Clashes between the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and a faction of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) on March 18 has displaced more than 3,000 individuals in several municipalities in Maguindanao: Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Shariff Saidona Mustapha, Shariff Aguak, and Mamasapano.
“Based on the information gathered, the fighting is still ongoing. This will result in more people forced to leave their homes for safety,” said Delilah Chua, Head of Base for Cotabato. “Just in a span of one day, we have seen the number of families practically doubling in number. When we validated the Pendililang evacuation center on March 20, it was 269. The next day, the number jumped to 419. In the Barangay Salbu evacuation center, the same thing happened as well: from 271 it increased to 425 the very next day.”
https://actionagainsthunger.ph/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/AAH1-1.jpg433693Adminhttps://actionagainsthunger.ph/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/logo_text_orig.pngAdmin2021-03-25 13:00:222024-09-11 14:31:58Providing Emergency Non-food Items and Hygiene Kits to a Total of 540 Families Temporarily Taking refuge in Datu Pendililang Piang Elementary School and Mahad Madrasa in Barangay Salbu
Severe Tropical Storm Auring (International Name: Dujuan), entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility on February 17 and affected more than 200,000 people as the country’s first tropical cyclone of 2021. While it did not develop into a typhoon, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction & Management Council (NDRRMC), the storm inflicted infrastructure and agricultural damages amounting to 53 million pesos and 106.7 million pesos, respectively.
Surigao del Sur was hit the hardest as Auring’s heavy rains caused massive flooding which damaged homes and displaced several families. By February 24, Tandag—Surigao del Sur’s capital—was in a state of calamity.
In response to this emergency, Action Against Hunger’s field team distributed kits containing basic hygiene materials and non-food items such as blankets and cooking utensils to 850 families across several municipalities in Surigao del Sur: San Agustin, Marihatag, and Bayabas. Distribution was done between the dates of February 27 to March 2.
(Photos by Nino Kim Diez, Lea Anora, Mark Dalin-as for Action Against Hunger)
One of the ways we empower women is through our livelihood programs. Across the communities we work with, we provide them with knowledge and proper tools to enable them to be financially resilient.
These women from Barangay Ilomavis in Kidapawan City are uniting their efforts in forming a cash savings group (CSG) for emergencies. Their barangay was one of the hardly affected barangays during the series of Mindanao Earthquakes back in 2019.
Photo by Louie Bullanday for Action Against Hunger
Following this, our MOVE UP 4 Project introduced these women to the CSG as one of the mechanisms to build financial independence and resilience for their households. Aside from the emergency funds they managed to save, they have also gained more confidence from being able to provide financial stability for their family during emergency situations like disasters or the pandemic.
We celebrate the success of these women and hope to empower more through the work that we do, one community at a time.
Written by Lyndon Arbes, Louie Bullanday, Joyce Sandajan Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union, or the consortium members. Neither the European Union nor any of the consortium members can be held responsible for them.
https://actionagainsthunger.ph/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/AAH2-1.jpg720960Adminhttps://actionagainsthunger.ph/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/logo_text_orig.pngAdmin2021-03-19 09:00:202024-09-11 14:31:58Forming A Cash Savings Group (CSG) For Emergencies In Kidapawan City
Charity “Cha” Magdadaro, one of our Project Assistants for our Typhoon Ulysses (Vamco) Response in Cagayan shared with us her insights as a humanitarian worker for eight years now. Get to know Cha and find out what makes her one of our Real Life Heroes.
What motivates you to become a humanitarian worker?
I started working as a humanitarian volunteer in 2013. After few involvements, I tried jobs in the industrial field, but my heart always searched for a job that works with the community. Working in this field gives me deeper satisfaction than other jobs. I witnessed a huge need of change that most communities in the Philippines need, and the small, step-by-step impact of humanitarian intervention to communities always makes a big difference.
Being able to witness children learning, mothers accepting new knowledge, and empowering the members of community – these things are priceless.
Why are you making this sacrifice?
With the challenges that the pandemic we are all facing and the calamities that heap up the burden of the vulnerable community, it is not easy to just ignore it. Humanitarian work is needed. Someone needs to do it. Someone needs to be there. I am answering the call.
What have been the challenges to your work because of the COVID-19 pandemic?
Due to budgetary constraints, we could not help all the people needing assistance. We had to be selective and narrow down our beneficiaries to the most vulnerable sector of the population.
Several of our planned activities have also been postponed due to community quarantine initiatives that the LGUs imposed. Within the community, the challenges of involving senior citizens, pregnant and lactating women and other vulnerable members of the community had been tough since they were the ones not allowed to be in social gathering, not even allowed to go out.
But then, beyond the mentioned challenges, the risk of being with a lot of people amid this pandemic is the most weighing burden I have. The heightened sense of protecting myself for the sake of my family, friends and the team is always the priority. With all the tasks I have to accomplish every day, this is a big challenge.
What motivates you to keep doing your work even with these challenges?
Helping the community is what drives me to keep going. Being an avenue to meet the immediate needs of the community is a fulfilling moment. 3 months after Typhoon Goni, some of our beneficiaries still live in tents in evacuation centers. The most common profile of the people we help are families with pregnant and lactating mothers do not earn a living wage and Senior Citizens with chronic ailments. Our interventions help them sustain hope despite the flooding and the pandemic that had caused them to lose so much.
The impact of the assistance I help deliver to the community outweighs the personal risks that the pandemic brings.
What are you most proud of?
I am proud of the team I am with in this emergency response. Despite the pandemic, we are still able to achieve our purpose in the community. There is always that challenge to strike the balance between taking a risk and protecting ourselves. Nonetheless, my team works hard, sacrificing things in life, just to do their job at its best.
https://actionagainsthunger.ph/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/AAH1-1.png800800Adminhttps://actionagainsthunger.ph/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/logo_text_orig.pngAdmin2021-03-18 09:00:172024-09-11 14:31:58Real Life Heroes – Cha Magdadaro
A series of orientations was conducted in Barangay Ilomavis, Kidapawan City last July 29 and 30, 2020. The participants were members of 64 vulnerable households who were displaced due to the November 2019 earthquake and are currently more at risk because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Photo by Lyndon Arbes for Action Against Hunger
The activity was launched to help raise awareness on the importance of disaster preparedness and resilience building, learning from the recent series of actual disasters and the effects of the pandemic that they experienced which had negatively affected their livelihoods and living condition. The activity was conducted in partnership with the City Government of Kidapawan City Agricultural Office, and the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation Office in Kidapawan City.
Written by Joyce Sandajan Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union, or the consortium members. Neither the European Union nor any of the consortium members can be held responsible for them.
https://actionagainsthunger.ph/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/117129915_1503835193131912_2477185761156101560_o.jpg8161728Adminhttps://actionagainsthunger.ph/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/logo_text_orig.pngAdmin2020-08-06 09:00:382024-09-11 14:32:08A Series of Orientations for Disaster Preparedness and Resilience Building in Barangay Ilomavis, Kidapawan City
Written by Joayra Gem Balagtas for Action Against Hunger
Jessa Ampoy used to walk 500 meters to go to the nearest comfort room in the evacuation site which is dark and water wasn’t always available. Because of this, she and her fellow evacuees prefer to take a bath in the nearby stream instead.
Jessa is one of the 560 people who are now able to practice proper hygiene habits because of the newly constructed hygiene facilities in Sitio Waterfalls at Bongolanon, Magpet as part of our ‘𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗦𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗔𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗼 𝗘𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗸𝗲’ together with CARE Philippines and ACCORD Incorporated, and funding from EU Civil Protection & Humanitarian Aid – ECHO.
(Photos by Joayra Gem Balagtas for Action Against Hunger)
https://actionagainsthunger.ph/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Aug-4-P1.jpg9111645Adminhttps://actionagainsthunger.ph/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/logo_text_orig.pngAdmin2020-08-04 08:51:102024-09-11 14:32:08No More Long and Dark Walks to the Bathroom for Magpet Beneficiaries
Our MOVE UP 4 Team conducted a household survey as part of the Community Risk Assessment (CRA) activity from July 20 – 31, 2021 in Kidapawan, North Cotabato. The survey aims to assess disaster awareness and preparedness, access to government social protection program,s and resilient livelihoods among others.
Photo by Lyndon Arbes / Louie Bullanday for Action Against Hunger
The information gathered will be used in designing appropriate urban DRR resilient intervention of the project in the city as well as will serve as the project baseline for impact evaluation at the end of the project.
Photo by Lyndon Arbes / Louie Bullanday for Action Against Hunger
https://actionagainsthunger.ph/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/august1-00.jpg574765Adminhttps://actionagainsthunger.ph/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/logo_text_orig.pngAdmin2020-08-01 07:40:542024-09-11 14:32:08Moving Urban Poor in Mindanao Towards Resilience (MOVE UP 4) Project in Kidapawan, North Cotabato
