| Jan 20 |
PHILDHRRA-MINDANAO Typhoon Sendong: PhilDHRRA Disaster Response Progress Report Affected families of Barangay Bonbon, Cagayan de Oro City anticipating distribution of the relief goods by PhilDHRRA Network members 7th January 2012 The flash floods that shattered lives, destroyed properties, changed the landscape of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan City and many towns and cities that crossed the path of Tropical Storm Washi (Local name: Sendong) on December 16–17, 2011 was a disaster that will be remembered for a long time. It will be remembered not only because it was the worst natural disaster in the Philippines in 2011 but because it was the first time in 100 years that a typhoon of such magnitude traversed through Cagayan de Oro and Iligan before it exited the country.
Region X was the hardest hit region and the two hardest hit cities were Cagayan de Oro and Iligan in Misamis Oriental and Lanao del Norte Provinces. As of December 31, 2011, the number of fatalities from storm “Sendong” breached the 1,200 mark as more bodies were recovered from Cagayan de Oro and Iligan Cities, reports from the Philippine National Red Cross showed. Sendong displaced more than 23,000 families or more than 125,000 people in 150 villages in 23 towns and eight cities in 13 provinces. At least 1,334 houses were destroyed while 3,070 were damaged. Those who survived the disaster were hungry, confused, shocked, drained and sick. Victims were in urgent need of food, water, medicines, dry clothes and blankets as well as utensils and material to rebuild their damaged homes. Amidst the loosely coordinated disaster response and relief operations carried out by different government agencies, local government units, religious institutions, academe, business sector, international relief organizations, and national and local non–government organizations, PhilDHRRA Northern Mindanao Cluster and Secretariat staff and project personnel choose to work in the following areas of concern:
What have we done so far! We held two (2) emergency meetings with PhilDHRRA–Northern Mindanao cluster members on its involvement in relief efforts. We have set–up a PhilDHRRA–TOUCH Sendong Operations Center (SOC) last December 17 at TOUCH Office at 3rd Floor, One Montecarlo Bldg, Hayes–Corrales sts. Cagayan de Oro. The operations center is proximate to all affected areas: Macasandig, Carmen, Balulang, Consolacion. Puntod, Macabalan, Kauswagan and Bonbon. The scheduled Christmas party of TOUCH on the following day was cancelled and converted all food prepared into packs and distributed to Barangays 17 and 18 in cooperation with the Barangay Councils. The staff also shelled out cash to help two its staff who were hit by the flood. MUCAARD through its link with Christian Aid, tapped the SOC to beef up its volunteers to work on non–food items to be distributed to Barangay Macasandig and Nazareth where more than a thousand evacuees are spread in four center. The distribution is scheduled on January 4, 5 & 6. We target 750 families that the number may be increased according to Christian Aid representative. TOUCH provided core volunteers to prepare the purchase of non–food items to be distributed to Barangay Bonbon, Pagatpat and San Simon where TOUCH has also good link with BLGU and presence of POs. The cash donations were negotiated by PhilDHRRA Mindanao with FPE and from other donors. The total cash donations solicited (including PhilDHRRA–Mindanao donation) reached PhP191,000.00. MASS–SPECC, MUCAARD and AGB Foundation have committed a number of volunteers to join the distribution. Initially, TOUCH will distribute about 100 sets of non–food items to around 100 families. Solicitation for goods and cash donations were anchored by the Secretariat staff based in Davao City, including the posting of web–based cash donation/transfer application. Emergency proposals were submitted to Foundation for the Philippine Environment (FPE), Lutheran World Relief (LWR) and to Oxfam/HRC (or the Humanitarian Response Coalition). The PhilDHRRA Secretariat wrote to FPE seeking emergency relief assistance, of which, the latter granted PhP100,000 as donation. Likewise, the Secretariat also wrote for MASS–SPECC an emergency proposal seeking cash assistance for 4,000 families from LWR amounting to P20.3 Million Pesos, including operating cost. The project, if approved, will benefit 2,000 families in Cagayan de Oro and another 2,000 in Iligan City, where each family will receive P5,000 cash assistance. The project, in which MASS–SPECC is the proponent, will utilize the Pinoy Coop ATM system of MASS–SPECC and Oro Integrated Cooperative. It will also tap the assistance and participation of MASS–SPECC primary cooperatives, PhilDHRRA member–NGOs (Hagdan and AGB) and non–member NGOs. If approved, the project will have a retroactive effect from December 27, 2011 and will terminate in January 31, 2012. PhilDHRRA also submitted an emergency proposal to Oxfam/HRC in which PhilDHRRA seeks to partner with Oxfam/HRC as the latter’s collaborating in the distribution of 2000 Hygiene Kits in 3 barangays in Cagayan de Oro affected by Typhoon Sendong. TOUCH Foundation will be in the forefront in the implementation of the project. If approved, the project will commence on January 4, 2012 until January 12, 2012. PhilDHRRA is providing technical assistance to the DSWD–Multisectoral Relief Response by: 1) Developing and designing a database containing the data and information from DSWD X; 2) Developing and designing a database for the Operations Center, which receives and distributes relief goods; 3) Strengthening of the evolving database system of the Cagayan de Oro Archdiocese 3) Developing and designing a Management Information System, which links the databases of DSWD, Operations Center and the Archiodiocese’s. PhilDHRRA also designed and maintains a website containing photos, data and information about Typhoon Sendong and the relief operations of PhilDHRRA. During our visit in Barangay Puntod (Paul Baang, Glenn Bais, Dodong Borja), we were oriented on the good DRRM and CCA practices implemented by the BLGU during Sendong. The barangay through the proactive leadership of the Barangay Chairperson experience ZERO casualties during and after the onslaught of Typhoon Sendong. The Barangay can be a potential project site. What else can be done? We are exploring potential activities that the network can work on during the rehabilitation and development phase. We are looking at working with the LGUs in developing the disaster–stricken areas into a protected environment zone that would be free from intrusion of settlers. Baungon SIAD which we implemented ten years ago is part of the huge watershed (177,000 has with 7 major tributary rivers) that flows to the Cagayan River. We would like to seize the opportunity by mobilizing resources, together with the PhilDHRRA–Northern Mindanao cluster members, to implement a watershed restoration and rehabilitation project, in partnership with the concerned local government units. Of course, our Regional Board of Trustees (RBOT) will be in the forefront in providing guidance and direction towards this plan. PhilDHRRA National will play a major role in terms of resource mobilization. We will continue to solicit cash and in–kind donations and facilitate its distribution to the intended recipients. We are now in the process of installing a web–based online donation using the “PayPal” system in PhilDHRRA–Mindanao’s website. We assigned a bank account for cash donations – PHILDHRRA GOF BPI Account No. 9441 0083 81, Swift Code (BOPIPHMM). For online donations please visit PhilDHRRA–Mindanao website www.phildhrra–mindanao.org. For queries, you may contact us through: (1) email add: phildhrra_min@yahoo.com; glennsb658@yahoo.com, (2) Phones: (a) landline (082) 227–7647, Mobile 09177081234 or 09498522240. For more details please visit the SENDONG website prepared by PhilDHRRA–Mindanao : www.sendong.services.officelive.com. If you want to make a Gift Giving Donation to the vicitims of Sendong then please give generously through the Gift Giving Donations page of this website.
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