Geographically, the Philippines belong to the „Ring of Fire“, a circum-Pacific-belt often affected by typhoons, earthquakes, tsunamis as well as volcanic eruptions. Other threats are armed conflicts in the south of Mindanao, which affect the security of communities. Since the devastating typhoon “Washi“ (locally called “Sendong”), who in 2011 killed over 1’000 people in Cagayan de Oro alone, PIKIFI regularly organizes relief operations for survivors in the aftermath of natural or manmade disasters. In doing so, we distribute urgently required reliefs or perform rebuilding projects. For example, after the typhoon Haiyan in 2013, Island Kids Philippines supported the reconstruction of a school in Tanauan and the building of a whole settlement in Ormoc. In several operations, the SRK and NACSEA-Relief helped us with financial means.
Geographically, the Philippines belong to the „Ring of Fire“, a circum-Pacific-belt often affected by typhoons, earthquakes, tsunamis as well as volcanic eruptions. Other threats are armed conflicts in the south of Mindanao, which to this day affect the security and wellbeing of communities. Being aware of the vulnerability of poor communities in the aftermath of natural and manmade disasters, PIKIFI has added disaster response and assistance to its programs and services. We actively responded and keep responding to disasters through relief operations as well as rehabilitation/rebuilding projects. The PIKIFI youth are designated to assist in the packing and distribution of relief goods during relief operations. This shall give the youth a sense of responsibility and strengthen their compassion and charity towards other people in need.
2009 – Typhoon “Ketsana” (locally known as Ondoy) devastated poor communities in the Capital Manila. PIKIFI participated in a rebuilding project of the local organization Liloc by providing construction materials for survivors of a heavily affected urban poor community in Quezon City.
2011 – Typhoon “Washi” (locally known as Sendong) killed more than 1’000 people in Cagayan de Oro City alone and left ten thousands homeless. PIKIFI conducted several relief operations providing food and other basic needs to the survivors in Cagayan de Oro City and Iligan City and participated in the cleaning of two public schools located in flooded areas in Cagayan de Oro City. The Swiss Red Cross mainly funded this project.
2012 – Typhoon “Bopha” (locally known as Pablo) affected Cagayan de Oro City and devastated vast parts of southeast Mindanao. PIKIFI conducted a relief operation providing food and other basic needs to survivors in the province of Compostela Valley and delivered construction materials such as plain sheets for roofing to survivors in the province of Davao Occidental. The Swiss Red Cross mainly funded this project.
2013 – Typhoon “Haiyan” (locally known as Yolanda) was considered one of the worst typhoons to ever hit the country, killing more than 7’000 lives and leaving millions of people homeless. PIKIFI conducted several relief operations providing food and other basic needs to the survivors in the north of Cebu Island as well as in various communities in eastern and western Leyte Island and provided psychological first aid to student survivors from a public school in eastern Leyte. We further supported the reconstruction of a public school in Tanauan town and spearheaded a rebuilding project of a settlement of poor rice farmers near Ormoc City, where a total of 28 totally damaged houses were rebuilt and another six partially damaged houses were repaired. A local engineer lead the construction works performed by the members of the community themselves. The rebuilding project was accomplished in 2015. The Manila based humanitarian organization NACSEA-Relief funded this project.
2017 – Typhoon “Tembin” (locally known as Vinta) brought about dead and destruction to vast parts of Mindanao as well as other parts of the Philippines. PIKIFI conducted a relief operation providing food and other basic needs to survivors in the province of Lanao del Norte. We further supported the reconstruction of a settlement in the same province through the provision of building materials such as cement. The Swiss-Filipino aid organization ALPS mainly funded these projects.
2017 – The five-month-long armed conflict known as Battle of Marawi or Marawi Siege between fanatic rebels and government forces killed many lives and devastated large parts of this mainly Islamic city, causing all its residents to abandon their homes and find refuge in refugee camps in nearby Iligan City and also in Cagayan de Oro City. PIKIFI conducted a relief operations providing food and other basic needs to survivors in refugee camps in Iligan City. The PIKIFI youth were designated to assist in the relief operations. They also visited one of the camps for a cultural exchange with student refugees as part of a transcultural peacemaking effort.
2019 – a series of high magnitude earthquakes hit vast parts of southern Mindanao, killed lives and left thousands homeless. PIKIFI conducted relief operations providing food and other basic needs to survivors in severely devastated communities in the municipality of Tulunan, North Cotabato province. The project was funded by private donors.
2020 and ongoing – The corona disease pandemic continues to severely affect poor families. PIKIFI conducts regular relief operations to provide food and other basic needs to the economically hard hit poverty stricken families in Cagayan de Oro City. Families are also trained in urban gardening and given lectures about child protection. The project is mainly funded by private donors, ALPS and LifeBank Foundation, Inc.