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October 8th, 2017 ― Doha: Qatar Red Crescent Society's (QRCS) Mission in the Philippines have recently initiated a new project to rehabilitate the houses affected by the earthquake that rattled the City of Surigao at the north-easternmost tip of Mindanao, southern Philippines, early this year.
The $40,000 project would benefit 117 poor families whose houses were totally damaged in February's earthquake.
In the wake of the disaster, a team of QRCS's Mission visited Surigao to assess the needs in cooperation with the local partner.
Priority is given to the poorest and most affected families with patients, elderly people, special needs, or female breadwinners.
According to the plan of the project, each family would receive a cash grant to purchase the tools and materials required for rebuilding and repairing their damaged houses.
A joint committee of QRCS's Mission and the Philippines Red Cross (PRC) was formed to provide supervision and technical advising. The beneficiaries have already been trained in how to use the maintenance tools, store building materials, and observe safety standards. Now, they are well-prepared to deal with any future similar disasters, instead of waiting for humanitarian aid or resorting to substandard shelters.
The beneficiaries said they were happy with this new undertaking, hoping that QRCS would continue to conduct such projects in the Philippines, for the benefit of as many families as possible.
On 11 February 2017, the City of Surigao was struck by a 6.7-magnitude quake, which destroyed 518 houses and damaged 5,880 more, according to PRC statistics.
Seven bridges and the runway of the city's airport were also ravaged, in addition to breakdown in the public utilities.
Since 2012, QRCS have been working to help the victims of natural disasters in the country, by alleviating the impact on vulnerable communities. A total of 1,550 shelter units have so far been built by QRCS for the victims of Tropical Storm Washi (2011) and Typhoon Haiyan (2013), let alone other forms of humanitarian relief in Mindanao.
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About Qatar Red Crescent (QRCS)
Established in 1978, Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) is a humanitarian volunteering organization that aims to assist and empower vulnerable individuals and communities without partiality or discrimination.
QRCS is a member of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, which consists of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and 190 National Societies. QRCS is also a member of several GCC, Arab, and Islamic organizations, such as the Islamic Committee of International Crescent and the Arab Red Crescent and Red Cross Organization (ARCO). In this legally recognized capacity, QRCS has access to disaster and conflict zones, thus serving as an auxiliary to the State of Qatar in its humanitarian efforts — a role that distinguishes it from other local charities and NGOs.
QRCS operates both locally and internationally and has ongoing international relief and development projects in a number of countries throughout the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and Europe. QRCS's humanitarian actions include providing support in disaster preparedness, disaster response, risk reduction, and disaster recovery. To mitigate the impact of disasters and improve the livelihoods of affected populations, QRCS provides medical services, healthcare, and social development to local communities. It is also active at the humanitarian advocacy front. With the help of a vast network of trained, committed staff and volunteers, QRCS aspires to improve the lives of vulnerable people by mobilizing the power of humanity.
QRCS works under the umbrella of the seven international humanitarian principles: Humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, and universality.
For more information, please contact Fareed Adnan, Head of Media Affairs, Communication Department, Tel.: +974 5583 7338, email: fareed@qrcs.org.qa.