SAVE the Children Philippines immediately deployed humanitarian response teams Friday right at the onset of Severe Tropical Storm Paeng (international name: Nalgae).

Rapid assessment on impacted areas were immediately conducted in Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Bicol, Eastern Samar, Panay Island, and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Around 4.5 million people, of which 1.4 million are children, have been affected based on initial reports.

The figures are expected to increase as ‘Paeng‘ gained strength as the 16th typhoon to hit the Philippines this year.

In Maguindanao, Save the Children’s response teams are on the ground assessing the situation and needs of children and families.

Sixty seven of the 72 deaths recorded so far are from Maguindanao, where about 78,000 families were reportedly affected by severe flooding.

Meanwhile, Save the Children’s response teams in Luzon and Visayas, along with teams from civil society organization partners, are currently monitoring and responding to the urgent needs of the affected families and children.

Save the Children is readying the immediate dispatch of prepositioned relief items that include plastic sheets which can be used as temporary shelters to displaced families, vital household items and family hygiene kits to prevent the spread of diseases, school supplies for children and teachers, and temporary learning spaces to safely resume classes.

“Speeding up the recovery of affected families and effective disaster preparedness measures are being done to ensure that no children are left behind in times of emergencies,” said Jerome Balinton, Humanitarian Manager of Save the Children Philippines.

“In any crisis, children are always the most vulnerable. The message is loud and clear: children are most impacted by the climate crisis. That is why the whole of society must act now to safeguard future generations,” CEO of Save the Children Philippines Atty. Alberto Muyot said.