Taiwan Fund for Children and Families. (TFCF)

Why the Philippines:

The Philippines was ranked third for countries at risk and exposure to disasters based on World Risk 2018. Because the Philippines expose to the Pacific Ocean, a place where most storms form, and also part of the pacific ring of fire, where are areas Volcanoes are rampant and more Disasters that are more likely to wreck properties, facilities, and livestock. The most common natural disaster that happens in the Philippines is a Typhoon which is noted to be catastrophic that hit the country; and an Earthquake, an instance shaking the ground and made more damage to facilities and properties.

However, this January 2020 the recent Taal Volcano Eruption is unexpected since its last eruption is 1968. The eruption of Volcano has no exact time of when will it neither start or end. Along with this, COVID-2019 also affected the Philippines. Ash fall and virus requires people to use face masks and face shields. The Philippines do not have enough preposition goods to cover all the victims, especially when Disasters simultaneously happen. In recent typhoons, Earthquakes, fires, and Volcano eruptions, victims experience late receiving of goods and insufficient food to eat. The residents are insufficient in the capacity to respond to the relevant recurring hazard. Aside from the government, the NGOs and other private sectors also help to ease the tension and minimize the suffering of impacted communities.

Taiwan Fund for Children and Families Eswatini Branch Office (TFCF Philippines) was established in 2019 and we hope to ease the tension and minimize the suffering of impacted communities. We are focusing on building community resilience in our sponsored society. We are striving for accompanying the target beneficiaries to build the capacity to encounter the hazard.

Our Aim:

• Preparedness: Preparing the people by educating, stock filing, and preparing relief goods.
• Prevention: Preventing loss of lives and avoiding hazards through awareness and education by regular rehearsal and community agreement.
• Response: Responding timely and properly by conducting rescue operation and distribution of relief after the Disaster has undertaken; concerning the afterward stage of nutrition, education, livelihood, and health assistance.
• Rehabilitation and Recovery are to recover and restore the loss and damage of properties, facilities, and livestock.

According to the TFCF vision “We aim at promoting and advocating for the well-being of children, adolescents, and underprivileged families.” In line with this, since the Covid-19 outbreak in March 2020, TFCF established coordination with the stakeholder and local authorities to conduct the disaster response in Metro Manila and approached the local government of Laurel city, Batangas province to support the victims of the Vocational eruption in rehabilitation while pandemic period. Furthermore, TFCF supports the victims of the Mandaluyong fire of 2019 and 2020 to rebuild their houses as well. 

How We Help:

We are paying a large effort on building the capacity to encounter the hazard in the Philippines, especially in the Disaster Prevention and Rehabilitation Program:

• Preparedness & Prevention

1. Community patrol project:
   1. To organize the sponsored families, cultivate the parent leadership, and establish the regular patrol team within the target community.
   2. Coordinate with stakeholders, university students, and volunteers who are concerned about disaster management and response.

2. Community Environment Improvement project:
   1. To review the community environment and improve the hazard equipment and infrastructures with local authorization.
   2. To establish community disaster rehearsal procedures and practices.
      
      

• Response

1. Emergency relief:
   1. To help the target beneficiaries address immediate needs in difficult situations regarding their survival.
2. Nutrition Improvement:
   1. To help the target beneficiaries address the nutrition intake while the uncontrollable disaster healing period.
      
      

• Rehabilitation & Recovery

1. Housing Support Project:
   1. To review the sponsored families’ house, especially the victims of big fire happened in 2019 and 2020. To replace and improve the materials and configuration to reduce the dangerous factors. 
      
2. GET UP project:
   1. To provide immediate assistance and community advocacy for target beneficiaries who lived in Buso-buso village which got hit by Taal volcanic eruption in January 2020.

What Your Donation Can Do:

• Provide emergency support for the children and families who affected by Natural disasters
• Provide training to the community about Disaster Prevention and Rehabilitation
• Empower community members so as to build up community resilience

Your support can make a real difference in the lives of the children and families in the Philippines. With your help, we can ensure they have access to the basic necessities needed for a healthy and hopeful future. Thank you for your generosity.