Written by Weston songwriter Rob Greaney and sung by year 11 pupil
Theanne Bulatao with backing from Oamaru Hospital chief executive Robert Gonzales, the songs have health messages which are being broadcast into homes in the Philippines.
Mr Greaney said they contained basic health information, such as washing hands and preparing food, in the local language.
The first on making water safe was broadcast in the Philippines 72 hours after the typhoon hit on November 8, killing about 5800 people with another 1779 still missing.
Health Songs International was set up in 2005 while Mr Greaney was participating in relief work in the Asian tsunami-affected province of Aceh.
Mr Greaney returned to New Zealand from Indonesia about 18 months ago for family reasons, but trying to restart in Christchurch was ''too hard'', particularly with the cost of rental accommodation.
He had been on holiday in Oamaru about six years ago and loved the place. The family packed up the car and came to Oamaru to check that holiday impression, and decided to stay.
Mr Greaney had developed a technique for writing songs in any language, in any style and on any topic.
The shocking images of devastation and broken lives following the typhoon spurred him to rally the Oamaru Filipino community, including Mr Gonzales and Waitaki Girls' High School pupil Theanne, to write and record songs primarily about water and sanitation and in the Filipino language of Tagalog.
''Theanne is an amazing singer and is one of the most professional musicians I've worked with,'' Mr Greaney said.
More people could die after the wind and water subsided than from the actual typhoon.
Water-borne illnesses such as acute gastric diseases, cholera and dehydration from diarrhoea, all resulting from drinking contaminated water, could cause thousands more to die.
''Our songs, at least at this early stage, teach all about how to make water safe before drinking.''
Mr Greaney laughingly boasted the international headquarters of Health Songs International was based in the township of Weston and its Presbyterian Church doubled as a recording studio by night.
He has also started preparations that will enable him to relocate his mobile recording studio to wherever the next major disaster strikes.
The songs can be heard on the website www.healthsongs.org.
Health Songs International is directed by Mr Greaney, but relies entirely on volunteers and donors.
