If government has money to pay for medical advisories, print ads, it must have more funds for disease outbreaks

October 15, 2009
Reference : Dr. Julie Caguiat
SOS Spokesperson

Samahang Operasyong Sagip SOS urges the government to decisively act on the surging number of patients infected by leptospirosis and other potential outbreaks looming in areas affected by massive flooding.

Forced evacuations making urban poor settlers twice victims

October 14, 2009
Reference : Dr. Julie Caguiat
SOS Spokesperson

“The so-called ‘preemptive evacuations’ forcibly ordering urban poor residents to leave their shanties and makeshift homes in along riverbanks and hillsides in order to keep them from harm's way is a double-edged policy," said Dr. Julie Caguiat, SOS spokesperson.

Health Group questions the government’s inadequate disaster response

September 28, 2009
Reference : Dr. Julie Caguiat
SOS Spokesperson

Samahang Operasyong Sagip (SOS), a disaster response initiative of various health organizations and groups question where the supposed P10B under the government’s Calamity Assistance and Rehabilitation Effort (CARE) funds apportioned under the General Appropriations Act has gone now that it is mostly needed.

Contact Us...

Samahang Operasyong Sagip (SOS)
sos.phils@gmail.com
(+632) 929-8109

About Us...

What is SOS?
S.O.S.stands for Samahang Operasyong Sagip. It is a network of volunteer health workers, professionals, and students, aiming to render assistance to disaster victims through relief and medical missions. It was formed in the early '90s in response to the big earthquake and the lahar flows of Mt. Pinatubo.

History

• In 1988 and 1989, volunteer teams of health workers, professionals and students assisted urban poor and worker communities in Malabon and Navotas who were victims of severe flooding.


• In 1990, after the terrible earthquake in Luzon, the volunteer teams were formally organized into a disaster response network in the health sector --the Samahang Operasyong Sagip, or S.O.S.


• In the same year, when the lahar flows from erupting Mt. Pinatubo ravaged Central Luzon, S.O.S volunteer teams assisted in the relief and medical missions to affected communities.

Objectives of SOS

• to create public awareness on the disaster situation and the people's response.


• To organize volunteers and concerned individuals in the health sector to render assistance to the victims of disaster through relief and medical missions.


• To gather resources that will be distributed to the victims of calamities in various areas of the country.

Who Can join S.O.S.?
Anyone willing to help is welcome.

Who heads the S.0.S?
A Coordinating Body (CB) oversees all the activities being implemented by S.O.S. It consists of representatives of medical and nursing students, health professionals in community service organizations, health workers in hospitals, and team leaders of various quick reaction teams (QRTs).

JOIN S.O.S. NOW
Start a relief and fund drive within your organization, class, barkada, or even your community. Urgently needed are the following:

• Medicines


• Food


• First aid kits


• Clothing


• Construction materials

Volunteer for the medical and relief missions. Better yet, form your own quick reaction teams (QRT's)...

Lend your resources like trans-port vehicles, storage rooms and communication equipment to facilitate the conduct of medical and relief missions in disaster-struck communities.