President Dr Tony Tan Keng Yam, Patron of the Singapore Red Cross (SRC), today presented over S$7 million (PHP231,000,000) in donationsto SRC partners for a swathe of recovery and rebuilding projects across Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) affected areas in Bantayan Island, Busuanga Island, Leyte, Ormoc, Panay Island, Samar and the Visayas.

Expected to help some 1.5 million people rebuild their lives, projects include the reconstruction and rehabilitation of schools, healthcare facilities, medical equipment and supplies, water and sanitation, and shelters.

“I am glad that the Singapore Red Cross has chosen to work with trusted partners on the ground to implement projects that directly help the most vulnerable communities in the outlying regions of the Philippines. I hope that our contributions, which are but a small gesture of friendship and solidarity with the Filipino people, will make a difference in the lives of the communities affected by Typhoon Haiyan.” said President Tony Tan Keng Yam. President Tan also noted that the Singapore Red Cross had raised S$11.45 million (PHP377,850,000) through its Typhoon Haiyan public appeal.

Apart from witnessing the signing of three agreements between the Singapore Red Cross and its Red Cross Movement Partners: Philippine Red Cross; International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies; and International Committee of the Red Cross; President also presented the contributions from the people of Singapore to the people of the Philippines at the ceremony, through disbursements to Anglican Crisis Relief Outreach and Support, Singapore (ACROSS); Life Community Development (LCD); WYNASEAN; Humanitarian Assistance Network For Disaster (HAND); and Assisi Development Foundation, for various rebuilding projects (listed in Annex A).

“We have seen for ourselves the widespread damage inflicted by Typhoon Haiyan to homes, schools, hospitals and livelihoods. We will focus our efforts to help rehabilitate this infrastructure and hence restore the delivery of critical services to the affected communities. We will ensure that the funds received from the people of Singapore are used in the most effective and impactful way,” said Mr Benjamin William, Secretary General of Singapore Red Cross.

He added, “The outpouring of support is heartening but we must remember that the work of rebuilding communities goes beyond fundraising – it is a commitment that can stretch over years. For instance, hospital rehabilitation will only truly be completed after reconstructing the building, equipping it with equipment and supplies, and ensuring that the hospital can be sustained by the local community in the long run.”

The President will also travel to Basey, Western Samar, tomorrow, to visit the Basey District Hospital – a joint rehabilitation project between the Singapore Red Cross, the Philippine Red Cross and the International Committee of the Red Cross (see Annex C for more details). There he will present the first batch of medical supplies and equipment to the Chief of the Basey District Hospital, Dr Rutchie Egos.

Accompanied by the Governor of Western Samar Province Ms Sharee Ann Tan, Mayor of Basey Municipality Mr Igmedio “Junjie” Ponferrada, President will meet with the hospital administration, patients as well as two Singapore Red Cross volunteer-doctors who were deployed to Samar earlier this year. Dr Ong Chin Siang (Cardiothoracic Surgery resident) and Dr Sheryl Ang (Advanced Internal Medicine senior resident) were based respectively at the Balangiga Basic Health Care Unit (mobile clinic) and the Basey Emergency Hospital (field hospital) for more than three weeks.

ANNEX A: REBUILDING AFTER TYPHOON HAIYAN

a) Aklan and Capiz municipalities, Panay

Population: 1.25 million

Cost: S$1.58 million (PHP56.04 million)

Partner: Philippine Red Cross (PRC)

Reconstruction and rehabilitation of educational and healthcare facilities in the northern region of Panay Island
Community based health and first aid, and disaster risk reduction activities in school

b) Vasayas Region

Population: 1.25 million

Cost: S$908,000 (PHP32.21 million)

Partner: International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)

Reconstruction of 5 Rural Health Unites and 5 Barangay Health Stations
Provision of standard equipment, medicines and supplies to start up the operation of 10 supported health facilities, contributing to the overall goal of rehabilitating a total of 35 health facilities as part of the Philippine Red Cross’ Plan of Action

c) Southern Districts, Samar

Population: 53,000

Cost: S$1.17 million (PHP41.79 million)

Partner: International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)

• Equipping Basey District Hospital’s Accident & Emergency department (e.g. defibrillator, cardiac monitor)
• Rehabilitation of Basey District Hospital
• Rehabilitation of Balangiga District Hospital
• Rehabilitation of Balangiga Rural Health Unit
• Rehabilitation/Reconstruction of 27 Barangay Health Stations/Centres
• Repair of existing water schemes, installation of hand pumps and slow sand filters in 43 barangays in 4 municipalities – Basey, Marabut, Lawaan and Balangiga

d) Bantayan Island, Cebu

Population: 150,000

Cost: S$553,000 (PHP19.60 million)

Partner: Anglican Crisis Relief Outreach and Support, Singapore (ACROSS)

• Relief distribution across all 3 municipalities of Bantayan Island
• Shelter kits for 6,800 most needy household, inclusive of heavy-duty and climate suitable zinc roofing sheets & umbrella nails
• 6 heavy-duty water filtration systems + one-year operational costs, delivering water 12 hours a day
• 15,000 jerry cans

e) Busuanga Island, Palawan

Population: 21,000

Cost: S$800,000 (PHP28.36 million)

Partner: Life! Community Development (LCD)

• Repairs and equipment for 1 maternity health and 3 Rural Health Stations
• 1 land ambulance and 1 sea ambulance
• Rehabilitation of 3 schools in 2 municipalities
• Community water and irrigation systems in 3 barangays
• Farmers’ Rice Cooperative – training 30 families in organic farming + enterprise development training for sale of the harvested rice + 1 demonstration farm

f) Albuera, Leyte

Population: 40,000

Cost: S$300,000 (PHP10.63 million)

Partners: Julian Tan and Mayor of Albuera

Vendor: WYNASEAN

• Collaborative effort with Mr Julian Tan (former SAF commando) and local barangay authority
• Rapid school compound construction solutions comprising pre-fabricated and modular buildings from WYNASEAN
  • School compound of 5 blocks – 3 blocks with 3 classrooms each, 1 vocational education block and 1 block for common amenities including offices
  • Equipment for vocational training block
  • Also serves as temporary emergency centre

g) Dulag Municipality, Leyte

Population: 41,000

Cost: S$94,500 (PHP3.35 million)

Partner: Humanitarian Assistance Network for Disaster (HAND)

• Shelter rehabilitation for 500 families in Dulag

h) Pastrana and Tabon Tabon municipalities, Leyte

Population: 30,000

Cost: S$474,000 (PHP16.83 million)

Partner: Assisi Foundation

Pastrana

• Repair of Municipal Health Center
• Reconstruction of 33 classrooms in the elementary school

Tabon Tabon

• Repair of health centre and maternal delivery building in 1 barangay
• Repair of 3 Barangay Health Stations

SRC EMERGENCY AID

During the emergency phase, the Singapore Red Cross:

• launched a public appeal to raise funds for relief efforts
• contributed S$200,000 for emergency relief supplies to the Philippine Red Cross for immediate distribution
• launched hotlines for ‘Restoring Family Links’ service to assist Singaporeans and Filipinos in locating their family members who may have been affected by the disaster, and with whom they have difficulty contacting
• deployed an advance relief team to Malapascua, Cebu and Barangay Mahayahay, Ormoc from 14 to 18 November, for assessments to pave the way for the next missions. They also helped with food and relief distribution to the affected population.
• mounted three medical relief missions to provide critical support at the San Pablo Health Centre Catchment Area, serving 20,000 people from 17 Barangays.
• conducted psychosocial support activities, such as art therapy, to help the children cope with their loss

ANNEX B: Basey District Hospital

The Basey District Hospital, which is located on top of a hill in Basey, suffered extensive damage from the devastating storm. This sole municipal hospital serves the municipalities of Basey and Marabut with a total population of about 70,000 people.

SRC’s rehabilitation work at the Basey District Hospital started in February 2014 and is expected to be completed by end of May. Rebuilt at approximately 75,000 CHF, the Basey District Hospital rehabilitation project includes the following:

• The demolition of the damaged walls
• the construction of new columns
• the replacement of entire roof
• the construction of new ceilings and new partition walls
• a new X-ray room
• the rehabilitation of the isolation room and dietary section, staff accommodation, stock room, the toilets and septic tanks
• Provision of some hospital equipment and consumables

Philippines, 4 April 2014