PDRF, Direct Relief preposition 100 medical go bags to strengthen disaster preparedness

October 30, 2026, Clark, Pampanga — The Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF), in partnership with Direct Relief, an international humanitarian organization, is prepositioning 100 medical go bags at the PDRF Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in Clark, Pampanga, to strengthen disaster preparedness of its employees and disaster-affected communities.

The initiative also aims to improve emergency response readiness by ensuring essential supplies are strategically positioned and available for deployment during disasters and emergencies.

“Disasters often strike without warning. Prepositioning Direct Relief’s emergency supplies enables us to help people faster and restore them more quickly to normalcy,” said PDRF President Butch Meily.

Direct Relief’s emergency medical pack is a rugged, purpose-built backpack tailored for mobile healthcare and first responders. Each pack includes essential supplies for triage, trauma care, infection control, and personal protection during disasters and public health

crises.

Direct Relief Asia Pacific Regional Manager Len Manriquez and Asia Pacific Emergency Response Manager Dustin Shiau attended the assembly and preparation of the bags.

“Partnering with PDRF guarantees a timely response to health emergencies in a country ranked among the most disaster-prone in the world,” said Shiau.

The University of the Philippines Clark supported this initiative by mobilizing its students and volunteers to help assemble the contents.

This initiative may guide future efforts to increase pre-positioned emergency supplies, improve distribution, and expand coverage across the Philippines to reach more communities.