COVID-19 Emergency WASH Assistance for Conflict and Earthquake Affected in Mindanao

Our efforts to prevent the spread of infectious diseases such as COVID-19 continues as our field teams distributed hygiene and cleaning kits last January 18 to 21.

A total of 4,269 beneficiaries from evacuation centers and transitory sites across selected areas in Lanao del Sur and North Cotabato were reached.

With funding from USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance, the distributions were conducted as part of our COVID-19 Emergency WASH Assistance for conflict and earthquake affected families in Mindanao.

It’s been more than a year since the first COVID case in the Philippines was reported, and now the country is recorded to have more than 500,000 cases to date. We are continuously engaging communities to practice safety measures against the coronavirus through our hygiene promotion sessions, especially now that the new COVID variant is present in the country.

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗖𝗢𝗩𝗜𝗗 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲:
https://actionagainsthunger.ph/consistency-key-to-fighting-…

There is No One-Size-Fits-All in Humanitarian Action for Families Recovering from Natural Disasters

Families recovering from natural disasters have different needs. While most will need food and water, other essentials are shelter and livelihood recovery. There is no one-size-fits-all in humanitarian action.

Since 2013, we have been leading cash-based assistance to people affected by emergencies in the Philippines. Technically called Multi-purpose Cash Transfers (MPCT), our most recent Emergency Response projects for people affected by #TyphoonRolly and #TyphoonUlysses are using this assistance method to provide our beneficiaries choice and flexibility depending on their priorities.

Cash assistance has also the added benefit of supporting local markets and introducing people to financial institutions.

𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸:
https://actionagainsthunger.ph/what-we-do/

Stories from the Field: Francisco Arago

Francisco Arago almost lost everything. His source of income is raising pigs and doing carpentry work but he was barely earning enough. Carpentry work only comes along about every 3 months and pig-raising can be hit or miss. On occasion, when work is scarce and the pig’s weight too low to sell, he asks for food from his siblings.

When #typhoonulyssesPH made landfall in his community in Solana, Cagayan on November 11, 2020, this brought about heavy flooding that destroyed his bed and greatly damaged his home.

To help recover what he lost, Francisco was given 5,200 pesos cash assistance through our Multi-purpose Cash Transfer program. This is part of our Humanitarian Assistance to #TyphoonVamco Affected Communities in Region II, which is supported by EU Civil Protection & Humanitarian Aid – ECHO and co-implemented with Plan International PhilippinesCARE Philippines, and ACCORD Incorporated.

 

Multi-Purpose Cash Transfer (MPCT) program in Cagayan Valley

“Ever since the typhoon damaged my roof, whenever it rains, water seeps inside my house. The money will allow me to finally fix it.”

Jolibeth Maguay and her family was included in our Multi-purpose Cash transfer (MPCT) program that has benefited 4,673 households in Cagayan Valley affected by Typhoon Ulysses. For 2 months, she, her husband, and 8 children endured the leaking roof because the family had no extra income to have it repaired. Her husband, a farm laborer without a stable income source, and Jolibeth, a homemaker who does laundry whenever she can, were barely earning enough for their daily food and hygiene needs.

“I will buy a sack of rice as well because my family has experienced not eating regular meals before.”

Our efforts are made possible through support from EU Civil Protection & Humanitarian Aid – ECHO . This is a consortium project implemented with CARE PhilippinesACCORD Incorporated, and Plan International Philippines.

𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽:
https://actionagainsthunger.ph/

Emergency Assistance to Typhoon Affected Communities in Catanduanes and Albay Province

We are off to a pretty good start this year. Last week, we held our first distributions of hygiene and water kits to 506 families in selected barangays in Baras and San Miguel, Catanduanes.

This is part of our 𝗘𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗧𝘆𝗽𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗮𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗹𝗯𝗮𝘆 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲. We are hoping to reach a total of 900 families for our #TyphoonRolly Response in Catanduanes alone.

Our goal is to provide humanitarian support to 7,930 vulnerable families in Catanduanes and Albay which were affected by the typhoon. Our interventions will include emergency repairs and construction of water and sanitation facilities, more hygiene and water kits distributions, cash assistance, establishing community hand-washing stations, and hygiene promotions through community engagement.

This will be implemented together with our partner, CARE Philippines, with funding from USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance.

Year 2020 was Twice as Challenging for a 71-year-old

2020 was difficult for all of us, but it was twice as challenging for 71-year-old Merlyn Igaan.

Her community in Sitio Embassi, Barangay Perez in Kidapawan City was badly affected by the series of earthquakes that hit Mindanao in late 2019. Ever since then, she and her family have been living in an evacuation site. Late last year, they had to transfer to another site and build their tent anew because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Earning for a living as a senior citizen is becoming so difficult, especially since the earthquake. Aside from my old age, I am afraid to go back to the farm. I fear that an earthquake might occur again while I’m there,” she said.

Merlyn was one of the 1,200 families from the provinces of Davao Del Sur and North Cotabato had been given cash assistance through our #MindanaoEarthquake Emergency Response last year. This project was funded by EU Civil Protection & Humanitarian Aid – ECHO.

With your support, we can reach more families affected by disasters with our life-saving aid.
𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽:
htttp://actionagainsthunger.ph

Typhoon Rolly Response Kicks Off in Baras and San Miguel

We are off to a pretty good start this year. On January 13-15, we held our first distributions of hygiene and water kits to 506 families in selected barangays in Baras and San Miguel, Catanduanes.

This is part of our 𝗘𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗧𝘆𝗽𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗮𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗹𝗯𝗮𝘆 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲. We are hoping to reach a total of 900 families for our #TyphoonRolly Response in Catanduanes alone.

Our goal is to provide humanitarian support to 7,930 vulnerable families in Catanduanes and Albay which were affected by the typhoon. Our interventions will include emergency repairs and construction of water and sanitation facilities, more hygiene and water kits distributions, cash assistance, establishing community hand-washing stations, and hygiene promotions through community engagement.

Around 13.4 million Filipino Families Considered Themselves Poor According to the 2019 SWS Survey

Around 13.4 million Filipino families considered themselves poor, resulting to the highest self-rated poverty recorded in the last five years according to the 2019 SWS Survey. As poverty has direct effects to food insecurity, the hunger crisis in the Philippines can worsen because of the pandemic.

Now more than ever, we are maximizing our efforts to ensure coverage of the immediate needs of vulnerable families that do not have access to food. With your help. we can provide more food packs, cash distributions, and livelihood support or cash-for-work programs for the communities we are working with.

𝗗𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘄.
https://actionagainsthunger.ph/call-for-donations/

Photo by Daniel Burgui for Action Against Hunger

Nutrition-sensitization Trainings For Our Local Government Partners and Health Volunteers

Prior to the pandemic, the Philippines was already one of the top 10 countries worldwide with the highest number of stunted children. This is alarming since the risk of mortality among undernourished children, increases 15-fold if they develop pneumonia.

Because of this, we rolled out nutrition-sensitization trainings for our local government partners and health volunteers who are our allies in ensuring the health and safety of the communities we work with.

𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 & 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵: https://actionagainsthunger.ph/what-we-do/…

Photo by Daniel Burgui for Action Against Hunger

Over 500 people are Able to Practice Proper Hygiene Habits Through New Hygiene Facility in Sitio Waterfalls

Jessa Ampoy used to walk 500 meters to be able to get to the nearest comfort room in the evacuation site where water wasn’t always available. She and the rest of the evacuees at Bongolanon, Magpet also prefer to take a bath in the nearby stream. They would walk a few meters to get there, but it sure is nearer than the bathing area assigned for the evacuees’ use.

Jessa is one of the 560 people who are now able to practice proper hygiene habits because of the newly constructed hygiene facility in Sitio Waterfalls as part of our #MindanaoEarthquake response last year, together with CARE Philippines and ACCORD Incorporated, and funding from EU Civil Protection & Humanitarian Aid – ECHO.

It is very favorable for us. Where we get water is very far and steep that our backs hurt when we collect water…We are thankful for the new CR. It is very near. We no longer have to cram in the CR, because there are CRs installed per area. I will no longer be afraid to use the toilet at night,” said Jessa.