Phl Red Cross on alert for rainy season

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) was placed on full alert yesterday for any emergency cases, now that the rainy season has started.

Senator-elect Richard Gordon, PRC chairman, advised the public to keep safe by keeping in mind the 4Ps in disaster management – Predict, Plan, Prepare and Practice.

“We have to be ahead of every disaster,” he said.

“By monitoring the news, we can make an assessment of how an approaching disaster could impact our communities.

“Then we can make plans on how to mitigate its effects and undertake necessary preparatory measures. It is also important that we plan so we will not be taken unaware.”

Gordon urged the public to avoid contracting diseases commonly associated with the rainy season, such as dengue, leptospirosis, colds, flu, cholera, among others.

He assured the public that the PRC has undertaken preparations to ensure effective and efficient response in any disaster that the rainy season may cause.

PRC management issued an administrative memo instructing all chapters nationwide to ensure that the PRC will fulfill its mandate of alleviating human suffering, especially among the most vulnerable.

Anticipating that the rainy season may cause disasters affecting lives, property and livelihood of the most vulnerable people, PRC chapters are directed to ensure an effective and efficient disaster response and to be on full alert and to activate response systems immediately as needed.

In case of severe weather forecasts, the chapters are also instructed to activate the Red Cross Action Team and the Red Cross 143 volunteers in the communities. 

They are also directed to conduct awareness campaigns or early warning dissemination for early actions, especially in communities at risk, and to prepare assistance for preemptive evacuations.