Disaster Response Philippines Project #55174

Help 4000 Odette Victims Have Food, Water, Power

by Sibol ng Agham at Teknolohiya (SIBAT), Inc.

Project Report | Apr 27, 2023
Getting Back to Normalcy

By Shen R. Maglinte | Project Leader

As of the last report, normalcy seems to be felt now mostly by victims of typhoon Odette. We can say, normalcy here means a pre-disaster situation which by far can be said to be also under distress. Food is lacking with inadequate production support for farmers, from subsidies to trader-controlled prices of produce with no leverage to get fair pricing. Odette and typhoons before her just compounded the problem and all the support we have given would need to cut out this aggravating element to mitigate an already vulnerable situation of the community. We just hope and pray that something has been built better as another Odette would seemed to repeat the havoc with the worsening climatic changes.

We would like to thank you for all the support you have accorded. Building materials have helped build new housing structure, Immediate relief of food and water somehow tide the victims from week to week as rebuilding their lives rolled on.during the first months of post-Odette situation . At this point in time, most of the victims have restored their houses, cut trees branched out and the fields are cultivable again. If this means normalcy where at least hunger is minimized and food can be produced again, then the relief and rehab work which you have contributed did its job of bridging the community from one vulnerability to a more lesser vulnerability. As mentioned above, their pre-disaster situation is still far from ideal but at least survivors were sustained and resiliency has be strengthened

We would like just to reiterate that aside from the physical constraint of post-Odette rehabilitation, it's unfortunate that harrassments of development workers continue. The sustained efforts of our partners like Conserve Bohol in this rehabilitation efforts from the time Odette struck has been misconstrued as influenced by elements of insurgents. Given this, we are subjected to red tagging with occasions were military elements refused us entry into the sites to continue our services. We have to seek the help of local government units to protect our staff and personnel in continuing services to the areas. The community has been desirous of assistance eversince and are equally disadvantaged with the stoppage or blocked services from us civil society groups.

Nevertheless, we could not stand idle as disadvantaged communities continue to be deprived of their rights to have access to housing, food, fair pricing of their produce, to live in peach and harmony as mandated by several of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of which the Philippines is a signatory. We will continue providing them services as lives returned to a bearable normal.

Again we wish to extend our thanks and gratititude to GlobalGiving for helping us revive the lives of the affected communities in Bohol as well to all of you who have shared your blessings to the Bohol communities that suffered from typhoon Odette. Your contributions have really made a difference without which the community couldn't have reached this situation so far.

Again our hearfelt thank yous and God Almighty rewards you and your loved ones for your generousity.

Thank you so much!

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Jan 23, 2023
Surviving 2022 And Living With Hope for 2023 and Beyond

By Shen R. Maglinte | Project Leader

With renewed hope, 2023 is welcomed by Odette victims with zest for new beginning. 2022 was started with their place in rubbles and the rest of the year was surving Odette through relief and painstaking effort of rebuilding homes. Before the year ends, most have gone back to their reconstructed homes and continue moving with their lives.

We would like to thank all of you who have made a very big difference in the life of those who suffered. To date, most roofings have been installed, walls wrapped up the houses anew and rural farming life continue to grind.

It's been said that the Filipinos are resilient. We may be bogged down by calamities, cry in pain of the losses in terms of properties and most sad for life taken. Our vulnerabilities humbled us to seek help like this effort asking for your help where your every dollar count. At the same time, we fend for ourselves together with the help you have extended. It is where we rise through the rubbles and gather whatever could be salvaged from the catastrophe and put every wood for beams, walls and roofing structures so that life would not stop and stand still. Life has to go on. No amount of Odette infliction can shattered the resolve of each of the victims to rise.

Hence before the year 2022 is ending, we can say about 70% of rehabilitation work has productively done its course. Much as there are still a lot wanting to say that the community members have fully recovered, the functionality of each one has been reestablished. Mostly farmers, planting work according to season have production fields plowed and readied for croppings. Ambulant vendors peddled their wares of local delicacies and vegetables around the neighborhood. Sari-sari store, our local term for small convenient stores opened for business, children go back to school, tricycles ferry passengers to their destinations.

Those who where late to receive assistance for construction have caught up putting their houses together as there are still wrapping up assistance extended by our local partners wanting to cover as much help to the victims.

It is attempted to build back better with available materials accessed and given. The community would always be positive that they can withstand the next typhoon, much more rely on their faith that God may spare them from another devastation.

In all, we can say the community is moving on while support groups like our partner Conserving Bohol continue to provide what whatever resources coming in so that no one would be left out. It's heartwarming to note that you are with us in helping the victims through GlobalGiving. We could not thank you enough but we are certain the community will never forget that you have become a part of them as they struggle to rise up from the rubbles.

Thank you very much and God Bless You All!

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Aug 23, 2022
Rebuilding is Still Going On

By Shen R. Maglinte | Deputy Director

Despite many months passing, rebuilding work is still unfinished. The Bohol victims got the scare of their life as typhoon Agaton threatened to strike and inflict damage anew. Luckily, it was not a fierce storm and just fly by without incurring serious damage to crops and properties. This provided the much needed relief to recovering victims

The distributed roofing materials are yet to be installed. This was delayed as the victims are awaiting for the 5K subsidy promised by the national government. They will use the amount to purchase coconut lumber to be used as beams for roof installation. With no further assistance coming in, they are hoping the national government will send the funds soon so that households can complete installing their roofs. This is critical especially at this time of August which is traditionally the rainiest month of the wet season and where virulent storms occur.

Another delaying factor is that the victims have yet to seek permission from the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) to cut coconut lumber for beams. Actually the storm incurred a lot of coconut trees felled down by the storm. With no chance of surviving, families salvaged fallen coconut trees and using them as valuable lumber. The communities are expecting that the government should ease the restriction and allow the communities to use fallen coconut trees for housing materials. It seems that the restrictions has compounded the recovery efforts of affected communities

Despite, some of damaged houses slowly were able to erect initial posts as foundation. They are waiting for further assistance to buy nails and other materials to start roofing works. So many people are desirous to complete rebuilding their houses as they are hard up already of resettling themselves and continue to pursue their livelihood work especially farming

Noting the importance of accessing lumber as materials, the community together with supporting NGOs like Conserve Bohol is lobbying for the local government to reduce the complexities of obtaining permits for them to get lumber of fallen coconut trees. This is the only building material they have that is cheaper and highly accessible.

We hope the government relents and help the community recover faster from the damage.

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