Surviving Typhoon Ruby

Exactly one year after Typhoon Yolanda hit the Philippines and Natan sent out the first delegation of dedicated volunteers in our Towards the Pacific Coalition, another super-typhoon  – Typhoon Ruby, or Typhoon Hagupit – descended on the country’s coast, again wreaking havoc and creating huge amounts of damage. We are very thankful to report that Gal Vinikov, our volunteer in Guyian managed to safely survive the last disaster and that through the vigilance and foresightedness of local authorities and international organizations, many casualties were prevented.

Gal is cooperating with the local authorities and in the coming days and weeks will assess the needs for our intervention around Borongan, where the eye of Typhoon Ruby hit hardest, and where hundreds of houses and livelihoods were destroyed.

On a positive note, we are proud to report that our recently inaugurated community center managed to withstand the latest typhoon, and will continue to act as a focus for the community of Pagmanitan, and where Gal and her successors will run arts-based community therapy programs.