Convoy Responds to Philippine Communities Affected by Flooding & Landslides
May 21, 2019 | 9:45 a.m.
Between January and May, Convoy of Hope’s team in the Philippines conducted distributions of food and tarps to families displaced by Typhoon Usman and the effects of El Niño.
- 17,050 individuals served
- 262,940 meals distributed
- 100 tarps distributed
- 8 communities served
Convoy of Hope’s initial response to Usman has concluded at this time, though our in-country team will continue to monitor the needs of those affected by the storm.
January 29, 2019 | 11:15 a.m.
Convoy of Hope has provided more than 11,000 meals to families as they recover from the severe flooding and landslides caused by tropical cyclone Usman. The constant support of donors and friends helps Convoy continue to provide hope to these families who have lost so much.
January 18, 2019 | 1:30 p.m.
Convoy of Hope is responding to flooding and landslides caused in the wake of Tropical Depression Usman. Convoy has been working through local church partners to distribute fortified rice packs to displaced families. These families are taking shelter at local elementary schools in the towns of Bato and Tiwi, in the Camarines Sur and Albay provinces, respectively.
Usman made landfall as a tropical depression on December 29 in Samar province. It was a slow moving storm that has displaced at least 17,000n people in the Bicol region, as well as others in the central Philippines. Worst affected are those in Bicol, Mindoro, and the eastern Visayas. The storm killed at least 126 people and 26 others remain missing, according to a statement by the national disaster management agency. A week after the storm, more than 57,700 people were staying in 119 evacuation centers.
Beyond the damage already done, the waterlogged soil in mountainous areas of Bicol puts roads and villages at risk of being buried in landslides. The Convoy of Hope team came across such a situation in Tiwi where 225 families living on a precarious hillside were evacuated. They are currently awaiting relocation.
Convoy of Hope established partnerships in this region long before the storm struck. In Albay, Convoy has been integrating the organization’s school feeding locations with nutrition programs for children and mothers. With prior relationships in place, Convoy was able to respond quickly to the need generated by the storm. Albay is the country’s second most at-risk province for tropical cyclones, second only to Cagayan, which was pummeled by Typhoon Mangkhut just four months ago. Albay is also home to the active Mayon volcano, which erupted dramatically one year ago and prompted a Convoy of Hope disaster response.
