Disaster Response

Home / Our Work / Disaster Response

Responding to Disasters

World Vision believes that children deserve to live in safe and disaster-resilient communities where they can play, grow and thrive. To help achieve this, we encourage children, families, schools, and communities to proactively get involved in activities that will make their communities prepared for disasters and emergencies. In 2018, World Vision trained 16,810 community members, including children, on disaster risk preparedness measures, and 14,463 community members, including children, on disaster prevention and mitigation. Our disaster risk reduction initiatives reached a total of 189,099 children in the past year.

When disasters strike and impending humanitarian needs arise, World Vision is also prepared to respond and provide immediate life-saving essentials. World Vision prepositioned hygiene kits, and shelter and non-food items to facilitate quick response to affected areas.

Mayon Volcano Response

More than 21,000 families or 83,000 individuals were forced to flee to evacuation centers after Mayon Volcano discharged ash and lava on January 2018. To complement the government-led response, World Vision distributed hygiene kits, non-food items, facemasks, and drinking water to 2,000 families or 10,328 individuals in Albay.

Typhoon Mangkhut Response

Locally known as “Ompong,” Typhoon Mangkhut struck Northern Philippines on September 2018, affecting more than 3 million individuals and damaging more than 210,000 households. With the help of donors and partners, World Vision provided relief assistance to 4,082 families or 20,455 individuals in Cagayan and Benguet. We also set up child-friendly spaces to give psychosocial support to children whose lives and education were disrupted by the disaster. Now on its recovery phase, World Vision’s Typhoon Mangkhut response aims to help families bounce back from their losses through agricultural recovery assistance.

Marawi Rehabilitation

One year after the Marawi conflict displaced more than 350,000 individuals, World Vision continues to support community rehabilitation through its Cash-for-Work program. Marawi’s early recovery and rehabilitation phase allowed more than 3,000 families to join community clean ups, road clearings, and gardening activities, and earn cash in return. In 2018, we also launched the Marawi Peace and Protection Project in support of DepEd’s Back-to-School and Stay-in-School (BTS/SIS) strategy for Marawi children.

THE JOY OF BEING HEARD

To help communities be better prepared in any disaster, World Vision provides platforms where children and the youth can be actively involved in issues and conversations about disaster-risk reduction. Angela, a Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) councilor from Quezon City, is one of the 57 children who participated in the National Consultation with Children and Youth on Disaster Risk Reduction from May 31 to June 1, 2018. The consultation encouraged children to discuss the important role of Filipino youth in mitigating disasters and promoting resilience. “I feel very proud and empowered because children and youth were able to show how massive our potential is to be contributors to greater causes such as Disaster Risk Reduction,” Angela shared. “We are finally speaking our voices and we’re finally gaining more trust from the government.”

How do we help communities affected by disasters?

In the middle of a crisis, it is children who suffer most. We stand ready to protect them by delivering crucial assistance within 24 to 72 hours of a disaster.

We make sure that communities have the proper measures to prevent, reduce and prepare for the impacts of disasters.

Disaster Response
We teach child-focused Disaster Risk Reduction Management in communities and schools
Disaster Response
We support the identification and establishment of functional Early Warning Systems in communities
Disaster Response
We strengthen the capacity of community members to prevent, lessen and prepare for the negative impacts of disasters

We increase resilience against disasters

  • Child-Focused Disaster Risk Reduction engages communities, including children and other vulnerable members of society, in disaster risk assessment, analysis, and planning.
  • Safer School facilitates the creation of School Improvement Plans aimed to make schools safer. We make sure that children join us in these processes to ensure that their rights are valued and considered.
  • Citizen’s Voice in Action empowers community members to work with local officials in making development plans and policies before and after disasters.
  • Urban Disaster Risk Reduction covers initiatives to mitigate and recover from urban shocks by mobilizing communities, partners, and volunteers and increasing their capacities on vulnerability assessment, DRR planning and implementation.
DONATE FOR DISASTER RESPONSE

Testimonials

tesimonial image

“Every time I get a letter from the children, natutuwa ako kasi I see their progress. I don’t want them to miss their right to education just because of poverty. I promised that for each achievement I get, I will celebrate by adding more sponsored children. For my fellow OFWs, it is never too late to help. We are given the privilege to earn more. Maybe that “more” is given to you because you are asked to share them with others. A blessing is not a blessing unless you share it.”

-Joanne Rico, World Vision child sponsor

tesimonial image

“One thing that really made me committed [to my sponsored children] is knowing that God does not change His mind when He blesses me, so if He is consistent, what is stopping me from being the same? No one has ever become poor by sharing and giving. I have always felt that I have more than enough and the little amount I can share with a child or two would certainly make a big difference in their lives.”

-Melizza Guiao, World Vision child sponsor

tesimonial image

“I prayed to God to let me be an instrument of love. It really matters that we give what we have and that we support children, their families and communities; that we do not give up on their dreams. Iba ‘yung tumulong tayo sa hindi natin kakilala kasi alam natin na it’s the goodness of the Lord leading us to help these people.”

-Florian Torres, World Vision child sponsor

tesimonial image

“I needed to think less of myself and see where I could give. We always complain about certain things we aren’t happy about in the Philippines. Education for everyone is really something that I can contribute to and not just complain about. It’s my responsibility as a citizen of the Philippines, as a Christian, to share, to return what I feel God has blessed me with or what I feel that my country has given me. The most fulfilling for me would be the times I got a letter from my child. Actually the first time I got a letter, I cried. I was surprised by the emotion it brought out in me.”

-Elyse Pilapil, World Vision child sponsor

tesimonial image

An officer who rose from the ranks and life of  poverty

He is a high-ranking officer of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG)- a picture of distinction, confidence and discipline. As the official PCG spokesperson, you may have seen him on television warning the public on an impending danger or calming them after a tragic incident on the Philippine shores.

He is Commander Arman Balilo: a former World Vision sponsored child.

Arman grew up in the slums of Caloocan City, where poverty and misery was the norm. Right after school, he would sell rice cakes to help put food on the table. On other days, he would sell quail eggs and newspapers near the local high school. “Pag di pa kasya yung kinita ko para makakain kaming pamilya, maghahanap pa ako ng scrap gaya ng bote at metal para maibenta ko, pandagdag sa kita,” Arman shares with World Vision.

Arman also recalled the days he would go to Sunday School, “I would attend class shirtless, my face laced with mud. But one day, during what probably was the darkest time in my life, I came across World Vision. Nilapitan ako ng isang WV project staff, inimbita niya kami ng mother ko to know what World Vision is all about, what it can do to help me and my family. I eventually joined the WV Child Sponsorship Program and to make a long story short, it changed my life.”

Suddenly he had opportunity. But Arman knew it wouldn’t be easy. He had to walk some 10 kilometers to and from his high school. Every single day. “Getting to school ws the least of my concerns. While my classmates never had to worry, I couldn’t even afford to buy a single piece of bond paper or find a working typewriter for school projects.”

In college, as his friends partied and splurged on fun and food, Arman had to do with bread and instant noodles during lunch breaks. Instead of giving up, it made Arman even more determined to keep his grades up and earn a college degree. He knew that education was his ticket to a better life.

Today, Commander Armando Balilo a public servant and an inspiration to his loved ones and former poor community,  is blessed with a loving wife and two beautiful daughters. He is also currently sponsoring two children from Palawan.

-Cdr. Armand Balilo, Philippine Coast Guard