1330H: 7 days after Typhoon Ruby Seven days after Typhoon Ruby made a landfall in Eastern Visayas, the people in affected towns are still in shamble. Increased crime rate, prostitution and chaos are expected in the coming months if basic needs are not met. The Philippines has been struck by deadly cyclones and typhoons for 3 years in a row - Washi in 2011, Bopha in 2012, and Haiyan in 2013 - the deadliest by far. Each of these typhoons have taken lives, hopes and dreams of the people who died trying to survive the natures wrath. These typhoons also took major sources of livelihoods away, leaving the survivors at the mercies of relief aides and donations. However, one common thing about the past disasters is that there have been enough help available to support the people to recover and start anew. But with Typhoon Hagupit, it seems that the story is different, and I personally fear that this will increase the poverty and crime rate in the province. Our team was divided into two - one went to Boronggan, San Julian and Sulat, another on went to Taft, Can-avid, Dolores, and Arteche - to validate the needs of the people and document the interventions received so that the team can decide where and how to help. In my 8 years of experience in disaster response (manmade and natural), I am used to seeing all big INGOs looming and occupying almost every narrow streets of disaster-stricken places to give out relief goods. There are usually tons of them that small NGOs would feel intimidated to help. It has become a trend and a common sight to see whenever a disaster strikes the country. So, when the team went to Easter Samar to validate, one of the immediate observations we saw is that there arent enough help coming in. Its the 7th day for petes sake! In the earlier disasters, the local government units would already have said, enough with the food distribution, we already have lots for the people. This time, both the LGUs and the residents are still asking for food. Not only that! They are asking for clothes, too! In my experience, clothes are the easiest and the fastest relief goods that are given away, but not this time. Some of the people I have interviewed were wearing the same clothes they had on their body when the typhoon struck. Its already 7 days. What more can I say? Now, Im not saying there are no interventions done. There are! The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), municipal offices and some INGOs have already distributed relief food packs. If my data is right, the most number of kilos that each family received is 4, along with other relief food like canned sardines, corned beef and noodles. However, these are NOT enough. The initial projection of the need for relief distribution is 2 months. This means that people need to receive relief food packs for 60 days to survive. That requires a lot of money and constant relief distribution of INGOs/NGOs to feed thousands of individuals. Thats why the government has to design an approach to address this problem. Majority of the people in Eastern Samar are coconut farmers. Fishing is the next major source of income, and selling nipa shingles is another, in a few affected towns. Now, around 8-10% of the coconut trees were uprooted, 20% severely damaged, and 70% have a chance of survival. But, the recovery of the 70% coconut trees will take more than 2 years. The fishermen have lost their boats, so unless they get a new one, they couldnt fish, too. The mangroves are severely damaged and would take at least a year to recover. The nipa palms are also destroyed and would take another year to recover; the same thing with banana. With the major and minor sources of income all destroyed, Im wondering what is left for the people to do for survival. It is in this context that relief distribution is essential. Strategizing relief distribution to lessen the risk of dependency is very important. But, would there be enough relief goods to strategically distribute? One unique, but good aspect of Typhoon Hagupit, if I compare it with other typhoons in the past, is that theres only little casualty and theres just a few thousand homes destroyed. Unlike Typhoon Haiyan, which caused a global rave and called for various international relief aide to help, Typhoon Hagupit didnt have that impact. I think, and this is just based on my narrow thinking, that disasters with less casualties arent significant enough to appeal to the good hearts of the people. Or maybe, its not big enough to have a global broadcast? But, arent we be happy that theres less casualty this time? People have obviously learned from the previous disasters that they were so prepared to evacuate and hide before Hagupit came. Its something to be rewarded, not ignored. In a country where most of its poor constituents love to take chances with disasters just to guard their house and source of livelihood, I think the people in Easter Samar made a good decision in securing their lives first, and I hope they will truly have a life after Typhoon Hagupit. Although Typhoon Hagupit did not take hundred of lives, it was still a huge disaster that hit the country this year and it left thousands of people homeless. Soon, without enough intervention, it would escalate the poverty rate in the province and push people to do criminal acts to survive. This post now serves as an invitation for everyone to help. The people in Eastern Samar need more food, tents for makeshifts and clothes. They need decent shelters, and a new source of income.
Posted on: Sat, 13 Dec 2014 08:10:05 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015