Balay Mindanaw Foundation, Inc.

Kaangayan, Kalambuan, Kalinaw ... sa Mindanaw, sa Pilipinas, sa Kalibutan

SENDONG UPDATES
Balay Mindanaw Disaster Response Updates
For the week February 13-20, 2012

[See our previous reports here: Feb. 13, Feb. 6, Jan. 14, Jan. 13, Jan. 12, Jan. 11, Jan. 9, Jan. 8, Jan. 7, Jan. 6, Jan. 5, Jan. 4, Jan. 2, Dec. 31, Dec. 29, Dec. 28, Dec. 27, Dec. 26, Dec. 23 4pm, Dec 23 12nn, Dec. 22, Dec. 21, Dec. 20, Dec. 19 6pm, Dec. 19]

Dear Friends,

	Body Talk session with Dorothy Friesen.

As we continue to sincerely thank you for your continuing accompaniment, we also apologize for the delay in sending you this report.

Here is a glimpse of the significant events last week:

The boxes of undergarments personally delivered by friends from Miriam College were sorted out and repacked into relief kits containing undergarments, sanitary napkins, diapers, school supplies, hygiene sets, milk and other assorted stuff for children and adults. From the cash donations, we bought 1,664 pieces of undergarments for men and male children.  These were distributed to the tent communities in Indahag and Gusa, and to the Sendong survivors in Barangay Iponan. More relief goods from the Rotarians in Australia have been picked up from the Cagayan de Oro airport with the help of Capt. Christian Uy of the 4th Infantry Division under the leadership of Gen. Victor Felix.

The residents of Indahag Tent Community 1 already have their latrines – 2 for women and another 2 for men.  They also have 4 bathing cubicles for women, and another 4 for men will be constructed. Sand and gravel for Tent Community 2 have been provided by CRS, and the other materials needed for the construction of latrines will follow this week. CRS continues to deliver water daily to the 2 tent communities of Indahag, and has committed to do so until March 31.  Hence, a more stable and sufficient water delivery system needs to be put in place as each tent community needs at least 8,000 liters daily. This concern will be tackled by the CCCM cluster.

CRS will conduct Trainor’s Training on Hygiene Management for the tent communities this February 25 in Cagayan de Oro. Two slots will be given per Evacuation Center / Tent Community.

There are 2 new families from Consolacion and another family from Isla de Oro that joined  Tent Community 1,  which now has a total of 62 families and 271 individuals. Tent Community 2 now has a total of 62 families and 298 individuals. The families in Tent Community 2 have used the tarpaulin from ACF for extension of their tent space and for added protection from the heat during daytime. We also facilitated the delivery of the 2 tents from the World Vision and another 2 from Smart to the 2 tent communities in Indahag. These tents will be temporarily used as community center/meeting area.

Bathing cubicles now ready for use for the Indahag tent communities.

Livelihood

The Department of Social Welfare and Development team from Region X conducted an orientation session regarding livelihood in the tent communities. The residents can avail of P5,000 loan for their initial capital for business. The loan is payable in 1 year without interest. They can avail of this loan by organizing themselves into groups  of 15 members.

A happy development in the two Indahag tent communities is the introduction of weekly leagues for basketball, volleyball, and even weekly singing contests.

Last February 14, Dorothy Friesen and friends facilitated a session on Body Talk with Balay Mindanaw fellows, and later shared it with at least 45 men and women in Indahag. It was a short session, but very much appreciated by the residents.

We also attended the Mindanao Summit on DRR and Geo-Hazard Awareness on February 18-19 in Cagayan de Oro City.  The Summit participants came out with the Mindanao Declaration of Disaster Risk Reduction Priorities.

Other Meetings:

It was reported that the city of CDO has 32.09 hectares for permanent shelter. Here are the proposed areas, lot owners, estimated number of families that can be accommodated, and some remarks:

During the meeting, the IOM representative mentioned about other seven hectares in Camaman-an (200 units), Calaanan (300 units), and Calaanan (600 units).

The cluster recommended a presentation of a more accurate data (hard copies be provided) on this for proper monitoring and reporting.

Trained camp managers from the DSWD and IOM are now being deployed in each of the evacuation centers or tent communities.

Mr. Prime, DSWD CCCM focal person, reported that the transitional shelters still need assistance in terms of organizing. In fact, a rape case was reported in the Capitol grounds – of a 30-year-old woman who was allegedly having mental problem.

The local CSOs are requested to adopt an evacuation center or tent community to help address these concerns. “Adopt-a-center/tent community” is one strategy seen to help address the IDPs’ needs, and protect them from all forms of abuses, etc.

It was reported that “zero IDP” is now the situation of the West City Central School classrooms. Those who opted to stay rather than go to Calaanan, were transferred to the school covered court.

The cluster requested the DSWD and IOM (as shelter cluster focal groups) to provide a more comprehensive report on how many people can be accommodated per hectare, how many hectares are now available for permanent shelters as figures vary depending on who does the presentation, and how are IDPs identified.

It was reported that a Donors’ Forum will be conducted on 28-29 February 2012.

The next Multi-sectoral meeting shall be held on 22 February 2012 at the Bishop’s House.

More schedule for the week:

• Inventory of the remaining relief goods
• Repacking of the new relief goods from Australia
• Area documentation and Validation for the five BM assisted areas (Bulua, Iponan, Bonbon, Kauswagan and Canitoan) will also be done this week.

Received the goods from DSWD-National last Saturday February 18, 2012 containing the following items:

1. Marked “Rotary Club of Taree Australia”

• 92 Boxes containing canned goods, used clothes, stuff toys, books for kids, shoes for kids and adults, rosary beads, etc.
• 35 Plastic Bags containing Knitted Blankets

A sad note:  The boxes that arrived were already opened, and apparently pilfered.

2. TEAM ENERGY

• 20 Boxes containing bottled water, canned goods, tissue paper etc.

3. Unknown Sources

• 24 Sacks used clothing

4. Addressed to Brgy. Consolacion

• 21 Sacks used clothing

5. Addressed to ARNIL BAHIAN, Julio Pacana St.

• 1 HELP CDO Box

6. Addressed to Edu Fund Gingoog c/o Jovelyn Pojas

• 1 Sealed Box

7. No Address / No Name of Donor

• 1 Pink Plastic Bag of Used Clothing

Goods from MindaNews Received February 20, 2012

• 6 Plastic Bags of Used Clothings

- $580 from Marcelino Zamora / PNAGKC   (February 16, 2012)

Total Cash Received as of February 20, 2012 –        P 2,830,168.17
Total Cash Pledges                                                    79,762.00
Total Cash Received and Pleges                            P 2,909,930.17

Total Non-Cash Items Received                             P 8,711,147.00
Total Non-Cash Pledges                                             978,000.00
Total Non-Cash Received and Pledges                     P 9,689,147.00

Again, daghang salamat…

[See our previous reports here: Feb. 13, Feb. 6, Jan. 14, Jan. 13, Jan. 12, Jan. 11, Jan. 9, Jan. 8, Jan. 7, Jan. 6, Jan. 5, Jan. 4, Jan. 2, Dec. 31, Dec. 29, Dec. 28, Dec. 27, Dec. 26, Dec. 23 4pm, Dec 23 12nn, Dec. 22, Dec. 21, Dec. 20, Dec. 19 6pm, Dec. 19]