Immediate assistance for basic needs like food, drinking water, clothes
and shelter.
2. Donations of books, school supplies and equipment to the OBELC and BLC
for their operations.
Relief goods and materials may be dropped off in CRC office, #90 J.
Bugallon, Barangay Bagumbuhay, Project 4, Quezon City. You can contact us
at (+632) 913-9244 or 439-1053 and look for Malou or Sarah. For financial
donations, you can deposit at:
Account name: Children’s Rehabilitation Center
Bank name: Bank of the Philippine Island – Kamias-Anonas Branch
Account number: SA 3323-2050-85
Please notify us of your deposit for your official receipt.
email adds: salinlahiphilippines@yahoo.com.ph
salinlahi.childnews@gmail.com
childrehabcenter@yahoo.com.ph
SALINLAHI ALLIANCE FOR CHILDRENS CONCERNS
CHILDREN’S REHABILITATION CENTER
September 28, 2009
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