With funds from Int’l Orgs. Red Cross-Leyte to construct training center, warehouse

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines — The Philippine Red Cross-Leyte chapter on Monday announced the construction in this city two modern buildings, a training center and a warehouse, each to be funded by international organizations.

Lawyer Mike Tezon, directors of PRC-Leyte, said the bidding for the construction of the 330-square meter two-storey livelihood and disaster preparedness training center has just been concluded in Manila.

The groundbreaking of this US$200,000-project, financed by the Royal Charity Organization of the Kingdom of Bahrain. was held in September last year led by the RCO Secretary-General Dr. Mustafa Alsayed and PRC national officials.

Tezon also disclosed, in a press forum, the bidding will start soon for the construction of a modern P29-million warehouse on a one-hectare lot of the PRC-Leyte compound with funds from the New Zealand Red Cross.

This warehouse will serve as a regional hub, or a safer repository of relief goods, medicines and other materials that PRC will distribute to victims of calamities, he said.

Tezon also announced the PRC will also be constructing 300 houses more in Tacloban City and Palo town for the survivors of super typhoon Yolanda. This will be funded separately by the International Federation of the Red Cross, the American Red Cross, the Qatar Red Crescent and Citibank.

So far, PRC had already built 8,000 emergency shelters in all Yolanda-stricken areas in the country financed by various donors in cooperation with the PRC local chapters.

Meanwhile, PRC-Leyte had intensified its drive in inviting more people to be volunteers in its Red Cross 143 and to subscribe to PRC Hazards App.

Red Cross 143 is a long-running self-help advocacy of PRC across the archipelago aimed at inculcating the culture of self-help in schools, workplaces and communities by developing a formidable network of Red Cross volunteers who will prepare for disasters and respond rapidly to emergencies.

Red Cross 143 is composed of one leader and 43 members, who will compose of 44 volunteers on site and will “take charge” and be first to predict, plan, prepare, practice, report and respond.

Tezon said the Red Cross 143 was organized in every village in Eastern Visayas where PRC had extended assistance. He said the PRC-Leyte needed to have more 143 volunteers who will be the first responders before PRC does when calamities strike.

The PRC, in making the people prepared for any natural disaster, further encourages the public to subscribe to the PRC Hazard App, which is easily downloadable thru Google Play engine.

The application will provide accurate information on how to prepare for disasters and receive alerts about the current hazards in a particular location. This PRC undertaking is in partnership with the American Red Cross and the USAID. — (FREEMAN)