PWRDF Partners Respond to Typhoon Haiyan

Soon after Typhoon Haiyan struck the Visayas region of the Philippines on November 8, 2013, representatives of local NGOs, including the Central Visayas Farmers Development Center (FARDEC), Cebubohol Relief and Rehabilitation Center (CRRC) and Southern Partners Fair Trade Center (SPFTC)– all long time partners of PWRDF based in Cebu, Philippines– went to gather information and assess the situation in the communities where they work.  They also brought with them relief supplies: food, water, clothes and medicine donated to them by local communities that were not affected by the typhoon.

They found that 90% of the 60,000 residents of 16 settlements in the six municipalities they visited were affected. They identified 9,467 families who had not yet received any relief support from the government and private groups/individuals.

Most of these families were either living with their relatives whose houses were not totally destroyed, under the houses of neighbors,  or camping near their destroyed homes. Most of the families did not want to go to evacuation centers because they wanted to guard their properties, including animals.

PWRDF has provided a grant of $20,532 to provide temporary shelter to a total of 525 families in the municipalities of Bantayan and Sta. Fe on Bantayan island, as well as enough food and water for 5 days.   Bantayan Island was chosen for their relief work because it is so far from mainland Cebu.

Priority is being given to families who have lost their livelihood due to the typhoon, and to those whose houses were destroyed by the typhoon and who are now camping outside their homes.  These families are already connected to PWRDF’s partners, and are among the most vulnerable in their communities.

In total, 8750kg of rice, 1,050 kg of dried fish, 3150 tins of Sardines, 525 litres of cooking oil, and 1050 packages of water purification tablets are being distributed to the families. In addition, each family will be provided with 5 meters of plastic sheet for temporary shelter, and the poles and materials to tie the sheet will be arranged by the community members.

All donations received from individual Canadian donors between Nov 9 and Dec 23, 2013 will be matched dollar for dollar by the Canadian government into the Typhoon Haiyan Relief Fund, which will be used by the government to partner with NGOs and international agencies to further relief efforts after the storm.

You can donate to PWRDF’s ongoing relief efforts in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan:

Online                                                                                                                         
You can designate your online donation for “Typhoon Haiyan”.

By Phone
For credit card donations contact:
Jennifer Brown
416-924-9192 ext. 355;     1-866-308-7973
Please do not send your credit card number by email or fax.

By Mail
Please make cheques payable to “PWRDF”, mark them for “Typhoon Haiyan” and send them to:
The Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund
The Anglican Church of Canada
80 Hayden Street
Toronto, Ontario  M4Y 3G2

PWRDF Donations Contact:
Jennifer Brown
416-924-9192 ext. 355;     1-866-308-7973

PWRDF Humanitarian Response Coordinator
Naba Gurung
416-924-9199 ext. 321;     1-866-308-7973