Odette Aftermath Snapshot: The Island’s Source of Life

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The island of Ubay can be reached through a 30-minute fuel-powered boat ride from the port of Tubigon. Residents pay 50 pesos for a two-way ride from and to the island.

Ubay, a small island in the town of Tubigon in Bohol, was one of the most devastated communities after the onslaught of Supertyphoon Odette (internationally known as Typhoon Rai). Most of the houses were totally damaged by the typhoon that hit the province in December 2021.

The residents of Ubay are families who depend on the sea to survive. Most of the people on the island are fisherfolks. Unfortunately, it was also the sea that destroyed the island when Typhoon Odette rampaged the province of Bohol. Aside from losing their homes and livelihoods, the disaster also took the lives of two vulnerable members of the community—a newborn baby and an elderly woman.

Through the funding of the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), the Immediate and Comprehensive Response for Communities Affected by Typhoon Rai implemented by Action Against Hunger in Bohol provided aid and support in the aftermath of the calamity. Since the residents’ livelihoods were most impacted, the ECHO-funded Typhoon Odette Emergency Response provided interventions to help the fishing community rebuild their main source of living.

Jose Cabarce, a fisherfolk, shows his new fish net he bought using the cash assistance. His wife, Evelyn Cabarce, is inside their home which is right behind Jose.

Reynaldo Zaide lost his newborn daughter during the typhoon. The name of the baby who died is seen written on the exterior wall of the family’s house. Reynaldo lives with his wife, Lavinia, and their two children: a 15-year-old boy and an 8-year-old girl. He received cash assistance for livelihood as well which he used to buy a new fishing net.

Father and son Lorenzo and Eric Beltran take turns in using the new fishing net and motor machine for their boat which they bought through the cash assistance provided by the project. They live together in a small house built just a few inches from the seawater.

Eric and Lorenzo with the rest of the Beltran family members.

Estrellita shows her husband, Binerando, getting ready for another fishing trip. Binerando is preparing the boat they managed to acquire through the livelihood cash assistance.

Grandparents Reinaldo and Feliza Manas, with their granddaughter, show the fishing net they just bought. Reinaldo is a fisherman who works to provide food for her sick wife and their granddaughter who lives with them. Surrounding them are some of the remaining debris of their damaged home.

Fernando, 64, and Analiza, 33, are a couple with two kids in grade school. With Analiza having Polio, Fernando is the primary caregiver and provider of the family. Thanks to the cash assistance, the family was able to buy new fishing gear that helped them restart their fishing livelihood after Typhoon Odette.

The ECHO-funded Typhoon Odette Response provided cash assistance which residents used to rebuild their livelihoods. While some residents used the assistance to purchase fishing gears and other equipment, others used it as a start-up capital for a sari-sari or small retail store.

Eusevio Macaraya shows his small sari-sari store inside a makeshift shelter made of materials recycled from the remains of typhoon Odette. Eusevio proudly shares how his small store is now the new place for the neighborhood, especially fishermen, to gather for coffee early at dawn or late at dusk. The new ‘Ubay Island Cafe’ owner is a 64-year-old widower who lives alone. His four children have left the island a few years ago for marriage.

Aside from the cash assistance for livelihood, the Action Against Hunger team also provided another set of cash assistance to some members of the community for food supplies. They also provided Water, Sanitation and Hygiene kits.

Estrellita Anavieza, 58, is a widow who currently lives on the island with her teenage daughter. She also received livelihood cash assistance for her store’s capital.

Aside from the cash assistance for livelihood, the Typhoon Odette Response through Action Against Hunger also provided another set of cash assistance for food supplies. During the initial stages of the intervention WASH or water, sanitation, & hygiene kits were also given to the affected residents.

The Immediate and Comprehensive Response for Communities Affected by Typhoon Rai (Odette) is funded by the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) and jointly implemented by CARE Philippines, ACCORD Incorporated, Action Against Hunger Philippines, National Rural Women Coalition (PKKK) and Plan International in Dinagat Islands, Palawan, Southern Leyte, Bohol, Negros Occidental, and Cebu, in the Philippines. Read more

Stories from the Field: Keeping faith in helping others despite Typhoon Odette’s impact

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“In health, we need to be on duty, even if we ourselves are affected. Be strong. We go to the evacuation centers, even though we do not know what has happened to our homes.” – Dr. Ivy Padernal, Municipal Health Officer | Municipality of Mabini
Patients from devastated health stations from Mabini swarm the San Roque Health center— the main health center in the municipality. After being destroyed by Typhoon Odette, it is crucial to repair and add more health stations to serve the community.
Prior to the disaster, Dr. Ivy visits the health center once a week to conduct check-ups. The center caters to more than ten barangays. After Typhoon Odette, residents had to do their health consultations at the rural health office which was a long commute for many.
With the support of the European Union Humanitarian Aid, our Typhoon Odette Response in Bohol was able to rehabilitate health facilities such as the San Roque Health Center.

The Immediate and Comprehensive Response for Communities Affected by Typhoon Rai (Odette) is funded by the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) and jointly implemented by CARE Philippines, ACCORD Incorporated, Action Against Hunger Philippines, National Rural Women Coalition (PKKK) and Plan International in Dinagat Islands, Palawan, Southern Leyte, Bohol, Negros Occidental, and Cebu, in the Philippines.

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Stories from the Field: Hope in the aftermath of Typhoon Odette

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41-year-old Lorelei still breaks down into tears every time she recalls the day Typhoon Odette made landfall. She vividly remembers the fear that she and her family experienced. Not to mention, they had to face the fact that the typhoon had left their home damaged and their livelihood affected.
 

With the support of the European Union Humanitarian Aid, our Typhoon Odette Response in Bohol was able to provide short-term livelihood recovery programs to families like Lorelei’s.

The Immediate and Comprehensive Response for Communities Affected by Typhoon Rai (Odette) is funded by the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) and jointly implemented by CARE Philippines, ACCORD Incorporated, Action Against Hunger Philippines, National Rural Women Coalition (PKKK) and Plan International in Dinagat Islands, Palawan, Southern Leyte, Bohol, Negros Occidental, and Cebu, in the Philippines.

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Stories from the Field: Sailing Through Rough Seas

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The island of Ubay in Tubigon, Bohol is one of the communities hardest hit by Supertyphoon Odette (internationally named Rai)—the strongest typhoon that the province had ever experienced according to their current residents.

To reach the island, one must take a 30-minute boat ride from the mainland of Tubigon. If residents or travelers do not have their own boat, it costs fifty pesos for a one-way trip. Being a hard-to-reach community and with most of its houses totally damaged by the typhoon—Ubay was identified as one of the beneficiary communities of the Immediate and Comprehensive Response for Communities Affected by Typhoon Rai in the Philippines project funded by the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid (ECHO).

Marichu and her son ride on their boat on the way to the island from the mainland of the town of Tubigon.

Marichu Reyes and her family are residents of the island. The day-to-day life of Marichu and her family primarily revolves around the island. Her husband is a full-time fisherman who works day and night to catch fish and other seafood for selling and consumption. The sea is the family’s means of survival and source of income. Unfortunately, with climate change making natural disasters even worse in recent years, the family’s source of living is affected.

Marichu prepares for docking and throws a rope toward a man who is waiting for the boat to arrive on the Ubay island.

“Sa dihang naagi-an mi og linog, na usab ang panahon. Dayon, nag bagyong Yolanda, mura bag hinay na kaayo ang kuha sa isda gani. Dayon gi usban ni Odette, mao tong diha mi murag na lusbo gani mi. Mura mag ibutang nato og mura ta’g nawad-an ta og panginabuhian ba, sakit kaayo,” Marichu shared during an interview.

“When the 2013 earthquake hit us, the weather seemed to have changed. Then when typhoon Yolanda hit a few months later, our fishermen’s daily catch gradually decreased. Typhoon Odette came and that is when everything got even worse. It seemed like we lost everything in life, and it was too painful for us,” 

Despite the day-to-day financial challenges they face, Marichu and her husband continue to keep their promise of not giving up. Currently, their eldest child is in a local college studying Education, while their second child has just started college taking up Maritime courses.

The family owns a boat that they use not only for fishing but also for taking passengers to and from the island; this is a secondary source of income for them. Meanwhile, Marichu works as a Barangay Health Worker on the island with a monthly honorarium of 500 pesos.

“Ang akong bana, ang buntag himoon og gabie, ang gabie himoon og buntag niya, para lang maka support sa among mga anak. Kay among mga anak ma’am bisag ingani mi ang among sitwasyon, maka kaon sa usa ka adlaw og ka tulo, pursigi gani sila sa ilang pag skwela. Unya kato akong ulitawo mo tabang sad sa iyang papa og tahi, managat…. Ang kanang mahibiln sa among balay kanag gamay nako ari, kamao naman sad na moluto ka gi tun-an lage nako, 9 years old, grade 4,” Marichu proudly narrated.

“As a fisherman, my husband’s morning is the night, and the night is his morning. He does that just to support our children because even if we are in this situation – merely having three meals per day – we have hard-working children who are eager to go to school.

For instance, my second child helps his father at work – he sews our fish net, he goes fishing… Our youngest child is usually the one left at home, and he can already cook food. He is nine years old and in the fourth grade,”

Marichu admitted that her family of five continues to experience the struggle to achieve a more stable life, especially in recent years because income through fishing has been unsteady and two of the children have started tertiary education. On the brighter side, this struggle is also the thing that motivates them to do better and bigger. Unfortunately, their struggle intensified in December 2021 after Super Typhoon Odette washed out their home and destroyed their fishing equipment.

Marichu sits in the doorway of their makeshift house while narrating the horrors her family and the rest of the island community experienced during the onslaught of Typhoon Odette

The town of Tubigon has six islands surrounding it. Due to the lack of appropriate sea transport facilities and time constraints, the local government officials were not able to evacuate all of the Ubay Island residents before the strong winds and rains arrived. Fifteen families remained on the island during the typhoon including Marichu’s.

Marichu got emotional as she recalled the unfortunate events that happened on the island during the typhoon. She narrated how the community witnessed first-hand the rapid destruction of the islanders’ primary assets – the households and the livelihood. Marichu also shared how the entire community of Ubay Island mourned for the two most vulnerable members of the community who lost their lives during the typhoon – a newborn baby and an old woman.

“Sakit kaayo paminawon ba, nga ang among bay ug panginabuhian hurot tanan. Ang nahibilin na lang namo ang among pamilya, maong nagpasalamat sad ko sa GInoo ba nga wa mi hutdan sa among mga anak. Gibilin mi, ang gikuha niya ang panginabuhian ug among balay. Pero salamt jud kaayp sa Ginoo sad kay kami buo pa mi. Hinuon ang panginabuhian ug ang bay, sa inanay mabalik man. Pero sakit lang sad paminawon ba,” Marichu said.

“It is painful to think that our home and livelihood got destroyed [due to the typhoon]. What was left of us is our family. I am thankful to God that we did not lose anyone from the family. Our house and livelihood got taken away, but thankfully our family is still complete. We can bring back our house and livelihood slowly anyway. But it was still painful [to lose our house and livelihood,”

The arrival of the Action Against Hunger team to the island a few months after the typhoon was considered a blessing to the island. Marichu, along with the other residents of the island of Ubay, received post-calamity aid from the ECHO-funded project. Cash assistance for livelihood and food is the primary aid intervention for the residents of the island. They also received water, sanitation and hygiene kits.

Standing in front of their temporary house, Marichu shows off the new fish net they bought using the ECHO livelihood assistance

All of the families on the island benefited from various aid programs coordinated by the Action Against Hunger team. More than 20 families were able to buy new fishing equipment that helped in their livelihood recovery, and more than 40 families were able to buy food supplies for daily consumption.

Standing in front of their temporary house, Marichu shows off the new fish net they bought using the livelihood assistance from the 

The residents of Ubay Island mention their gratitude for all the help they received in Typhoon Odette’s aftermath. Marichu and her husband thought it would take them a long time to recover, but thanks to donations from charity organizations, especially Action Against Hunger, according to them it only took a few months to go back to fishing. It’s a long way to go, but they’re slowly getting back on their feet.

“Ipagawas lang nako no, daghan jud kaayo ko og pasalamat ninyo, sa Action Against Hunger, sa ECHO. Dako kaayo og nakatabang sa among panginabuhian. Nga ang among pukot nga gamay na pun-an pa gyud tungod sa hibanag Action Against Hunger. Thank you kaayo. Og sa akoa lang nga bahin ma’am, kung nagkinahanglan mo nako, willing ko, magpa gamit ko para makatabang pod,” Marichu’s ending statement during the interview.

“I just want to express a huge thank you to Action Against Hunger and ECHO. They helped us a lot in the revival of our livelihood. For instance, we now have a bigger fish net because of the cash assistance we received. Thank you very much. And on my part, if ever the organization would need anything from me, I am willing to help and be a volunteer, so I can also help in return,”

The Immediate and Comprehensive Response for Communities Affected by Typhoon Rai (Odette) is funded by the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) and jointly implemented by CARE Philippines, ACCORD Incorporated, Action Against Hunger Philippines, National Rural Women Coalition (PKKK) and Plan International in Dinagat Islands, Palawan, Southern Leyte, Bohol, Negros Occidental, and Cebu, in the Philippines.

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Stories from the Field: Woman of the House

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Grace Sabellano, 55 years old, is one of the beneficiaries of the Immediate and Comprehensive Response for Communities Affected by Typhoon Rai in the Philippines project funded by the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO). As an owner of a house that was one of the totally damaged homes in the village of Villa Aurora in Dagohoy, Bohol, Grace received shelter assistance from the project through the efforts of Action Against Hunger.

Grace heads a family that resides in a small house made of light materials. The house sits on top of a mountain, isolated from the rest of the village. There is no other way to reach their home from the barangay proper but through a 15-minute hike in the mountains.

In photo: Action Against Hunger team hikes the trail leading to Grace’s house in the mountains of Villa Aurora, Dagohoy. (Photo by Donna Ocmeja for Action Against Hunger)

In photo: The house of Grace and her family as seen from a nearby hill that is part of the mountainous trail. (Photo by Donna Ocmeja for Action Against Hunger)

In photo: The team passes by a manmade well a few meters below Grace’s residence. The well was made especially for the only two houses located in the area; this includes Grace’s family. (Photo by Donna Ocmeja for Action Against Hunger)

Grace is a single mother with three children. Today, two of her children live with her in the mountainous barangay of Villa Aurora. Five people live in the house built by Grace herself: her son and daughter, her father and his partner, and herself.

In photo: Grace expresses pride and happiness as she narrates how she managed to build up their house on her own, with little assistance from her father. (Photo by Donna Ocmeja for Action Against Hunger)

When Typhoon Rai (locally known as Supertyphoon Odette) hit their home, Grace’s father was the only person left since she was out of town at that time. Thanks to the village officials, her father got rescued just in time before the main parts of the house got washed away by strong winds and heavy rains. Grace went home a day after and came home to a devastating sight – the house that she built herself had been destroyed.

In photo: Grace with her father and son inside the family house. (Photo by Donna Ocmeja for Action Against Hunger)

With Grace doing most of the work, the reconstruction of the house is still ongoing eight months after Typhoon Odette’s ravage. Grace uses the cash assistance from the ECHO Typhoon Odette Emergency Response to buy materials to rebuild their home. She also received water, hygiene and sanitation (WASH) kits from Action Against Hunger.

Grace had been separated from her husband more than five years ago and has since then raised the family on her own. As the main provider of the family, Grace’s primary source of income is farming. She plants vegetables and root crops around the house. She also raises a few native chickens for consumption.

In photo: Grace shows her vegetable garden located just outside the house she built. (Photo by Donna Ocmeja for Action Against Hunger)

“Og di ka mananom [diri sa bukid], wa jud kay kaonon. Dako to kaayo og tabang namo [harvest], until now…Sauna, wala man gyud mi ga anad anang kuan kay naa mi sa syudad gapuyo sa wa pa mi dari. Ang kanang pagpananom kung kintahay di ka kabalao, pero akong gi tuohan, walay di nato mahibaw-an kung atong buhaton. Positibo lang dapat, kay ingana ang kinabhi,” Grace shared during an interview.

“If you don’t plant food here in the mountains, you will not have anything to eat. Our harvests are helping us a lot until now… We did not have any experience in farming because we grew up in the city. But I believe that nothing is impossible to learn if we just do it; the same goes for farming. We should be positive, that’s how life is,” 

 

In photo: Action Against Hunger staff with Grace and her son having a conversation outside the house on top of the mountain. (Photo by Donna Ocmeja for Action Against Hunger)

Unfortunately, aside from the damages to the house, typhoon Odette also destroyed Grace’s garden and small farm, her family’s main source of living. With her perseverance and patience, Grace’s day-to-day life of farming and taking care of the family continues. On top of this is the ongoing repair of her house which she has been spending time on.

In photos: Grace harvests corncobs from her small farm located a few steps from her house. She planted the corn seeds herself after slightly recovering from typhoon Odette. (Photo by Donna Ocmeja for Action Against Hunger)

As a single mother who lives in a small, simple house located on a mountain isolated from the rest of the village, Grace stepped up her role at home and is now the head of the household and the family’s main provider.

“Naningkamot ko nga matuto og tarong ang akong anak bisan way amahan. Naningkamot ko kay lisod pod kaayo og imong pasagdan,” Grace highlighted in the last part of the interview.

“I work hard so that my children will grow to be good people even if they don’t have a father. I work hard because I cannot just take them for granted,”

In photo: Action Against Hunger staff with Grace and her son having a conversation outside the house on top of the mountain. (Photo by Donna Ocmeja for Action Against Hunger)

The Immediate and Comprehensive Response for Communities Affected by Typhoon Rai (Odette) is funded by the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) and jointly implemented by CARE Philippines, ACCORD Incorporated, Action Against Hunger Philippines, National Rural Women Coalition (PKKK) and Plan International in Dinagat Islands, Palawan, Southern Leyte, Bohol, Negros Occidental, and Cebu, in the Philippines.

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Real Life Heroes: Michael “Q-pie” Queman

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Michael Queman, or “Q-pie” as we call him, is one of our Project Assistants for the iPREPARED project. As a climate change advocate and one of our Real Life Heroes, Q-pie knows that #ItTakesAVillage to achieve climate justice.

Get to know Q-pie as he shares his story from being a survivor to humanitarian worker:

What is your role and/or key responsibilities in Action Against Hunger?

Currently, I am working as a project assistant in the DRR Project of Action Against Hunger wherein I am coordinating with the community with regards to disaster risk reduction and resilient livelihood activities.

How long have you been working as a humanitarian worker?

I am already 12 years in the humanitarian world and started working with the organization since 2014 during Typhoon Haiyan.

What motivated you to become a humanitarian worker?

Way back in 2008, I was also a victim of displacement during the flooding in my hometown in Cotabato City. I witnessed several individuals who came and gave support to the affected families. This made me realize that I want to be in an organization that provides support, especially to the underserved and less fortunate members of the community.

Why are you making this sacrifice?

I know the feeling of being helpless and incapacitated. Providing support to improve the living condition of every person gave me a sense of fulfillment. Opportunity is not equally available to everyone, and we are instruments to alleviate the living conditions of those with less opportunities.

What have been the challenges to your work?

Aside from the pandemic, natural hazards are currently affecting our served community.

What motivates you to keep doing your work even with these challenges?

I took an opportunity of the challenges we encountered in the project. This is the time to educate the community about disaster risk reduction, especially on the importance of preparedness and mitigation.

What are you most proud of?

Witnessing the impact of the project on the community is an achievement. That somehow, you became a part of improving their living conditions.

How can you engage the youth more in your line of work?

We have seen in our naked eyes the effect of climate change. As a DRR advocate, it is important to educate and encourage the youth to put action on what they posted on social media like the campaign on #savemotherearth. That the responsibility to save mother earth is more than just posting. It’s like practicing what you are posting.

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Real Life Heroes: Leader in the Making

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The youth is the hope of the future, they say. In order to address the many issues impacting our fight against hunger, we must not only help children to grow up strong, but also engage and capacitate them to be the leaders they aspire to be.

We approached this by providing interventions focused on protection in the Immediate and Comprehensive Response for Communities Affected by Typhoon Rai in the Philippines project through the support of the European Civil Protection & Humanitarian Aid (ECHO).

23-year-old Mario Ferrano Jr. is the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Chairperson of Barangay Mandaug in the town of Calape, Bohol. As the village’s youth leader, Mario represented his community in the 4-day Child Protection Training of the ECHO-funded Typhoon Odette Emergency Response.

The workshops, which include topics on Child-Friendly Space and Mental Health and Psychological Support, were conducted by Action Against Hunger. Mario caught the attention of the project staff and training organizers because of his sense of initiative and participation.

According to the Municipal Social Welfare Officer of the Local Government of Guindulman in Bohol, local child abuse cases increased significantly during the pandemic but doubled during the aftermath of Supertyphoon Odette (internationally known as Typhoon Rai)

Action Against Hunger initiated various programs to promote and implement protection for children in the typhoon-devastated areas of Bohol. The programs include a series of training for social workers, barangay officials, and youth leaders and the building of child friendly spaces in coordination with local government units (LGU) and barangay councils. One of the participating LGUs is the town of Calape.

Action Against Hunger conducts a four-day training on Child Protection  for the community workers of selected barangays of Bohol

The training was part of the Typhoon Odette Emergency Responses protection activities, such as: provision of psychosocial support services including access to child and youth-friendly spaces, recreational activities, and psychological first aid; prevention and response to gender-based violence (GBV); reactivate and strengthen community-based protection mechanisms to assess and monitor protection concerns; and implement community awareness and feedbacking activities.

“Relevant kaayo ni nga nga project sa Action Against Hunger and ECHO, kaning Child Friendly Space. Kay usa man gud sa di mahatagan og pag-tagad during calamities, dili lang sa bagyong Odette, pag linog pod pag niagi, nabantayan pod nako nga usa jud sa mawala sa mapa, during the pandemic, is ang bata. Looy kaayo ang mga bata kay pasagdaan ra kay ang ginikanan naa didto nag pila for relief good, nangita og kwarta. Then ang mga bata napasagdaan na bitaw nga ga bulingit na, which is dili healthy sa ilang pang lawas,” Mario shared.

“This project by Action Against Hunger and ECHO, the Child Friendly Space, is extremely relevant. One of the things that are taken for granted during calamities is the children, not only during typhoon Odette, but also during the 2013 earthquake. I also noticed that children were overlooked during the pandemic. I feel sorry for the children when they get ignored because their parents are busy lining up for relief goods or looking for money. The children are taken for granted to the point that they would look dirty, which is bad for their health.”

The team also found out that even before the project’s intervention, Mario was already an active community leader in their barangay initiating programs for the benefit of the youth.

Mario volunteers as a facilitator during the Child-Friendly Space training

One of the things Mario is known for is the small youth organization he founded in the barangay—the Association of Spirited and Ardent Youth or ASAY. The name of the organization is derived from the local expression “Asay” which is a shortened version of “Asa ang…” or “Where is the…”. “Asay” is is normally used by the youth when they are asking for ‘news’ about celebrations in the neighborhood so they can go there, join the party, and eat: “Asay kaon” or “Where is the food.” This is how Mario and his team found inspiration in creating a youth community through food and celebrations. Whenever there is a celebration in the barangay such as a birthday dinner, Mario and the rest of the youth in the village would meet not only to enjoy food but also to exchange stories, ideas, and aspirations. The organization started with 19 members in 2019; now, they have more than 70 youth members. The primary target members of the organization are out-of-school youth or youth who were allegedly users of illegal drugs.

Presently, the youth members from the organizations who did not have the eagerness to go to school anymore finally enrolled in the most recently opened school year. Accordingly, none of them use illegal drugs anymore; the parents are at peace because their children come home earlier. They used to come home late because of their vices.

Mario says, “Lami bitaw paminawon nga you changed someone’s perspective. Nga imbis magpa bilin sila sa drugs, why not go to school?”

 “It is nice to hear that you changed someone’s perspective in life. Instead of remaining a drug user, why not go to school?”

After hearing about the Typhoon Odette Emergency Response’s plans on protection activities, Mario got excited to participate in another volunteer opportunity for his youth community in Barangay Mandaug. As someone who has a passion for teaching and communicating, he is eager to put into action all the lessons on Children’s Protection that he gained from the series of training.

Mario (in white long-sleeved shirt for the left photo and in maroon shirt in the right photo) brainstorming with his team during a workshop as part of the Mental Health and Psychosocial Training

Mario shares, “Mapasalamaton ko sa Action Against Hunger sa pag pili sa among barangay. Kay sa tinuod lang, adunay daghan kaayo nga number of children nga maka benepesyo sa ilang programa which is the Child Friendly Space. Dako kaayo ni og tabang namo, isip opesyales sa barangay, nga amoang mahatagan og serbisyp ang amoang mga kabatan-onan didto, nga imbis sa bisyu sila, ari sila sa programa sa Action Against Hunger, which is the Child-Friendly Space…Ang dili gyud nako pwede makalimtan [nga gi tudlo sa Action Against Hunger] kay giving value to children.”

“I am thankful to Action Against Hunger for choosing our barangay as one of the beneficiaries. Indeed, we have many children who will benefit from the program, the Child Friendly Space. This is a great help to us, barangay officials, in providing service to our youth and encouraging them to participate in the program rather than get into vices….One thing I will never forget about Action Against Hunger is the lesson on giving value to children.”

Barangay Mandaug is one of the 19 barangays in Bohol that received training on Protection and funds for building a Child-Friendly Space in their respective communities. Aside from this, the residents in Mandaug also received Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Kits from Action Against Hunger as part of the Immediate and Comprehensive Response for Communities Affected by Typhoon Rai in the Philippines project.

Mario listens to his co-participant reciting during the training

Mario was recently hired as a public high school teacher and will soon start his professional teaching journey. Knowing his dedication and passion for public service, youth development, and volunteerism, we are optimistic about the kind of educator he will be to the younger generation — young, bold, and caring. Hopefully, he will educate more youth to have the same dedication and passion as him.

The Immediate and Comprehensive Response for Communities Affected by Typhoon Rai (Odette) is funded by the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) and jointly implemented by CARE Philippines, ACCORD Incorporated, Action Against Hunger Philippines, National Rural Women Coalition (PKKK) and Plan International in Dinagat Islands, Palawan, Southern Leyte, Bohol, Negros Occidental, and Cebu, in the Philippines.

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Real Life Heroes: Al-King Dilangalen

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Al-King Dilangalen, one of our Project Assistants for the REACH 3 Project, shares how his love for helping others always prevails in times when being a humanitarian worker becomes difficult. This is one of the many reasons why he’s one of our Real Life Heroes.

Get to know Al-King and his inspiring take on being a humanitarian worker:

What is your role/or key responsibilities in Action Against Hunger?

I am currently one of the project assistants for the “Response to the unmet Humanitarian Needs of the most vulnerable populations in Mindanao affected by conflict, natural hazards, and COVID-19 pandemic” or REACH 3 Project.

My responsibility is to coordinate with community partners and leaders, especially the local government units in our covered areas, both in barangay and municipal level particularly on Health and Nutrition sector. We worked together with local and barangay health workers to conduct health missions, nutrition screenings for children and Pregnant and Lactating women, and conduct covid-19 vaccination campaigns to hard-to-reach areas affected by conflict and natural disasters.

How long have you been working as a humanitarian worker?

In the past 3 years, I have been working as a humanitarian worker, mainly in emergency response projects. I started my career when I had the chance to respond in earthquake affected areas in North Cotabato. Then after, I started working with Action Against Hunger under COVID-19 emergency WASH assistance project and REACH 2 Top-Up Emergency Response Project.

What motivates you to become a humanitarian worker?

Humanitarian work is nonetheless exceptional. Having been able to respond during crisis to communities affected by disasters or conflict and help them ease their burden is the main reason why I choose to be a humanitarian worker.

Why are you making this sacrifice?

We are living in a very critical times right now, and it doesn’t take much to trigger off another calamitous events. And I believe that it takes a good heart for a human being to commit itself for the good of humanity. Its not merely a sacrifice but rather a shared responsibility. When someone sees inequality and injustices, there should be no second thoughts about making actions. To me, I know that my commitment in serving the community is somewhat my great contribution in making this world free from poverty.

What have been your challenge in your work?

As an aid worker, people always recognize us for the courage and passion despite being in a risky situation. However, the truth is, we’re also vulnerable. Sometimes, we’re not only the responders but is some circumstances, we’ve also become the survivors. We position ourselves in many dangerous places. We brave through the floods, we travel in an insecure area, and our lives are at stake.

What motives you to keep doing your work even with these challenges?

There are moments when our body wants to rest but our heart would continue to go on. There is always this contradiction. They do not speak in unity especially when you see the need for aid. The heart usually prevails. The heart wins. And this is why I keep doing my job.

What are you most proud of?

Working in the humanitarian world allowed me to see how my values align with the real-world. I was able to balance realities, with a sense of adventure, meet people, and have new experiences. This is the work culture that I’ll always be proud of.

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More than 3,000 people in risk-prone communities in BARMM have better access to market and financial services

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Together with the United States Agency for International Developments’ Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance, we launched in April 2020 a two-year disaster risk reduction project. In the past two years, we have been working with our partner communities in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) in ensuring that they are better prepared and more resilient against disasters.

One of the project’s approach was to introduce the culture of savings to participating families. They were introduced to financial systems through registration in online financial platforms. 50 community savings groups (CSGs) were organized. This was one of the strategies that paved the way for beneficiary households to integrate savings in their efforts towards financial sufficiency.

“Thank you so much for teaching us to value of having our own savings. We never prioritized this before…I have a lot of kids that I need to send to school. That is why I need to have my own savings for the benefit of my children.”

– Samrah Tayuan, Community Savings Group Member

Aligned to the provisions of Republic Act 10121 (Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010) and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG)’s Operation Listo for Municipalities, the project’s main goal is to strengthen local government and community capacities towards resilience in municipalities which are high risk and vulnerable to natural hazards in Mindanao, Philippines.

A total of 3,750 people also have better access to market and financial services through the of the ‘Strengthening Local Resilience and Building Capacities in Area at High Risk of Natural Hazards in BARMM, Mindanao’ project.

Overall, we were able to reach 17,601 people with our activities that are in line with Risk Management Policy & Practice; Agriculture & Food Security; and Economic Recovery and Market Systems (ERMS).

For more information, check out the Project Catalogue

‘Strengthening Local Resilience and Building Capacities in Area at High Risk of Natural Hazards in BARMM, Mindanao’ is a disaster risk reduction project funded by the United States Agency for International Development’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (USAID-BHA) and implemented by Action Against Hunger. Read more

Resilience Project in BARMM impacts 5,080 people with improved risk management policies & practices

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The United States Agency for International Developments’ Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance together with Action Against Hunger launched in April 2020 a two-year disaster risk reduction project. In the past two years, we have been working with our partner communities in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) in ensuring that they are better prepared and more resilient against disasters.

For example, we helped the five covered municipalities in improving and updating their existing DRRM Plans and contingency plans, aligned to the Office of Civil Defense’s (OCD) standard forms and required contents. In coordination with the OCD of BARMM, we then provided the technical resource and facilitated the workshops.

“Before Action Against Hunger came, we didn’t know how to handle calamities…Now that we do, we now understand what an early warning system does. We can now stand on our own. We learned a lot such as how to manage our people during disasters and similar situations.”

– Nasiba Kasim Maguid, Barangay Captain of Liong, Datu Salibo

Aligned to the provisions of Republic Act 10121 (Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010) and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG)’s Operation Listo for Municipalities, the project’s main goal is to strengthen local government and community capacities towards resilience in municipalities which are high risk and vulnerable to natural hazards in Mindanao, Philippines.

We were able to impact 5,080 people by improving local government and communities’ capacity in preparing for and mitigating disaster impact through training, and planning processes.  This was made possible due to the efforts of the ‘Strengthening Local Resilience and Building Capacities in Area at High Risk of Natural Hazards in BARMM, Mindanao’ project.

Overall, we were able to reach 17,601 people with our activities that are in line with Risk Management Policy & Practice; Agriculture & Food Security; and Economic Recovery and Market Systems (ERMS).

For more information, check out the Project Catalogue

‘Strengthening Local Resilience and Building Capacities in Area at High Risk of Natural Hazards in BARMM, Mindanao’ is a disaster risk reduction project funded by the United States Agency for International Development’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (USAID-BHA) and implemented by Action Against Hunger. Read more