WIMLER.org: CARING FOR CORON

A Relief Aid Operation for the Victims of Super Typhoon Yolanda

WIMLER Foundation Hong Kong joins many individuals and organizations worldwide in raising funds and collecting goods to help the victims of Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) which claimed the lives of an estimated 10,000 people. Leyte and Samar provinces suffered most of the brunt of the devastating typhoon claimed to be the strongest typhoon ever recorded in the world.

Focusing on the other affected areas which do not get as much news coverage and government support, WIMLER Foundation has decided to help and send relief goods to smaller towns in the more remote areas that have also suffered extensive damages and destruction, specifically, the several baranggays or villages in Coron, Palawan that were wiped out by the catastrophe.

The direct beneficiaries of the WIMLER Foundation HK include three remote baranggays in Coron, Palawan - Baranggay San Jose, Baranggay Decalachao and Baranggay Cheoy, small villages that are marginalized and have been cut off from the relief aid being provided by the local government of the municipality of Coron.

One of the residents of the recipient baranggays, Ms Catherine Tating Marsden, who is currently based in Hong Kong, has personally volunteered to organize this humanitarian aid operation and will also personally travel back to these baranggays to mobilize and supervise aid distribution.

Aside from WIMLER Foundation, Tao Philippines in Manila is also helping us by accommodating our goods for storage until they are shipped. There are also good hearted people who adopted Catherine’s cause and made it their own, now actively involved in her operation.

WIMLER Foundation HK encourages CASH Donations so that we can be able to send the immediate relief goods such as baby formula, feeding bottles, clean water, rice, medicine, blankets & family tents as soon as possible.

We need all the help that we can get. Every little bit of help counts.

If you would like to know more about the WIMLER Foundation, please visit the following links:

www.wimler.org

https://www.facebook.com/Wimler

http://wimler.blogspot.hk/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/WIMLER-Foundation-Hong-Kong-Ltd/221584064590815

For anyone interested to join the Caring for Coron team as a volunteer, please feel free to join us at the Caring for Coron Facebook group:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/555332794551753/

MEET THE UP Mountaineers Search and Rescue

The team will be composed of 12 people, half of whom are either doctors or highly trained emergency responders. The non-medical personnel will help with either coordination/documentation or the distribution of relief supplies. The team members are:

Team 1

1. MG Ebro (EMT)

2. Peter Rivera (MD)

3. Ninoy Leyran

4. Drei Castillo

5. Nat Benares (EMT)

6. Aaron Root (EMT)

Team 2

7. Manny Batungbacal

8. Carlo Timbol (MD)

9. Scott Rist (EMT

10. Reena Lebanan

11. Ramon Vizmanos

12. Jay Reynaldo

Ninoy Leyran will be Overall Team Leader and Coordinator for Team 1, while Manny Batungbacal will be Coordinator for Team 2. I will be the team's contact person in Manila. You can also contact me through this e-mail address or via mobile (+639209242183).

Both teams will be departing on Saturday (Nov. 16) on separate Cebu Pacific flights. The first team arrives in Coron at 1:20 p.m., while the other one will reach there at 2:00 p.m. Both teams depart the island on Monday (Nov. 18) afternoon.

We have established contact in Coron with Dr. Joseph Tradio, who is coordinating the deployment of medical teams in the area. Through other local contacts, we have also already made arrangements for transportation and lodging. However, the teams are also self-contained, and should the need arise, they can set up camp and stay in a needed location.

Through separate local contacts, we have also secured official damage assessment reports from Coron and Busuanga. I have pasted in below the relevant details for the target sites:

- Cheey/Cheay is one of the hardest hit barangays in Busuanga, 528 families affected.

- San Jose in Coron has 279 families. 250 of the families have either totally or partially damaged houses. Overall damage including livelihood is estimated at 90%.

- Decalachao, also in Coron, has 270 families. No information on damage in the area.

- Immediate needs are:

a. Drinking water for island barangays

b. Toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste, soap etc.)

c. First aid supplies/medicines

d. AM Radio

e. Clothes

f. Shelter and beddings (linens, sheets, etc)

g. Food (e.g rice, canned food, coffee etc.)

As previously discussed, the objective of the teams will be to reach and provide relief services to these areas. However, given the reduced number of team members and the timeframe for operations, we would like to caution that there may be a need to prioritize among the sites. We will be conducting our final pre-deployment meeting tonight and we will discuss the best approach in order to maximize the effectiveness of the team. Once in Coron, the team will also be exchanging information with our local counterparts to determine the best course of action.

UPDATES OF THE CAMPAIGN:

Note from Catherine Tating Marsden:

November 12, 2013:

“I am on a mission to save at least 7,000 lives of which majority are the indigenous people of Coron, the “Tagbanuas” and help them get back on their feet until the rehabilitation stage. If you wish to adopt my cause, kindly indicate in your donations “Yolanda-Coron”.

I’m personally flying to Coron on Saturday, November 14th, 2013, bringing with me an Emergency Response Team from a volunteer group called UP Mountaineers, composed of medical personnel & relief distribution coordinators.

We need cash to help us mobilize. Funds donated through WIMLER will be used to purchase relief goods and for rehabilitation. Any help extended to my team is deeply appreciated."

November 16, 2013

Update from Coron :

I've just received word that the team (UP UP Mountaineers Search & Rescue Team (UPMSAR)& WIMLER Foundation Hong Kong Ltd.'s Cathe Kit) has landed safely in Coron.

They have established a base camp at a school in Brgy. San Jose and are conducting a community census to determine needs on the ground. They will begin the actual medical mission tomorrow. I will be receiving another update at 10 p.m.

Best regards,

Jom

November 17, 2013

Our team is now in Coron to provide medical aid in three baranggays (San Jose, Decalachao, and Cheey). The team split up to two smaller groups to make use of their time more efficiently and attend to more people.

Communications is erratic, so we will provide more updates as they come. We wish the team well.

This mission was made possible through the assistance of Cebu Pacific, Hizon Laboratories, and all generous individuals who donated funds to buy medicines and other supplies.

November 19, 2013