Red Cross' 'Amazing Grace' Sails to Catanduanes, Keeps Torch of Hope Burning for Typhoon Victims

The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) sends its M/V Amazing Grace to the province of Catanduanes today to provide much needed relief and assistance to the survivors of recent typhoons that hit the country.

PRC Chairman and CEO Senator Richard J. Gordon leads the send-off ceremony for the ship, which was commissioned by the PRC in 2017, the same year when the country's foremost humanitarian organization celebrated its 70th founding anniversary.

According to Gordon, the M/V Amazing Grace, formerly owned by Matanuska-Susitna Borough from Alaska, was acquired to serve as an ambulance and disaster response ship to effectively perform the PRC's humanitarian work in the Philippines and the Asia Pacific Region.

"The Philippine Red Cross has always been about alleviating human suffering, bringing them essentials and not only that - bringing them hope. As the M/V Amazing Grace delivers to Catanduanes, it is a message that there is deliverance from despair through the mercy of God and through the thousands of people who are with the survivors of Typhoon Rolly. We are in this together," says Gordon.

M/V Amazing Grace, the country's first and only humanitarian vessel, is bringing non-food items for the affected families and communities including hygiene kits, blankets, sleeping mats, mosquito nets, 10-liter and 20-liter jerry cans, galvanized iron (GI) sheets for roofing, and kitchen sets.

It is also bringing additional vehicles such as mini van and Willy jeep to be used for assessing the situation in the area and for the delivery of services.

"M/V Amazing Grace's travel to Catanduanes is its first humanitarian deployment. We will continue to help our fellowmen in the province until they are fully recovered and stable again. The Red Cross is not only here to give food and emergency aid, but most importantly, we want to help the people restore their dignity once again and get their lives back on track. Amazing Grace hopefully becomes a symbol of hope for our people," says Gordon.