“After a storm hits, we go to the affected areas and meet with local leaders,” explains Dr. Jojo Cangao, a native of the Philippines and longtime International Medical Corps staff member. “These communities have survived countless natural disasters. To help them recover, we work together, delivering critical assistance to those who need it most.”
When Typhoon Gaemi hit the Philippines in July, scores of people were killed and more than 600,000 were displaced. In the wake of the storm, Dr. Cangao conducted a needs assessment, met with local leaders and eventually focused on vulnerable communities in Montalban, Rizal. Recognizing the unique challenges faced by persons with disabilities (PWD) during disasters, International Medical Corps collaborated with local PWD groups to distribute essential food and hygiene kits.
Working with the PWD Association of Barangay Balite (PABB) and the Association of Parents of Children with Disabilities (Samahan ng Magulang ng mga Batang may Kapansanan, or SAMABAKAMO), we distributed food and hygiene kits to hundreds of families.
Kagawad Mando Albarico from PABB says floodwaters from Typhoon Gaemi devastated many homes, forcing families to relocate to safer areas. Some families were able to salvage their belongings, while others were not.
The food kits included essential items such as rice, cooking oil and canned goods. The hygiene kits contained critical household items—including body soap, laundry soap, clothes, towels and sanitary pads—to help meet the immediate needs of affected families.
“The hygiene kits have been a tremendous help,” explains Anne Evangelista, parent of a child with disabilities and an Officer with SAMABAKAMO. “By providing essentials like soap, clothing and other necessary items, the kits enable families to allocate their limited resources toward purchasing food and other critical needs.”
Evangelista says families tried to protect their belongings by placing them on rooftops or the second floor of their homes. But despite their efforts, the impacts of the typhoon were significant and unavoidable.
In addition to distributing essentials, Dr. Cangao and Ingrid Benigay, a nurse with International Medical Corps, also saw patients at a mobile medical mission organized by the leadership of Barangay San Isidro in Montalban, Rizal.
International Medical Corps has responded to multiple natural disasters and disease outbreaks in the Philippines—including the COVID-19 pandemic, when our team battled storms to deliver vaccines to far-flung Halian Island. Learn more about our work in the Philippines.
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