Typhoon Sendong, which hit the Philippines just 9 days before Christmas, is considered the world's deadliest storm for 2011. The storm triggered massive floods in the cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan in Southern Philippines, killing more than a thousand and destroying livelihoods, homes, and schools.
Ayala Foundation, Inc. took part in the relief operations, raising almost around $35,000 from generous individuals and organizations from the Philippines, the United States, and the rest of the world. Part of the donations were used to provide relief goods from December 22 31, 2011 to 6,360 families or around 38,000 individuals in the following areas: Tibasak/Macasandig, Isla de Oro, Kauswagan, Opol, Bonbon, Macanhan/Puntod, Balulang, Iponan, and Consolacion. Included in 5 gallon-capacity containers for the relief goods are: slippers, dipper, toothbrushes with toothpaste, bath soap and detergent soap bars, hand towels, 3 kg rice, assorted canned goods, noodles, and bottles of mineral water. Other items include: underwear, t-shirts, other food items, and cooking utensils. Aside from the relief goods, around 4,000 bottles of 1,000 ml mineral water were also distributed separately. AFI also worked with Gawand Kalinga in providing psycho-social relief to children in 5 evacuation centers.
A month after the tragedy, efforts shifted from relief to rehabilitation. AFI is focusing the donations already gathered in the campaign towards helping public school students get back on their feet. The Ten (The Entire Nation) Moves consortium, of which AFI is also part, also placed as its top priority, the building of classrooms located in the areas greatly devastated by typhoon Sendong. DepEd Officials estimate that at least 39 schools, including two in Iligan City, were totally washed out, with 406 classrooms sustaining damages worth around P79.6 million. Damages for school furniture stood at P20.42 million, P2.075 million for textbooks and instructional materials and P3.85 million for IT equipment.
AFI also called for more help, this time to prepare school bags filled with school supplies for the public school students, many of whom lost everything in the floods. Two thousand (2,000) school bags were distributed starting January 31, 2012, from the locally produced bags, 8,000 more bags( a 20-ft container ) also arrived on January 31 for distribution until January 12, 2012.
Around 5, 124 school bags will be distributed for affected students in 9 elementary schools and 5 secondary schools in Iligan City, 2,777 school bags will go to 7 elementary schools and 1 secondary school in Misamis Oriental and the remaining balance of 2,099 will go to 7 elementary schools and 1 secondary school in Cagayan de Oro City.
BPI Foundation contributed 3,000 bags, while National Bookstore Foundation lowered their price per pack by 15% while LBC delivered the bags free to Cagayan de Oro city.
The donations you sent were brought to areas where the need is greatest and areas that have not yet been reached by groups doing disaster relief mobilization. Rest assured that we will employ the highest level of transparency and accountability in all our transactions.
