Southern Tagalog Army troops, multi-sectoral groups launch 'Project Shoebox'

From the Philippine News Agency (Feb 20): Southern Tagalog Army troops, multi-sectoral groups launch 'Project Shoebox'

The Philippine Army 2nd Cavalry (Keen) Squadron, Mechanized Infantry Division in cooperation with the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) and non-government organizations staged the second edition of the “Project Shoebox” on Wednesday at Camp Nakar here.

Themed “Shoebox Ko, Para sa Kaligtasan Mo” (my shoebox for your safety), the program distributed emergency and disaster kits placed in a shoebox that comes out handy for the kit users.

Lt. Col. Facundo Palafox IV, 2nd Cavalry (Keen) Squadron commander and army team leader of Project Shoebox 2nd edition said the activity aims to impart Basic Emergency Disaster Kit for the families living in hazard-prone areas and communities at risk.

Palafox said the project in partnership with PDRRMO was initially launched Quezon-wide including nearby localities with various participating individuals and organizations.

He said the project initiative stressed to participants that in times of disaster, preparedness and mitigation are not the sole responsibility of the government but everybody has a stake in disaster-preparedness and emergency response.

Data gathered from the Quezon PDRRMO disclosed that almost every town and city in the province is susceptible to disasters and calamities.

About 11 localities experience flooding and 33 coastal municipalities are prone to storm surge or sudden rise of water levels.

Dr. Henry Buzar, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer explained that the disaster emergency kit is very essential for every family as part of the readiness and preparation in the event of a typhoon or disaster.

During the activity launching, over a thousand families in disaster prone areas were each given the emergency disaster kits.

The emergency “shoebox” contains a transistor radio, flashlight, whistle, first-aid kit, spare clothes and sheets, list of numbers for emergency hotlines during disasters and safety tips during an emergency or disaster situation.

ABS-CBN’s Sagip Kapamilya Foundation is one of the project proponents and was instrumental in initiating the Project Shoebox.

The Sagip Kapamilya Foundation also turned over 965 flashlights, 594 packs of batteries, 410 pieces of wound kits, 53 pieces of dengue kits and 1,128 hygiene kits.

Project Shoebox was first launched on February 29, 2012 which delivered basic school supplies and personal items needed by public elementary first grade students in the remote areas in Southern Tagalog and Bicol regions.

The project drew overwhelming support from donors and sponsors and civil society groups which prompted organizers to expand the beneficiaries to all public elementary school graders.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=618128