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ShelterBox Support In The Philippines
By Jenni Heenan

On September 26, tropical storm Ondoy (Ketsana, international name) brought a month’s worth of rainfall to metro Manila and nearby regions in just one hour. The number of displaced people is said to be 375,000. In total, it is reported that 1.87 million people have been affected.

ShelterBox Australia received three separate requests for assistance from Rotary Clubs in Manila. Australian ShelterBox Response Team (SRT) member and Rotarian Peter Pearce packed his bags for the second time in six weeks to travel to Manila to assess the need and viability.

UK SRT member Lizzy Treglown worked with Peter in the last deployment, and between them they have all the local Rotary and government contacts to best understand the infrastructure which will allow them to deliver aid quickly and most effectively. Lizzy has flown to Manila from the UK to work again with Peter.

It was only weeks ago that ShelterBox provided 334 ShelterBoxes to those affected by Typhoon Morakot but now they have been left reeling yet again from another catastrophic tropical storm.

Overwhelmed Philippine authorities have appealed for international aid as the death toll from the once-in-a lifetime floods rises and weary survivors shelter in squalid conditions.

The Philippine government states that more rain fell on Manila and the surrounding areas than on New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005.

Can your Rotary club help with a donation to ShelterBox? We need your assistance to replace ShelterBoxes used in Indonesia, China, Philippines, Niger, Mexico and India over the past two months. Your donation will help us prepare.