MERCY Malaysia will deploy a two-member team to Manila, Philippines in response to the recent tropical storm Ketsana that pummelled the northern Island of Luzon and metro Manila.

The team is led by MERCY Malaysia Senior Programme Officer, Hew Chong Yew, accompanied by volunteer, Loke Hai Yuan. They will be distributing hygiene kits to the affected communities in areas such as Marikina City, Rizal and Pasig in addition to conducting assessments to learn more of the situation and humanitarian assistance that are needed. A total of RM 100,000 has been allocated from the emergency fund to respond to this recent disaster.

The distribution of hygiene kits is part of MERCY Malaysia's primary work of providing WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) facilities to the victims of the tropical storm. The kit will include basic sanitary items such as toothbrush, shampoo, bath soap, undergarments, sanitary pads, and bath towels, among others.

The team will leave for Manilla, Philippines on 30 September 2009, Wednesday morning via Malaysia Airlines (MAS). The tickets are provided complimentary by MAS as part of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the two organisations in May, this year.

The MoU is part of MAS's continuous Corporate Responsibility Programme which includes providing complimentary return flight tickets to MERCY Malaysia for emergency deployment of relief missions.

MERCY Malaysia will continue to monitor the situation through on-the-ground assessments to look into other areas of humanitarian assistance.

Concerned Malaysians can donate to the MERCY Humanitarian Fund through CIMB Bank, account number 1424-000-6561053 or MAYBANK, account number 5621-7950-4126.