Philippine Red Cross (PRC) Chairman and CEO Sen. Dick Gordon immediately deployed a Humanitarian Caravan on December 17, 2021, to assist the hardest-hit provinces affected by Typhoon Odette (international name: Rai). The typhoon wreaked havoc on Bohol, Cebu, and Surigao del Norte, which depend largely on tourism, leaving billions in damage affecting infrastructure and transportation in the said provinces.
Chairman Gordon deployed PRC food trucks as an immediate response to distribute ready-to-eat hot meals at the evacuation centers at the height of the typhoon. To date, more than 22,301 individuals have received hot meals. Payloaders were also sent to clear the roads of debris to allow access to other relief goods.
“We need to act fast to restore these places to their former beauty. Ipinadala namin ang ating payloaders upang maclear ang daan at makarating ang tulong sa mga nangangailangan. Nagpadala din kami ng humanitarian caravan na mayroong generators at non-food items upang maabutan ng tulong ang mga naapektuhan ng bagyo lalo na yung mga umaasa sa tourism,” Gordon said.
The Department of Tourism (DOT) said that Cebu and Bohol were the top tourist destinations in the country, while Siargao Island was famous among young travelers and divers. The report said the country earned the US $9.31 billion in 2019 but crashed by 82.1 percent in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
PRC installed welfare desks and satellite dishes in Surigao del Norte to help restore communication lines. The VSAT satellite communication will help stranded tourists contact and reconnect with their families.
Tourism is close to the heart of Chairman Gordon as he was once the Secretary of the DOT from 2001-2004 where he introduced the WOW Philippines campaign.
“Ang tourism ay isa sa pinakahuling nakakabangon kapag hinagupit ng bagyo. Kaya katuwang ang Red Cross staff at volunteers, patuloy ang pagsasagawa ng relief operations upang matulungan ang mga tao na umaasa sa tourism. Natamaan man ng bagyo at pandemya, tayo ay babangon at muling makakatayo sa sarili nating mga paa,” Gordon added. (PR)
