Gordon calls TESDA to send more trainer-volunteers for Odette-battered areas

Re-electionist Senator Richard J. Gordon today called on Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) to send more trainers who can volunteer for works in rebuilding damaged houses and buildings in areas hit by Typhoon Odette.

Gordon, who chairs the Philippine Red Cross (PRC), said Odette-hit communities are in dire need of technical assistance, especially in the areas of electrical installation, masonry, carpentry, among others.

"We cannot wallow in despair because our houses were damaged or destroyed. We want to be able to extend a helping hand by providing necessary materials, tools, and knowledge to be able to rise from the rubble," explained Gordon.

"Sa paggawad ng mga yero, kahoy, at pako, ay makakatulong tayo sa pagbangon ng ating mga kababayang nasalanta ng bagyo. Ang kaalamang makukuha nila mula sa TESDA ay magagamit pa sa mga susunod na pagkakataon," he added.

According to a report released by the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHUSD) last Jan. 6, super typhoon Odette (international name: Rai), damaged around 598,000 houses in its path of destruction.

The report detailed that across the 10 regions where Odette made its mark, around 181,000 homes were totally damaged, while an estimated 417,000 were partially damaged.

Odette was the most powerful storm to hit the Philippines in 2021, as its maximum sustained winds of 165 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness up to 205kph caused around Php 13.5 billion worth of damages.

As part of the PRC's initiative, it gave out two tarpaulins and a shelter toolkit to 315 families in Ubay, Bohol, where hundreds of homes were completely wiped out by the typhoon.

"Patuloy natin isinasagawa ang mga humanitarian interventions natin mula sa paghahanda hanggang sa relief operations. Tayo ay namahagi ng mga non-food items upang matulungan ang ating mga kakabayan na magkaroon sila ng temporary shelters at maibalik ang dignidad sa tao," said Gordon.

The PRC also provided galvanized iron sheets and other building materials to help affected residents whose houses were damaged or destroyed to live under a decent roof.

Gordon assured that help had just begun and will continue to be given until the most vulnerable residents afflicted by disaster are able to stand on their own feet again.

The PRC Chapters in Cebu and Bohol dished out over 10,000 hot meals, gave psychosocial support to about 1,300 individuals, distributed about 550,000 liters of potable water, and cleared out 313 cubic meters of debris in major thoroughfares.