Good evening!
Almost the whole morning, we experienced rains in Gingoog City. Despite that, however, we decided to push through with our plans of distributing relief to the barangays of Sangalan and Eureka.
Early morning meeting
Early this morning, we met up with Sir Marlon Pajo of the Gingoog CDRRMC and Barangay Captain Rogelyn Virtudazo of Barangay Sangalan. Sir Marlon was able to give us updates on relief distribution by the LGU and other organizations such as Habitat for Humanity. Cap Rogelyn showed us photographs of landslides and broken roads in their area. She said that the barangays of Sangalan and Eureka have been having a difficult time accessing food due to the damaged roads, and the high river water levels. She also specified that Sitio Tabon-tabon was having difficulty accessing potable drinking water. (Most of the other areas have springs where residents could source their water.)
Relief Distribution
We were able to distribute the following relief goods:
Barangay Sangalan: 295 food packs (+ 36 bottles of Tubig Mindanaw for Sitio Tabon-tabon)
Barangay Eureka: 295 food packs
Together with this distribution were relief goods for Eureka from the LGU. (Sangalan had already received relief from the LGU the previous day.)
Again, we would like to thank the 58th IB and the CDRRMC for the logistical support. We would also like to thank the volunteers who helped repack these goods yesterday. Finally ,we would also like to thank the community themselves for helping transport the goods through the difficult roads into their barangay, as well as for being very organized during the relief distribution.
Recommendations
For now, the current team is pulling out of Gingoog City. However, we do have the following recommendations based on our assessment of the communities we have visited and provided relief to (namely: Punong, Kamanikan, Bal-ason, Sangalan and Eureka). These recommendations apply to us (as relief providers), the LGU, and to other stakeholders in the development and security of the city.
- – The need for food will likely continue in the uplands of Gingoog. Indigenous peoples are especially at risk because the bulk of their livelihood comes from farming. The two-week-long rains have damaged many farms in the uplands.
- – Further assessment of potential danger zones is needed. Several places in the uplands have loose and/or cracked soil, some of which have water seeping through. These places pose a huge risk to the safety of the people who live there.
- – We recommend the reconstruction of community water systems. In at least two barangays we have assisted (Eureka and Bal-ason), the water systems have been completely destroyed.
- – We also recommend livelihood assistance to those whose farms and livestock have been affected by Agaton.
- – Those who need to be relocated may need help in the form of shelter repair kits. There are also schools that may need to be relocated because they are also located in landslide areas (particularly Punong and Kamanikan).
- – Over the next month or so, the affected communities are at high risk for health problems. These include respiratory tract infections, diarrheal diseases, mosquito-borne illnesses, and stress-related illnesses. We hope that there will be appropriate health care to address these problems.
Thank you very much!
We refuse to be victims.
We choose to be resources.