Summary: CHF 146,331 was allocated from the IFRC’s Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) on 17 February 2012 to replenish pre-positioned stocks released earlier and to support the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) in delivering immediate assistance to some 4,500 families (22,500 beneficiaries).

Two months after a 6.9 magnitude earthquake struck the islands of Cebu and Negros Oriental in Central Visayas region of the Philippines, killing at least 50 people and injuring 112 others, the emergency and relief operation launched by PRC has gained significant ground and is on track to be completed as scheduled by 16 May 2012.

In addition to human fatalities and casualties, the quake caused damages to more than 15,700 houses and to infrastructure, including a hospital. According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), a total of 320,165 persons were affected in two provinces. Most of the affected families have since returned to their homes and resumed daily activities, although a few are still reluctant to return due to the fear of aftershocks.

With the support of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), PRC has delivered a range of emergency and relief assistance to the most vulnerable quake-affected families. The assistance provided to date includes erecting tents to provide temporary shelter for 130 families, installing a Rubb hall to serve as a temporary hospital, providing psychosocial support to 980 persons, supplying 260,000 litres of clean water to families in need, distributing food packages to 4,200 families and distributing non-food relief supplies to 4,180 families.

The replenishment of this DREF allocation has been supported by Canadian Red Cross/Canadian government, Netherlands Red Cross/Netherlands government and the European Commission Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection department (ECHO). On behalf of the Philippine Red Cross, IFRC would like to thank these partners for their generous contributions.