1,736 people in 399 households in Lagangilang and Penarrubia received life-saving items provided by Save the Children Philippines which include household kits, hygiene essentials, water containers, and plastic sheets for temporary shelter.
The humanitarian organization also conducted a children’s multi-cluster/sector initial rapid assessment (CMIRA), to enable children to directly take part in the humanitarian assessment process by identifying their needs, feelings, and hopes through fun and creative ways. Save the Children will also set-up child friendly spaces in affected communities.
Around 103,289 families (393,439 persons, including children) in Abra, Benguet, Mountain Province, Ilocos Sur, and Pangasinan were affected by the 7.0 magnitude earthquake last 27 July. There have been 2,010 aftershocks ranging from 1.5 to 5 magnitude reported as of August 1 by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS).
“Children and adults alike are showing signs of distress, especially during aftershocks. During our consultation with children, they described their earthquake experience as what feels like the ‘end of the world’ and fears for further aftershocks,” said Save the Children Philippines Humanitarian Manager Jerome Balinton.
Based on the CMIRA conducted by Save the Children with boys and girls 6 to 12 years old from Lagangilang, the children recommended that schools should prioritize cleaning the debris after the earthquake to prevent accidents to the children. They also highlighted that water should be the primary concern of schools and barangays after an emergency. They also expressed concerns on sanitation and hygiene due to animals roaming and defecating in their areas that may lead to possible spread of diseases.
“Calamities such as this earthquake along with the aftershocks are difficult to children and it is critical that they have a sense of normalcy as soon as possible. This can be done by providing safe spaces for them to play again with other children, have temporary shelters, have continued access to clean water and food, and be able to continue their learning,” Balinton added.
“My priority right now is to make sure that we have food every day,” said Analiza, 27, a mother of two children ages 2 and 5, from Bucay, Abra. Since the earthquake, her husband Aris, 31, temporarily stopped working as a road construction worker to focus on ensuring his family’s safety and slowly repairing their house. But this also means he has no income to provide for his family’s needs in the coming days. For now, they heavily rely on the food packs distributed by the local government.
Save the Children Ambassadors Liza Soberano, Ria Atayde, and Katarina Rodriguez took on their Instagram accounts the emergency appeal of Save the Children for donation to save more children and families who are most affected by the earthquake.
Rodriguez, who is also celebrating her birthday, shared that “I can personally attest that Save the Children is true to its mission to be the first on the ground to help and always the last one to leave, ensuring that families are not only provided with immediate needs but are also supported for their recovery. This year, I can only wish that people share their spare money to allow us to bring back the hope and smiles to children’s faces.”
