A statement from Ed Gerlock, the former Director of COSE (HelpAge’s partner in the Philippines) and current Advocacy Manager, reveals the unsafe conditions people are being forced to live in as a result of typhoons Ketsana and Parma.

“The government is worried about conditions in the schools and the stadium where refugees from the floods are staying. Most vulnerable, are the older people and the children. Neither schools nor the stadium were ever built to house the large number of people that now reside there and sanitation is a major concern. I have heard of outbreaks of diarrhoea, but the great fear is cholera, as we have had outbreaks in the past.

A number of people, including our own staff worry about tetanus because none of the water is clean and it is full of glass and barbed wire. Health wise, it’s a difficult time. This is in addition to the fact that the vast majority of people in the centres are poor people who, nutritionally speaking, are not in the best condition.”

To read more about our emergency response in South East Asia, click here.

To donate to the DEC appeal, click here.

CNN has reported on the very real threat of water borne disease in the Philippines, as the misery caused by typhoons Ketsana and Parma continues.

According to the article, Parma has affected more than 338,000 people, displaced 85,000 and killed at least 16. Its predecessor, Ketsana, has affected more than 3.9 million people, displaced more than 335,000 and left 295 dead. Manila has not seen rain like this for 40 years, leaving 80% of it submerged.

The present threat comes from the stagnant and infested rain water, which has been standing for 10 days. People are forced to wade through the flooded streets in bare feet or flip flops. Possessions and furniture are rotting and rubbish is blocking the city’s drainage and sewage systems. Much of Manila’s 6,700 tonnes of daily rubbish is dumped illegally on the streets and is now underwater. This is the same water in which children are playing.

Fears of water borne disease are very real and many residents are blaming the government for doing too little to help people in the clean up operation. It seems clear that although the relief effort is very much underway, the recovery of Manila will take a lot longer.

COSE, our partner in the Philippines has confirmed increased cases of water borne diseases, such as diarrhoea. There are also many cases of cuts due to wading through waters full of broken glasses, nails and broken furniture.  Also extremely worrying are the psychological issues which are inevitable as a result of loss on such a devastating scale.

To read the full story go to the CNN website.

For more information about our relief work in South East Asia and to donate to the DEC appeal, click here.

This morning was the first time in so many days that it did not rain. There was a mild shower early in the morning where I was staying, but that was quickly replaced by some sunlight unsuccessfully trying to peek through curtains of thick clouds.

I’m sitting in Manila airport and looking outside, I can see thick clouds but these are not loaded with moisture yet and I think there’s no immediate threat of heavy rain. It’s very humid and warm which, in the circumstances, is not a bad thing for people.

“Everything is lost”

Mr N Hadialba was my taxi driver from the hotel to the airport. I did not ask his age. He must be around 30 but looks younger. He is married and has two children aged 4 and 7. He and his family used to live in his house with his mother in law. Their house was inundated by the flood waters.

He was able to save his wife and children but his mother in law died. He works in a hotel as a bell boy and has taken two weeks paid leave and is driving the taxi to get some daily income.

He says everything is lost. He does not have clothes for work nor any food for his children. That is why he is driving to get some money to provide for his family. He is grateful that their lives are spared and feels for his wife who is grieving the death of her mother.

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As I start to type this report, the radio is blaring out information on the current situation of Typhoon Parma. The information is that the storm is making landfall over Luzon which is the province in the north of Philippines.

There is a better preparedness this time with the local government agencies evacuating people from flood prone areas to public buildings such as schools, for shelter.

It rained most of the night in Manila but the rain was moderate. I’m staying in a hotel close to COSE office. This is on an elevated area and does not flood as much. The rain this morning is not heavy. However the information we have from the low lying areas is that some places had waist deep water.

We all are hoping and praying that the flood level will not increase otherwise this time the situation will get worse. All the garbage that is sitting outside most of the houses will float around and bring much more misery and hardship to the affected people.

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I am out in Manila in the Philippines, working with our partner COSE to bring urgently needed assistance to those affected by the devastating floods.

There is still some water on the roads but most of the houses are OK. People are busy cleaning their houses. But everything inside the houses is gone.We saw piles and piles of household items thrown outside. We were taking pictures of the piles of garbage. In some case there is 2 feet of mud inside the house. They will have to start all over again. It is going to be very hard.

Eight of the COSE staff houses were flooded up to the roof. They have also lost everything. One of them (Peng) sat on the roof of her house with her two children for seven hours before being rescued. They are emotionally devastated, yet are going out with the team for distribution. They also need support to rebuild.

To read more about the relief effort, click here.

To read more testimonials, go to our emergencies blog.

Age Demands Action in Manila has had to change course following Typhoon Ondoy (also known as Ketsana). Meetings with local councillors and a march have been cancelled and instead the delegation of older people are distributing aid to their peers in the worst affected areas.

These inspirational community leaders still managed to take a stand for older people’s rights by joining with campaigners around the world and raising their index finger to show support for Article 1 at 1pm on 1st October, which states: ALL people are born free and equal in dignity and rights.

Nanay Luisa Martin, 73

Vice President of Roxas Elderly group

We did not eat for almost 2 days because we did not save any food. It was really unbelievable. I thought it was just a nightmare but no it’s real.

I never experienced this kind of flood. For 43 years that we are living here, this is the first time that the water rises up to our second floor. We want to lie down but there is nothing to lie on because everything is wet and filled up with mud.

I am worried about my grandchildren because everything they own is wet or destroyed. I am a community gerontologist for the older people but all my equipment is destroyed.

I am still looking all important documents that we need. At this point, we don’t know what to do, how to fix the house, find the documents, find a place to stay or how to get my grandchildren back to school.

Read more about what HelpAge and partner COSE are doing for the relief effort.

Elena Unerse, 65 years old

Roxas Distirct, Quezon City

Nanay Elena said she was cooking when she noticed water coming into her house.  She heard commotion outside her house… she saw people panicking, shouting how to escape the flood. 

She said I was shocked how the water was rising very fast.  When I went out of my house, the water was already up to my waist and when I tried to save my dog, it went up to my neck. That was the time that I began to panic. I just heard my nephew and my son shouting. My son came to rescue me, and I saw many people trying to climb up to the roof and my son and my neighbours helped me to climb.

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