A Tzu Chi volunteer gives bread to an elderly flood victim in an evacuation center in Marikina City last August 8. Over 5,000 families fled in different evacuation sites in the city due to the massive floods since August 6. Hot meals were also provided to the starving families there. 【Photo by Carolina Uy】
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Tzu Chi Philippines mobilized its volunteers to respond to the immediate needs of residents in many parts of Metro Manila and nearby provinces affected by the non-stop rains and flooding since Monday.
Hot meals, water, breads and biscuits were distributed to the flood victims who mostly evacuated to nearby schools and churches while waiting for their homes to be emptied by floods.
On August 7, 61 Chinese and local volunteers of Old Balara, Quezon City distributed around 200 breads and cooked hot meals for 500 persons who temporarily evacuated in Old Balara Elementary School (OBES).
About 3pm of the same day, Tzu Chi volunteers went to Sto. Domingo Church to aid the over 3,000 families from barangays Tatalon, Sto. Domingo and Lourdes in Quezon City taking temporarily shelter there.
The following morning of August 8, Tzu Chi volunteers surveyed the flooded houses in Barangay Tatalon and assessed the situation and needs of the victims. They also went to visit the 500 families or 1,700 individuals staying in Diosdado Macapagal Elementary School in the said barangay.
At 2pm of August 8, Tzu Chi volunteers prepared hot meals at the Still Thoughts Hall in Quezon City and distributed 700 bowls of macaroni soup to the starving evacuees in the aforementioned school at about 4:30pm. Aside from food, the residents also shared they lack clothing as all their belongings were flooded.
Another group of volunteers went to Marikina City to serve the food needs of the residents in barangays Nangka, Concepcion, Malanday and Tumana.
Marikina City is among the severely flooded areas in Metro Manila due to the nearby river that threatens to overflow. Residents needed to evacuate from their homes fearing the effects brought to them by "Typhoon Ondoy" in 2009.
It has been reported that the rainfall this time is heavier than that of "Ondoy". However, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the bad weather was brought by southwest monsoon and not by any tropical storm.
Meanwhile, hot meals were served to over a thousand families in Nangka Elementary School while breads were given to an equivalent of 5,000 individuals.
About 900 families corresponding to over 4,000 individuals were also served with breads in Malanday Elementary School; the same were given to some 4,400 individuals from Barangay Tumana who evacuated in H. Bautista Elementary School; 300 hot meals and a total of 2,800 breads were given to evacuees temporarily seeking shelter at Concepcion Integrated School while 700 breads were also distributed to victims who fled to Leodegario Elementary School.
As this develops, local Tzu Chi volunteers are preparing sets of relief goods and second-hand clothes and repacking rice in Tzu Chi Great Love Campus in Sta. Mesa, Manila to be given to the flood victims.
As of today, 9th of August, Tzu Chi volunteers are being mobilized for a relief distribution to the flood victims in Baseco Compound in Tondo, Manila. Hot meals will be provided to approximately 1,600 families there.
A relief activity is slated today to benefit the families in Barangay Tatalon, where relief goods, clothes and blankets are to be given away.
Continuous distribution of hot meals are being held in Santolan evacuation center in Pasig and in Marikina City on this day. Tzu Chi volunteers will also visit San Mateo, Rizal to give bread and survey the area and needs of the flood victims.
