Balay Mindanaw Disaster Response Updates (Feb.6-13, 2012)

As we persist in our work of accompanying the survivors of Sendong in Cagayan de Oro, we are realizing that disaster response has become a continuing challenge that might be with us for quite some time. While the residents of Negros and some parts of Cebu continue to reel from the devastating effects and trauma caused by the February 6 earthquake and its aftershocks, communities in Mindanao, many parts of Visayas and Bicol are battered by rains, and threatened by floods and landslides.

We are encouraged by your support that continues to come even sixty-seven (67) days after Sendong. Last week, we received more generous donations from our friends in Action Asia of Orissa, India, relatives in USA, a very dear friend in UK, more from partners in Australia and Japan, and Filipino friends and colleagues who continue to join us in this journey.

Here is a glimpse of last week’s activities:

Soldiers from the 4th Infantry Division help in sorting shelter repair kits in Brgy Kauswagan and Bonbon.

Relief

With friends from Kuya Fish Campaign (Japan), we distributed kettles, thermal pots and chamber pots to 35 families in the Gusa Tent Community 3, and to 62 families in the Tent Community 2 in Indahag. Sets of kettles, chamber pots and pillows were distributed to 59 families in the Indahag Tent Community 1. Habitat for Humanity repair kits were also distributed to 216 families in Barangay Kauswagan and to 84 families in Barangay Bonbon. Barangay Iponan will have 51 sets of kettles, thermal pots and chamber pots distributed this week.

A group from SBSI-Scientific Biotech Specialties Inc. also distributed hygiene kits, food, slippers and diapers to the 59 families of Tent Community 1 and to 62 families in Tent Community 2.

WASH

Materials for latrine construction provided by HRC were delivered in Tent Community 1. Seven community members are involved in the construction activities under the cash for work scheme provided by CRS at P215 per day. Bathing cubicle materials will be delivered soon by CRS. Water supply has remained insufficient though. Garbage bins and hand washing containers are still to be put in place. In the Tent Community 2, construction of latrines still await the approval of the parish priest. Garbage bins and hand washing containers were already set up in a designated area.

Shelter

There are 2 new families from the Macasandig Evacuation Center that joined Tent Community 1, and another family joined Tent Community 2. Tarpaulin sheets from Smart will be distributed to the tent communities this week to be used in their community centers. In Barangay Kauswagan evacuation center, 40 families (184 individuals) remain.

Psychosocial

Two family members in Indahag Tent Community 1 namely, Jimmy Damalan Jr. and Bernadeth Manrique, were invited to a television program in Hope Channel here in Cagayan de Oro City located at the Seventh Day Adventist building in Upper Carmen, to share their experiences encountered in Sendong. The show, hosted by Dr. Jean Loreche-Diao, a pathologist of CUMC and produced by Ayn Daang, also had experts, a psychiatrist of CUMC, Dr. Maria Nena Penaranda and Ms. Stella Ferrarez, Executive Manager of Philippine Mental Health Association-Misamis Oriental Chapter. The sharing revealed that Jimmy needs more support from the experts.

This tent of a Sendong survivor has evolved into a neighborhood sari-sari store a month after they first arrived at the resettlement site in Barangay Indahag, Cagayan de Oro City as the evacuees start regaining their entrepreneurial skills and learning new trades as well so they would no longer depend on others to survive. [Photo: Froilan Gallardo]

Livelihood

The household profile questionnaire for livelihood and enterprise development for tent communities have been gathered and forwarded to KPMFI for consolidation.

Coordination:

Shelter Cluster

On 7 February (Tuesday), the shelter cluster had its regular meeting at the DSWD office. Imai and Fish of Kuya Fish Foundation based in Japan were able to join and listen to the discussions that primarily focused on the issues raised by Shelter Box: their tents have been vacant for two weeks already. The Beneficiary Selection Committee (BSC) composed of representatives from the Regional DSWD, City LGU and EMB reported they had a hard time screening beneficiaries for transfer to said tents. According to them, the criteria provided include beneficiaries who are home owners and not renters or sharers; this, they said had caused the delay. They said that this should be clarified as early as possible to avoid further complications.

The group suggested “relaxing” the criteria, in favor of the beneficiaries. They should be moved out from the schools the soonest time. It has been almost two months now that they have been staying at the schools. Discussions for permanent shelter should not be mixed with those for temporary transition sites.

Here are some new updates from the www.sheltercluster.org website for Sendong response:

1. No Build Zone and Danger areas map for Macasandig - part of what was presented this morning at the Shelter Cluster meeting by City Planning and Development Office:

[Note: Click image above to download full-sized map, which is 4.2mb.]

Please note that the City Planning is proposing for no build zone to be extended to 20 meters from river bank at high-tide, as well as areas already identified previously as washed out by tropical storm Sendong. The mapping references both 2009 and 2011 flooding as well as presidential declaration at the start of the response. Areas between 15-20m from the river bank will be open for infrastructural development.

The zoning is divided into into 3 categories: 1. No-Build Zone, 2. Danger Zone (High Risk) and 3. Danger Zone (Medium Risk). We are awaiting clarification on the implications for danger zone with regard to occupying those lands.

2. Updated DTI's Price Monitoring report for CDO as of 26 Jan 2012.

3. Minutes from TShelter TWIG meeting on 6 Feb 2012.

CCCM Cluster

The regular CCCM meeting on 7 February (Tuesday) at the DSWD office has been cancelled. The DSWD focal persons, Mr. Prime, was having a camp managers’ seminar in Iligan.

As to the last agreement, the DSWD shall provide regular updates on each of the 42 evacuation centers and temporary shelters. The updates shall include the status of Water supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (WaSH), Food/NFI, PsSS, JP/GBV, and livelihood.

HRC-Oxfam finally committed to provide the three latrines for Indahag1. CRS will provide the materials for bathing cubicles, wash area for the two tent communities, and the cash for work. We hope to complete all this next week.

Internal Capacity-Building:

Staff development session was held last February 8 on Disaster Response with Arthur Neame. BMFI, KPMFI, RCED and Kuya Fish were in attendance.

The session included discussions on:

Introduction to Hazard, Risk and Disaster
Hyogo Framework
Participatory Capacity and Vulnerability Assessment (PCVA)

Donations last week:

Marcelino Zamora PNAGKC (USA) - USD580
Derek Pope – 100 Pounds
Bijay, in behalf of Solidarity For Peace Developing Communities (SFDC) - USD150
Japan-Philippines NGO Network – USD2,137.31
Habitat for Humanity – P150,000
Reynaldo de Jesus of Ateneo HS 50-54 – P2,000
Hiroaki Imai – P11,800
Martin Lopez – unspecified amount
SBSI – P50,000 worth of goods

Helping Build Empowered and Sustainable Communities in Mindanao. Helping Build Peace.