World Renew Responds to ‘Super’ Typhoon

A massive typhoon slammed into the central Philippines on Friday, setting off landslides, destroying homes, knocking out infrastructure, and leaving millions of people in need.

World Renew is responding in cooperation with its local partners and the international network the Integral Alliance.

While the Philippines experiences numerous typhoons each year, today’s Typhoon Haiyan is being called a “super typhoon” and has caused damage that is much more extensive than most typical storms.

“Haiyan is the strongest Typhoon to hit the Philippines in 2013,” said Wayne de Jong, World Renew Director of Disaster Response and Rehabilitation.

“While it is still too early to know the full extent of the damage, it could be the most damaging storm of the past century, with devastation matching or surpassing that of Typhoon Bopha which ravaged the Philippines in 2012.”

Fortunately, due to disaster preparedness training, the loss of life wasn’t as great as it could have been. Early warning systems alerted the Filipino government to the storm’s track and potential damage.

As a result, 720,000 people were evacuated from their homes in advance of the storm. In addition, national and local governments used their disaster preparedness training to pre-position food packs, water and rescue operations.

“It is such a blessing that improved technology and preparedness plans could save lives in this way,” said de Jong. “Unfortunately, the available resources from the Philippines government will not be adequate to meet the immediate and long-term needs of the affected population.

“We anticipate that there will be an urgent need for additional food, water, clothing, sleeping materials, temporary shelter, and medicine.”

The Integral Alliance is a global coalition of 19 Christian relief and development agencies from 13 countries. Integral's goal is to see holistic transformation for more poor people, through providing collaborative opportunities for its members in the areas of disaster management, collaboration and innovation.

Along with members of the Integral Alliance, World Renew will be providing food, water, temporary shelter, sleeping materials and hygiene kits to some of the 12-18 million people affected by this disaster.

World Renew’s response will likely include support for the work of its long-time partners in the Philippines such as the Christian Reformed Church in the Philippines (CRCP) and the Philippine Relief and Development Services (PHILRADS).

Together with CRCP and PHILRADS, World Renew provided food, hygiene kits, and drinking water to 500 families following Typhoon Bopha. They have also been responding to the needs of those affected by a 7.1 magnitude earthquake that hit the Philippines earlier this year.

Prayers and financial support for the people affected by Super Typhoon Haiyan, and World Renew’s response, are urgently needed. Donate online or send donations marked “Philippines Typhoon Haiyan” to:

World Renew US
1700 28th Street SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49508-1407
Tel: 1-800-552-7972

World Renew Canada
3475 Mainway
P.O. Box 5070 STN LCD
Burlington, Ontario, L7R 3Y8
Tel: 1-800-730-3490