PRESS RELEASE : Humanitarian Teams Deployed in Philippines as Storm Hits [October 2022]

The press release issued by Save the Children on 29 October 2022.

At the onset of tropical storm Paeng -international name, Nalgae – Save the Children Philippines immediately deployed humanitarian response teams on Friday 28 October, to conduct rapid assessment on impacted areas in Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Bicol, Eastern Samar, Panay Island, and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Around 4.5 million people, of which 1.4 million are children, have been affected based on initial reports. The figures are expected to increase as Nalgae is poised to strengthen and become the 16th typhoon to hit the Philippines in 2022.

In Maguindanao, Save the Children’s response teams are on the ground assessing the scale of the devastation and the needs of those affected. . So far, 67 of the 72 recorded deaths are in Maguindanao where about  78,000 families were reportedly affected by severe flooding.

Meanwhile, Save the Children’s response teams in Luzon and Visayas, along with teams from civil society organisation partners, are currently monitoring and responding to the urgent needs of the affected children and their families..

Jerome Balinton, Humanitarian Manager at Save the Children Philippines, said: “We are working to help affected families recover as fast as possible and putting in place disaster preparedness measures to reduce the impact of the storms. No child must be left behind, especially in times of emergencies.”

Atty. Alberto Muyot, CEO of Save the Children Philippines, said: “In any crisis, children are always the most vulnerable. The message is loud and clear: children are most impacted by the climate crisis. That is why the whole of society must act now to safeguard future generations.”

Save the Children stands ready to respond with the immediate dispatch of prepositioned relief items. These include plastic sheets that can be used as temporary shelters to displaced families, vital household items and family hygiene kits to prevent the spread of diseases, school supplies for children and teachers, and temporary learning spaces to safely resume classes.