
HAGONOY, Bulacan—The Philippine Red Cross embarks in both local and international humanitarian response programs this beginning of 2025 as it donates $100,000 US Dollars or P5 million worth of cash to American Red Cross as a support response to help in the recovery following the devastations caused by wildfire catastrophe in Los Angeles, California on Jan. 8 and also more than P15 million for typhoon victims in Bulacan.
Philippine Red Cross Chairman Richard Gordon said here on Tuesday that the money is being donated to the American Red Cross through electronic wire transfer.
According to Gordon, the support fund to American Red Cross is an assistance to the State of California following the Jan. 8 wildfire that turned cities into ruins is part of the international humanitarian networks of Red Cross.
In previous catastrophes auch as earthquakes, tsunami, earthquake, super typhoons that have hit other countries —Turkey, Syria, Japan, Myanmar, other parts of the United States, the Philippine Red Cross have also made its volunteerism and responsibility as part of the international support and responses of their worldwide blood bank.
Gordon was here on Tuesday and distributed an initial P9,000 each as livelihood cash assistance to 445 typhoon Carina and Butchoy-hit residents and families im Hagonoy and Paombong towns.
The 144 beneficiaries in island barangay of Pugad and the 227 in Barangay Tibaguin in this town and the 74 in Barangay Pinalagdan in Paombong will all receive a full P15,000 cash livelihood assistance. An initial P9,000 were already provided to them and the P6,000 will come as additional funds for the livelihoods they have initiated and established.
Gordon said despite that typhoon Carina and Butchoy have occured in July or six months ago, Red Cross is still looking after and taking care of iresidents and families in some of the hardest hit areas in the country.
“The typhoons occured six months ago already. But as an effect to your costal communities, your livelihood being mostl of you are fishermen have been affected. Many of you have lost your fishing gears. This assistance will help you acquire new fishing gears and continue to start your livelihood again. Many of you have also incurred debts as part of your recovery,” the chairman former senator said.
Red Cross livelihood cash assistance were provided to a total of 1,011 beneficiaries, including that of 566 in Tarlac whch were also distributed earlier during the day.
Gordon said they are also continuously helping victims of typhoon Kristine in Bicol, Quezon and Batangas including Batanes and Polilio Island particularly the schools which roofings were destroyed by the 2024 typhoons.
Gwendolyn Pang, Secretary General of Red Cross said that the P15,000 livelihood cash assistance can also be used for house repairs following the destructions caused by the typhoons.
Pang expressed elation that Red Cross has continuously been helping and supporting the people of Hagonoy every time there is a calamity. She said they extended the same help and other forms of assitance during major flooding in Hagonoy and Calumpit.
“I renember we had a hard time penetrating the severely flooded areas to bring relief goods, medicines, hygiene kits to the affected families. We always extend a helping hand. Bulacan is really dear to us, to Chairman Gordon,” Pang said shortly before the distribution.
She said they have also previously provided support and assistance to Paombong, Bocaue, Marilao, Baliwag, Malolos during typhoon Ulysses and Carding and even during the Covid-19 pandemic. “We also helped for 15 days the food supply in Baliwag, Bocaue, Marilao and San Jose del Monye during the Covid-19 pandemic,” Pang said.
Gordon said the Philippine Red Cross has 2 million volunteers nationwode with 178 ambulances.