PRC-Davao Chapter: P1M needed for disaster response

By EJ Dominic Fernandez
THE Philippine Red Cross (PRC) Davao chapter is P1 Million short from building a Mobile Disaster Kitchen (MDK).
The MDK is part of the chapter’s proposed for a system of quick disaster response among the private sector.
PRC Davao Chapter director Aileen Lizada said it has raised P440,000 for assembling an MDK, a rescue truck converted into a mobile kitchen to provide for the needs of victims and volunteers relief workers during calamities.
Once completed, the MDK will be the first ever locally-assembled MDK in the country and will be most useful in addressing disaster response. With the Davao region experiencing disasters of late, the MDK could be what the doctor ordered.
Lizada said they need P1 Million more to build the MDK which they have identified as their priority project.
“We are aiming for an estimated P1 million as the equipment alone for MDK already costs P668,000,” Lizada said during during the board meeting yesterday at the PRC Davao chapter office.
Lizada also appealed for unity of the private sector to create a quick response partnership during times of calamity.
Initial support in the form of pledges for the MDK have come from Alsons, Canadian Auto Supply, Evaristo Gana, Economic Association of the Philippines, Mr. and Mrs. Eduardo Robillo, and Friends of the Red Cross.
Civic groups, such as Rotary clubs, Integrated Bar of the Philippines, Davao City Chinese Chambers of Commerce, Hijos de Davao, and other generous donors are also encouraged by PRC to help.
Lizada also appealed to private sector representatives who were present during the initial partnership meeting, saying, “You do not need to learn all the first aid procedures or do rappelling to volunteer for PRC during calamities, but you can simply be where you are and you can already be a partner of PRC.”
For the quick response partnership, she said, “if you compare our partnership to an orchestra, each sector plays an important note, and if we play together, we must be able to produce one melody, which means we need to perform our roles properly and be harmonized during times of calamity.”
To create a quick response partnership in times of calamity, Lizada identified the responsibilities of each private sector involved. Bakeshops can simply donate biscocho, boaf Bread, and assorted bread; the universities and colleges can put up trainings and advocacies for disaster management orientations; schools with hotel and restaurant management and culinary courses can help by providing services for the MDK; rent-a-car companies can help transport respondents to the area of calamity; bottled water companies can provide water for the volunteers and to the MDK; 4 x 4 vehicle groups can transport rescue and disaster response teams to areas not accessible to trucks, ambulance and vehicles of PRC; shipping lines can help transport donations from abroad; trucking companies can help deploy goods to affected areas faster; photographers can help document affected areas; owners of water crafts must have a concerted effort in rescuing victims; hospitals can have a welfare desk to create a master list for PRC during mass-transport of victims so that relatives of victims will go straight to PRC to look for them; pharmaceutical companies can also provide doxycycline, anti-tetanus toxoid, and first aid kit items; associations, religious groups, civic groups and youth groups can volunteer in repacking and distributing relief to victims of calamities.
Private sectors that will partner with PRC will only provide the needed assistance during calamities and each company, group or institution will only be bothered once by the PRC, as there will be a round-robin system of asking for assistance from the private sector.
After the meeting, those from the private sector that already committed and signed up for the partnership were Mamitas Bakery, Brokenshire College, Davao Eagle Volunteer Group, Davao Photographers for Peace, and the Davao City Chamber of Commerce.
More from the private sectors are expected by PRC-Davao to commit to the quick response partnership, as the rest of those who attended will still consult their members.