,
2020, TYPHOON ULYSSES & TYPHOON ROLLY
TYPHOON ULYSSES DEVASTATES THE PHILIPPINES
By Daniel Lazar
Causing some of the worst flooding in more than a decade, Typhoon Ulysses has brought back painful memories of Typhoon Ondoy in September of 2009, destroying tens of thousands of homes in its path and leaving swaths of Luzon flooded. In response, the Tzu Chi Foundation rushed in relief and coordinated clean-up up operations.
Still reeling from the destructive effects of Super Typhoon Rolly, the Philippines was once hit by another tropical storm that has killed dozens, destroyed tens of thousands of homes, and caused severe roof-level flooding throughout Luzon.
Typhoon Ulysses made landfall in Luzon on November 11 and caused widespread devastation throughout Luzon, including Bicol and Metro Manila, among others. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported that there were over 25,000 displaced persons throughout 273 barangays.
To date it is the deadliest and most destructive tropical cyclone to hit the Philippines this year. The NDRRMC has declared the aftermath of Ulysses as the worst since Ondoy, and has pre-emptively evacuated almost 200,000 persons from other flooded and affected areas as well, including Bicol and Illocos.
With many areas still reeling from the devastation brought about by Super Typhoon Rolly earlier this month, the heavy torrential rains and severe floods, as high as electricity poles, brought about by Typhoon Ulysses, left neighbourhoods submerged in muddy water and people scrambling to their roofs.
In Metro Manila, the hardest hit areas have been Marikina and San Mateo, with over 40,000 homes submerged by flood waters.
In the wake of the destruction, the Tzu Chi Foundation coordinated with local governments and dispatched members and volunteers to the affected areas to provide urgently needed aid, as well as assistance for clean-up operations and feeding displaced residents.
Tzu Chi Foundation members and volunteers entered the same areas totally destroyed by Typhoon Ondoy in 2009. Tumana, Malanday & Nangka districtsof Marikina have been covered with mud, while the high-end Provident Village suffered widespread devastation and even a number of casualties. Rescue and relief efforts are still underway to help those affected.
Tzu Chi volunteers were at different evacuation centers to provide hot porridge & bread, for victims in evacuation centres, who, at the time, have not had a hot meal in more than 24 hours.
To help with clean-up and sanitation operations, the Tzu Chi Foundation encourages residents to help their community through the ‘Cash for Work’ program. ‘Cash for Work’ incentivises every community to clean up their homes, and their neighbourhood, by paying each participant Php 1,000 per day even if they are cleaning their own homes. Everyone started cleaning their surroundings and their neighbourhood as well.
The Tzu Chi Foundation even provides heavy machinery such as pay loaders, tractors, dump trucks, and earth movers. Smaller tools such as wheelbarrows, shovels and other equipment for clean-up and sanitation operations are also provided.
In addition, the Tzu Chi Foundation pays each person who joins and participates in the ‘Cash for Work’ program P1,000 per day, and provides their meals. The estimated clean up time for each community is between 3-5 days.
To further help hard-hit communities in the Bicol region recover, Master Cheng Yen will be distributing cash for relief in amounts varying from P18,000 to families with 1-2 members, P23,000 to families with 3-4 members, and P28,000 to displaced families with 5 members and above, to enable these families to get back on their feet. This is definitely a life changing program for the 25,000 affected families in the Bicol region.