By U.S. News Agency / Asian

The non-governmental Citizens’ Disaster Response Center (CDRC) has been delivering emergency packs to an estimated 4,820 families hardest-hit by super typhoon “Juan” (international name: Megi) in Northern and Central Luzon, the group said.

The relief packs contain 10 kilos of rice, one kilo each of mung beans, dried fish, and sugar, six tins of sardines, 500-ml cooking oil, one bar laundry soap, one water container and one bottled water (for lactating mothers).

The goods were bought from a 100,066 Euro (roughly P6 million) donation to CDRC from the Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe, a major German welfare institution.

The families are from Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Cagayan, Isabela, Aurora, Tarlac, Apayao, Kalinga, Mt. Province, Abra, Benguet and Ifugao, according to CDRC officer Carlos Padolina.

Typhoon “Juan,” the strongest weather disturbance to hit the Philippines so far this year, affected more than 400,000 families, including at least 30 deaths and 40 injured, and damaged billions of pesos in crops and infrastructures.

“As in the past emergency situations, CDRC and its local partners intend to assist the affected families, particularly the most vulnerable people. The response is aimed at helping them cope with the situation and prevent the further deterioration of their lives,” Padolina said.

Relief operations will be maximized for awareness building on disaster risk reduction, according to Padolina. “It is timely to conduct short education activities just before distribution of goods to explain basic information about disaster preparedness that everyone should know.”

CDRC is an NGO that pioneered and continues to promote community-based disaster management in the Philippines. CDRC operates nationwide through a network of regional centers affiliated with the Citizens’ Disaster Response Network and through people’s organizations.