Red Cross sends humanitarian augmentation support to Cagayan Valley, steps up rescue efforts in the wake of Typhoon Ulysses

As the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) continues its response to typhoon Ulysses (international name Vamco) in different parts of Luzon, the country's foremost humanitarian organization sent an augmentation support to Cagayan Valley after many houses in various towns in the region submerged due to heavy rains brought by the typhoon.

On Saturday, PRC Chairman and CEO Senator Richard J. Gordon immediately ordered the deployment of staff and volunteers to conduct rescue and relief operations in the area.

"Cagayan needs our help badly, so, we immediately sent our teams there with rescue vehicles and boats. Our volunteers from Subic and Nueva Vizcaya also went there to support our rescue operations in flooded areas, while the Red Cross Cagayan chapter started distributing hot meals and provide the needed assistance to the residents at the evacuation centers," said Gordon.

On Sunday afternoon, another team of Red Cross staff and volunteers were deployed to Cagayan including volunteers from Water, Search and Rescue (WASAR) team from Cavite.

The PRC also sent a 10,000-liter water tanker, one food truck, one ambulance, one rescue boat, one Land Cruiser that will be used for assessing the situation in the area, and two ten-wheeler trucks that carry non-food items to be distributed to the residents.

The non-food items include 500 sets of sleeping kits, jerry cans, hygiene kits and tarpaulins.

"We have mobilized all our available resources to meet this new challenge, supporting communities that are getting back on their feet after being hit hard by multiple storms on top of the relentless physical, emotional and economic toll of COVID-19," Gordon said.

Typhoon Ulysses is the 13th big storm that hit the country this year. Aside from Cagayan Valley, it also affected the National Capital Region (NCR), various parts of Central Luzon, the province of Rizal and some areas in Bicol.