We continue to thank friends and partners as donation pledges have reached us or are on their way. Immediate needs (food, water, medicine) have been addressed through concerted efforts of many, and we are now focusing on other needs, such as psychological therapy and shelter.
Status
Until now, the affected families still seek shelter in barangay health centers, schools and churches during the night and work in their farm lots in the morning. The children are back to school, which resumed despite damaged classrooms, but classes are cancelled when it rains.
In the provincial capital Kalibo, an NTFP-Task Force satellite office was established and hiring of additional staff is ongoing.
Psycho-social Intervention
On November 30, a group of volunteer counselors (professors and graduate students) from the University of the Philippines and the University of Asia and the Pacific conducted initial stress debriefing and psycho-social assessment for affected families in Madalag, Aklan. 100 adults and over a hundred children participated. Separate activities were conducted in small groups and the most glaring concerns raised were the loss of shelter and livelihood.
The team’s assessment and recommendation was that stress debriefing or psycho-social interventions can only be started when the primary concerns of the families (shelter and livelihood) have already been addressed. The team will meet with NTFP team in Manila for further collaboration and planning of their next activities which will start in January 2014.
Shelter and Livelihood Rehabilitation
On November 25 and 26, Beng Camba and Ruth Canlas met with the Interchurch Organization for Development Cooperation (ICCO) program officers on disaster management from the global office and the regional office in Indonesia. An extended project proposal for Madalag focusing on rebuilding and livelihood rehabilitation was developed and presented to them which include the following:
Provision of shelter for 1,880 families in the municipality of Madalag
Rainforestation program covering 60 hectares in the municipalities of Madalag, Libacao, Balete and Banga
Establishment of indigo farms in 9 barangays (villages) in Madalag
Construction of production centers in the municipalities of Madalag, Libacao, Balete and Banga
Conduct of Participatory Capacity and Vulnerable Analysis (PCVA) and development of a DRRM/CCA Plan for the 4 municipalities
The proposal amounted to PhP 17 million and has been approved for immediate implementation. The contract will be signed the following week.
On December 3, Ruth, Beng & Norli Colili (Aklan Enterprise Development Officer) met with the local government of Madalag led by Mayor Alfonso Gubatina and Aklan State University representatives to discuss relief and rehabilitation plans. They agreed that NTFP-Task Force shall submit a revised budget for the ICCO proposal to consider two points:
1. Houses should be sturdier to ensure the safety of the families. A revised design and bill or materials was submitted by the municipal engineer.
2. Production centers should be bigger and better suited to be converted into evacuation centers should the need arise.
Assessment of Neighboring Municipalities
In response to requests for support from neighboring municipalities, Norli conducted assessment meetings in the municipality of Libacao, which is composed of 24 barangays. Initial assessment findings are as follows:
26,958 individuals affected
7 casualties
145 individuals injured
0 missing
1,421 partially-damaged houses
3,054 totally damaged houses
16,000 individuals evacuated
PhP 387,115,000 worth of damage in agriculture (which includes 2,700 hectares of abaca farms. Estimated cost of damage to abaca farms (85%) is PhP 135,000,000)
PhP 102,212,000 damage in infrastructure
Damage on Forests:
o Natural Forest Closed (NFC) – 12,099 hectares or 90% of NFC
o Natural Forest Fragmented (NFF)- 2,192 hectares or 90% of NFF
To date, power supply is still down
Identified needs are the following:
Repair of roads to access remote areas for relief and rehab work
Restoration of power supply and communication facilities
Psycho-social intervention for affected families especially children
Rehabilitation of school buildings
Assistance of technical person from geo-sciences bureau for the identification of vulnerable areas and safe relocation areas
Cash-for-work schemes for immediate income generation of affected families
Shelter
Livelihood
Balete and Banga will be scheduled for assessment next week.
For your continued contributions
Other places still need funds for rehabilitation! Please get in touch with our office in Manila at (+63) (2) 4262757 (look for Ruth), our facebook account at NTFPEP, or email ruthpcanlas@yahoo.com. For cash donations please deposit to the following accounts, and inform us so we can give you a receipt.
Account Name: Non Timber Forest Products Exchange Programme Incorporated (NTFP-EP)
Name of Bank: Bank of the Philippine Islands, 114 Kalayaan Ave., Quezon City, Philippines
Account Number
In EURO: 1994-0659-78
In US DOLLAR: 1994-0637-97
Swift Code: BOPIPHMM
Name of Bank: Banco de Oro, Tomas Morato cor. Kamuning Branch, Quezon City, Philippines
Account Number
In PESO: 1150-136-756
Swift Code: BNORPHMM
From the NTFP family,
Maraming salamat po!
