The Philippines

Our Work in Country

For more than 20 years, Americares has been at work in the Philippines. Following Typhoon Haiyan, one of the worst storms of the century to hit the country, Americares expanded its emergency programs in a commitment to strengthen health care for people in need. An in-country office and warehouse were established and a team assembled to guide the recovery process and build longer term, sustainable community health programs. One of the first areas of concern was health care access in many communities where the only local health facility had been damaged, thus leaving many vulnerable people without access to medicine and clinical services.

Health Snapshot

The Philippines, a nation of more than 7,000 islands, is ranked among the world’s most disaster-prone countries due to its location on the typhoon belt and the Pacific earthquake rim – known as the “Ring of Fire”. An average of 20 typhoons per year and 21 active volcanoes, along with mudslides, flooding and earthquakes often cause heavy damage, especially to health facilities and other infrastructure, resulting in many injuries and fatalities due to the inaccessibility of vulnerable communities on many of the islands. And when disaster strikes, our in country team responds. In the last year, the team has mobilized immediately to help survivors of multiple emergencies.

Emergency Response Activity

For more than 20 years, Americares has been at work in the Philippines, delivering health-focused relief in the wake of disasters and strengthening local health systems.

In late 2025, the Philippines endured a series of devastating emergencies. Americares teams mobilized quickly to restore health services and protect vulnerable communities:

Typhoon Kalmaegi (Tino) struck in early November, displacing more than half a million people. Americares deployed an emergency response team to deliver essential medicines, hygiene kits, and safe water and sanitation supplies, while conducting hygiene promotion sessions to prevent disease outbreaks.
Just days later, Typhoon Fung-wong (Uwan) made landfall, causing severe flooding and widespread power and water interruptions. Americares is assessing needs and continuing operations alongside the Kalmaegi response, with plans for Mobile Medical Units and mental health support.
In September, Super Typhoon Ragasa (Nando) battered Northern Luzon with destructive winds and landslides. Americares provided hygiene kits, health education, and psychological first aid to help families recover.
Two powerful earthquakes compounded the crisis: a 6.9-magnitude quake in Cebu and a 7.4-magnitude quake in Mindanao. Americares supported health facilities with tents, generators, clean water, hygiene kits, and medicines, while delivering mental health and psychosocial support for children and psychological first aid for health workers.

Across these emergencies, Americares remains focused on restoring access to health care, preventing waterborne illness, providing clean water, and supporting mental health for survivors and health professionals. Our work ensures that clinics stay open, and communities receive the care they need—when they need it most.

Disaster Preparedness After Typhoon Yolanda

Following the devastation of Typhoon Yolanda, Americares established a team in the Philippines to help in the recovery and to build back better including robust disaster readiness. The current response to Typhoons Rolly and Vamco reflects that preparedness work. Watch the video of a nurse in the Philippines who survives a major Typhoon and helps save her neighbors. She knows first hand why disaster readiness is critical for communities. Photo of the destruction from Typhoon Rolly.

An Americares emergency response team member surveys flooding on streets in Dagupan City, Philippines, after recent typhoons brought torrential rain to the region.

Community Health

The emergence of mental health issues in the aftermath of disaster has led Americares to develop a targeted program to improve access to Mental Health and Psychosocial Support services (MHPSS) in three municipalities of northern Cebu. The program trains health workers in identifying general mental health issues and local health providers (Barangay Health Workers) on psychosocial interventions for Depression and Anxiety Disorders.

Overall, the project will strengthen local capacities, advocate for inclusion of mental health in local and regional government priorities, and directly support those living with mental illness through access to medicine and trained health workers. In total, this project will reach 9% of those living in the target municipalities (12,500) and train at least 571 community health workers. Through stronger MHPSS centers in each municipality, trained health workers will be able to provide direct psychosocial support and more quickly identify mental illness for referral and reduce the overall burden from mental illness – leading to stronger, healthier and more productive communities.

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