DMC/Merlin Keyword: TYPHOONHAIYAN
Lack of food and water, and without a proper shelter, children’s health is at risk.
Story by Lanie Carillo/ Communications Specialist / World Vision Philippines:
Due to lack of food and water and days without shelter and electricity, many of the children beg on the street in the municipalities of Tabogon, Bogo and Daanbantayan. They shout “tabang,” which means help. Some wrote “tabang” or “need food” on a piece of wood, and displayed it along the road for visitors to see.
Vehicles that stop are usually swarmed by these children, each trying to have a piece of what will be given by passersby. Many of the children are young — between 5-13 years old. Children beg on the street under the scorching heat of the sun or even in cold rains.
“This is alarming,” says Ching Llagas, World Vision Philippines’ Child Protection Specialist. “Children shouldn’t be doing this. First, the road is not safe for them. Second, without food and clean water, children will be prone to diseases such as diarrhea.”
During a meeting between Daanbantayan Vice Mayor Gilbert Arrabis, Jr. and World Vision staff, the vice mayor said that many of the children are going to the street to search for help. “We don’t want them to do that. But they wouldn’t listen. I understand them. We welcome anybody who would help us. We really need help on shelter, medicine, food and water. The local government can only do so much as we are also devastated by Haiyan.”
Roads going to Daanbantayan, north of Cebu, are littered with house debris and fallen trees. The Office of the Civil Defense in Central Visayas reported that there are more than 65,000 persons affected by super typhoon Haiyan that made landfall in northern Cebu last November 8. The province was declared under a State of Calamity. The province was also affected by the recent earthquake that devastated Bohol, another province in Central Visayas.
Noel, 45, a father of three, said that he and his family have no house
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