AS CHAIRMAN AND CEO
2009
January 6- assisted 4 victims of illegal
recruitment stranded in Thailand.
January 9, 16 and 17- repatriated Filipino
OFW's from war in Gaza.
January 14- provided insurance to the 1,200
members of the National Press Club.
January 16- assisted 21 fishermen lost in Kalayaan
Islands.
February 21- built 24 homes in Lanao del Norte
March 30- led the prayer rally and appealed for
the immediate release of the ICRC workers abducted in Sulu.
April 2- Release of ICRC worker Mary Jean Lacaba
April 15- distributed 62 ambulances and fire
trucks to PNRC chapters during PNRC's 62nd year anniversary
On the 62nd anniversary of the PNRC and in line with his
dream of modernizing and strengthening PNRC's rescue
capability, he initiated the acquisition and distribution of
62 emergency response vehicles including ambulances, fire
trucks and first aid motorcycles which were distributed to
the PNRC chapters and branches.
April 18- Release of ICRC worker Andreas Notter
April 19- assisted three Filipina victims of human
trafficking in Ivory Coast, West Africa
July 12- Release of ICRC worker Eugenio Vagni.
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) President
Dr. Jakob Kellenberger commended PNRC Chairman Sen. Richard
Gordon's dedication in fulfilling its mission in alleviating
human suffering and for showing great concern during the
abduction of the ICRC workers - Mary Jean Lacaba, Andreas
Notter and Eugenio Vagni.
"Your genuine interest and care for the 3 kidnapped
colleagues and their relatives is another living proof of
your deep humanitarian motivation and exemplary commitment
to alleviate human suffering," Kellenberger said.
July 23- assisted an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW)
returning from Doha, Qatar who was imprisoned at the state's
Deportation Jail after being accused of abandonment of work
or escaping from his employer.
2008
February 9- led rehabilitation Program for
Barangay Hall and health station in Brgy. Sugangon, Saint
Bernard, Southern Leyte in cooperation with the Japanese Red
Cross Society.
March 7- led Typhoid Outbreak Operation and
Medical Mission in Brgy. Bucal, Calamba, Laguna.
April 18- led Turnover Ceremonies Housing Project
in Maslog, Legazpi City.
April 25- signed Abucay, Bataan REACT and PNRC
Partnership for Red Cross 143.
May 8- RCY Supercamp, "World Red Cross Day", in
Camp Capinpin , Tanay, Rizal.
May 16- Climate Change Forum, World Red Cross Day,
Manila Hotel.
June 21- MV Princess of the Stars Tragedy
June 23- Rescue and Relief Operations, Leganes
Gym, Jaro, Iloilo and Panay.
June 24- helped survivors of the MV Princess of
the Stars and facilitated reunion with their families.
June 27- Relief Operations in Kalibo, Aklan.
(Typhoon Frank)
June 29- Relief Operations in Iloilo with
Ambassador Kristie Kenney. (Typhoon Frank)
July 1- Relief Operations in Iloilo and NDCC
Cabinet Meeting. (Typhoon Frank)
July 2- Relief Operations in Cadiz City of
fishermen whose fishing vessel sank due to Typhoon Frank.
July 3- Relief Operations in Romblon, installed
Water Sanitation facility.
July 4- Subic Bay , Hanjin Donation for Typhoon
Frank victims.
July 11- Relief Operations in Maguindanao, Sultan
Kudarat and in Cotabato City.
July 12 and 13- (Typhoon Frank) Relief Operations
in Iloilo, installed Water Sanitation facilities with the
Swedish Red Cross.
Through his effort, a total of 15,000 houses were
repaired and built from 2004-2008 in Southern Leyte, Albay,
Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Laguna, Marinduque, Mindoro
Oriental, Quezon, Aurora, Isabela, Nueva Ecija, Quirino,
Sorsogon and Lanao del Norte, devastated by Guinsaugon
landslide, typhoons Reming, Milenyo, Yoyong, Unding, Violeta
and armed conflict in Mindanao.
2007
September 11 and 27- provided economic linkage for
farmers in Sulu and Northern Cotabato via Fruits of Hope to
market mangostine, lanzones, etc to Manila supermarkets
Rustans and SM Shopwise.
October 19- among the first to respond at the
Glorietta Blast and conducted search and rescue and
retrieval of missing victims Maureen de Leon and Ranier Tan
who's bodies were recovered in the debris
November 8- first to respond and recovered the body
of Francis Luis Avian,fifth fatality in the blast at
Sorrento Townhomes, Barangay Panapaan, Bacoor,Cavite
November 14- Batasan Bomb
November 19- Typhoon Lando
November 21- assisted in securing Flight Ambulance
International medical crew in moving comatose Romulo del
Rosario via ambu-plane from Irkustk Russia to the PGH.
November 24- Typhoon Mina
November 29- Manila Pen Stand-off
2006
February 4- was the first on the ground to instill
order in the chaotic rescue effort and recovery of bodies at
the ULTRA Stampede of the Wowowee anniversary show.
February 17- while in Geneva attending a IFRC
conference he made an appeal and made known to the world the
St. Bernard, So. Leyte landslide that affected 977 families
(or almost 1000 families).
August- intervened on behalf of the Filipino
government to secure the safety and safe passage and pushed
for evacuation by land, air and sea of Overseas Filipinos
Working in Southern Lebanon in harms way during the
Hezbollah-Israeli conflict.
August 21- once again, for the third time, led the
relief efforts for at least 3,000 evacuated families when
Mt. Mayon showed alarming signs of volcanic activity.
October 7- was the first to initiate relief and
rehabilitation efforts of 8,000 families affected by Typhoon
Milenyo in Southern Tagalog and Bicol regions, especially
Sorsogon which received scant attention as the media focused
on billboard incidents in Metro Manila.
November- while attending an IFRC conference in
Geneva received a text from Khazakstan OFWs caught in the
middle of a conflict between Kazakhs and immigrant workers.
He was the first to sound the alarm and call the attention
of DOLE and POEA that led to the evacuation of at least 500
workers traumatized from the battle-torn country.
December 1- was the first on the ground in Albay and
Catanduanes a day after Typhoon Reming battered Southern
Tagalog and Bicol provinces anew. Leading ongoing relief and
rehabilitation efforts for 15,000 (and counting) evacuees.
(p.s. This number includes Senyang victims. DMS can't
provide separate figures since most families have been
affected by both typhoons.)
December 5- launched Project 143 I Love Red Cross on
International Volunteers Day to prepare and train
communities to be self-reliant and ready in the face of
calamities and typhoons.
December- made an international appeal to USAID and
international governments in the light of twin typhoons with
Senyang in a span of two weeks affecting 10 provinces and
62,728 families (again, this figure includes families
affected by Reming).
2005
February- Flare-up of fighting outside Sulu in
Mindanao that displaced hundreds of families from their
villages
February 14- Valentine's Day bombings that killed 11
people and wounded 130 others in the cities of Makati, Davao
and General Santos.
March to April- after receiving a call from radio
station DZRH, immediately sought assistance from the US
Pacific Command for planes to spot and assist Philippine
Navy and Coast Guard Search and Rescue of four missing
fishermen from Zambales who where adrift for 19 days at sea.
March 10- Food poisoning in Bohol province that
claimed the lives of 27 school children and caused 105
others to be hospitalized.
March 14 - immediately deployed five Disaster
Response Teams composed of 50 staff and volunteer first
aiders during the 6-hour Camp Bagong Diwa Jailbreak and
Stand Off in Bicutan, which ended in a bloody firefight.
May 24- airlifted the five-day old female conjoined
twins from Masbate Province to the Philippine General
Hospital for proper diagnosis of their condition and to make
plans for interventions that may be necessary for their
survival.
Initiated Strategic Partnerships with the Association of
Volunteer Fire Chiefs and Firefighters, Inc. (AVFCFI) and
the Philippine Canine Search and Rescue Association
(PhK9SAR).
2004
February 26- Super Ferry fire. Sent staff and
volunteers after hearing the tragedy to piers 14 and 15
providing first aid and transporting the injured to various
hospitals. Set up welfare desk to help trace missing persons
and provide psychological support to 515 survivors.
April 14- While on the campaign trail in Nueva Ecija,
personally led the Chapter disaster response team in
rescuing the people when a fire broke out a house at the
area. Administered first aid to those injured, comforted the
families whose house were burned and gave them food and
relief assistance.
August 27- Joined the local Red Cross chapter in
Tarlac during the Culibangbang Dike Collapse in Paniqui and
resulted to the massive floods in Tarlac, Pangasinan,
Bulacan, Nueva Ecija and Pampanga.
December 24- Christmas Eve and 31 December 2004- New
Years Eve- spent with evacuees providing Emergency Relief
and Rehabilitation serving food and non-food items to 50,000
families throughout the 13 affected provinces of Nueva Ecija,
Aurora, Quezon, among others by the mudslides.
In response to his international appeal for assistance, PNRC
raised a record-breaking PhP 200 Million in donations from
foreign as well as local donors intended for 2004 typhoon
disaster victims.
It was during his term as PNRC Chairman and CEO that, for
the first time, the PNRC became not just receiving
organization but an international donor when we sent $35,000
cash contribution and disaster experts to help in the relief
and rehabilitation of Tsunami-stricken areas in Indonesia,
Sri Lanka and Thailand.
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