SINGAPORE, 29 August 2026 Mercy Relief (MR), Singapore’s leading independent disaster relief agency, has mobilised its resources to support the disaster-stricken communities in Nepal and the Philippines. The organisation is working closely with its local partners in the two countries to conduct on-the-ground needs’ assessments in preparation to deliver emergency aid to those most in need.
In Nepal, deadly flash floods near the Nepal-Tibet border have claimed at least 584 lives, with almost 2,000 people still missing—including local residents and foreign tourists. Entire settlements have been devastated, infrastructure destroyed, and isolated survivors urgently require medical care, shelter, clean water, and food. Mercy Relief’s response team is working on plans to distribute emergency food packs, non-food items (NFIs), shelter kits and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) kits to the hardest-hit communities.
In the Philippines, back-to-back cyclones Luis and Maymay brought heavy rainfall and landslides, affecting more than 1.4 million families. The floods have claimed 31 lives, disrupted essential services, and devastated livelihoods. Mercy Relief is working alongside local partners to distribute food packs and WASH kits, addressing the most urgent needs identified through initial assessments.
“Multiple disasters have occurred in a short span of time, each requiring a different approach to ensure our objectives are met,” said Leon Yip, Chief Executive, Mercy Relief. “With the support of our ground partners and the Singapore public, we hope to deliver the emergency aid during our humanitarian missions to the Philippines and Nepal.”
Vidas Varma, Manager, International Programmes, Mercy Relief added, “Working closely with local partners ensures that our aid prioritises vulnerable groups within the communities. They know which households have been missed, and help us continue our work with the vulnerable communities. This ensures that aid is always delivered to where it is actually needed.”
The upcoming efforts in Nepal and the Philippines closely follow Mercy Relief’s response to the recent severe monsoon floods in Bangladesh. Over the National Day long weekend on 9 and 10 August 2026, Yip and Varma were in Chattogram, delivering disaster relief to severely affected local communities. Support for Bangladesh and fundraising efforts are currently ongoing.
The Mercy Relief team will be in the Philippines from 31 August to 3 September 2026.
About Mercy Relief
Inaugurated in 2003, Mercy Relief is Singapore’s leading independent disaster relief agency, with dedicated leadership, capacity-building expertise, and an affiliate network operating across the entire disaster management cycle. The organisation provides emergency aid within 72 hours of an appeal and champions long-term sustainability programmes in water and sanitation, healthcare, shelter, sustainable livelihoods, and education. Over the last two decades, Mercy Relief has responded to more than 132 natural disasters across 31 countries, disbursing over $49.4 million in relief operations and impacting more than 3.3 million lives.
Media Contact:
Zoey Zhuo
Manager, Corporate Outreach & Resources (CORE)
Mobile: +65 9757 7009
Email: zoey.zhuo@mercyrelief.org
Nalini Naidu
Board Member / Executive Committee (EXCO)
Mobile: +65 9633 3198
Email: nalini.naidu@imsg.sg
