Club Responds to Fire Victims in Tondo

With the Philippines highly susceptible to natural disasters due to its geographic location—earning the tag of a disaster-prone country—typhoons, earthquakes, and man-made hazards such as fire continue to pose serious challenges to communities. In response, the Disaster Relief Committee has remained one of the most active arms of our Club, always ready to mobilize aid where it is most needed.

Just last week, when a massive fire displaced 4,500 families in Tondo, we received a call for help from Jane Walker of the Upskills Foundation on the very same day. Without delay, our Disaster Relief Committee, chaired by Nicky Ramos, began strategizing—coordinating with partners on the ground to assess urgent needs, ordering the required goods, and planning the distribution in close cooperation with Upskills Foundation. Manpower support also came from the Philippine Red Cross, Administrator in Manila Baby Cayetano through its General Secretary Gwendolyn Pang, who had recently been a guest speaker at the Club.

By Sunday, Chair Nicky—joined by Baby Rotarian Yaron Hahami, who is fast becoming a “Robin” to Nicky’s “Batman,” in our relief efforts—headed to Gen. Vicente Lim Elementary School in Tondo, Manila, to distribute 600 mats and blankets to families sheltering at the evacuation center. They were assisted by our ever-reliable Rotaract volunteers and Phil. Red Cross, Administrator Baby Cayetano, ensuring that the relief reached those in dire need quickly and efficiently.

RC Makati will always stand ready to support families affected by disasters, whether natural or man-made.