RECURRING emergencies continue to expose deep gaps in the country’s disaster preparedness, leaving children and girls most at risk, humanitarian groups have warned.
As the country recovers from Typhoon Tino (international name: Kalmaegi) and Super Typhoon Uwan (Fung-Wong), which entered the country over the weekend, compounded the risks for already affected populations.
‘These overlapping emergencies are pushing children to the edge,’ said United Nations Childrens Fund (Unicef) Philippines Representative Kyungsun Kim. ‘Unicef stands ready to support the government in providing safe water and restoring health, education, and protection for children and their families.’
Meanwhile, Plan International Pilipinas has deployed emergency response teams to the hardest-hit areas, conducting rapid assessments to deliver water, hygiene kits and menstrual hygiene management supplies.
‘The situation is dire-children and young women are in grave danger,’ Plan International Pilipinas executive director Pebbles Sanchez-Ogang said. ‘In crises like these, girls are often the most vulnerable.’
‘They urgently need safe spaces and access to essential health care and services to help them recover and rebuild their lives. Our teams are working around the clock, but we cannot do it alone. Every act of generosity can help save lives.’
‘The situation is dire-children and young women are in grave danger. In crises like these, girls are often the most vulnerable.’
Report from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) showed 281 casualties among children 18 and below, including infants as young as four months.
Flooding, landslides and damaged infrastructure have displaced thousands, including at least 5,000 children.
The province of Cebu, which was jjust recovering from a 6.9-magnitude earthquake weeks earlier, has been hit particularly hard.
‘Before, during, and after emergencies, we are on the ground, providing vital assistance and hope to children and their families, including those in the most remote and challenging locations,’ Kim said.
The Philippines averages 20 tropical cyclones annually, making it one of the world’s most disaster-prone countries.
Experts warn that storms are growing more frequent and severe due to climate change, intensifying the risks to vulnerable populations.