Singer Rico Blanco joins Save the Children for New Year’s celebration with Yolanda-affected communities

TACLOBAN – January 3, 2014 – Singer and band vocalist Rico Blanco wished over 4,000 people a Happy New Year and spread key hygiene promotion messages in Dulag, Leyte, Save the Children said in a press release. Save the Children is working with some of the hardest hit communities in Eastern Leyte to support families with life-saving water, sanitation and hygiene supplies. 

 

Blanco had written a special hygiene jingle just for the occasion, which he performed for an excited crowd that had assembled in a damaged church for the concert, the group said. As Blanco played the song, children selected from the crowd demonstrated hand-washing techniques to children and their mothers.

 

Blanco, whose family comes from Leyte, accompanied Save the Children emergency teams to Barangay Cabacungan where he met with many families who have lost loved ones, homes and livelihoods due to Yolanda. In just the municipality of Dulag – around 453 houses were totally destroyed as Yolanda ripped through the area. Many wells and washing facilities were also left flooded or damaged and Save the Children said it has been trucking clean water, delivering hygiene kits, including buckets, soap and water purification tablets and constructing latrines.

 

 

During his visit, Rico Blanco spread cheer amongst the crowds as he played his hand-washing jingle in the local dialect, Waray, as well as many of his other famous songs. Rico said, “I have played many times in Leyte before and the crowds are always amazing – it’s a real privilege to play here, especially as the people look forward to their continued recovery in 2014.”

 

Save the Children Country Director, Ned Olney, said, “Save the Children was honored to host Rico Blanco in Dulag – bringing hope to children this New Year and spreading hygiene messages are so important right now, as Leyte continues to rise again after the devastation caused by Yolanda.” One mother, Lisa, from Cabacungan who attended the concern thanked Save the Children for hosting the concert: "It has really lifted our spirits. Everything here was ruined but my new year’s message is this – we survived Yolanda.”