SURIGAO DEL NORTE — A few days before Typhoon Odette (internationally named Rai) made landfall in the Philippines, Luzviminda’s youngest son and his family moved in to stay with her home in Barangay Day-asan, Surigao City. “My son with his wife and child just returned to Siargao from Manila with the hope to raise their family here,” she shared.
At 72 years old, Luzviminda and her family make a living through coconut farming. This was brought to an abrupt end when Typhoon Odette visited the island. They are now solely relying on the help given by different agencies and the Surigao City local government.
Overall damages of Typhoon Odette on agriculture have been reported to cost around 17.7 billion pesos in total according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC). Experts have stated that it might take approximately five years for coconut farmers like Luzviminda to fully recover from the disaster. In that span of time, Luzviminda hopes they will receive continuous support as they restore their livelihood and recover from their losses.
“We’re grateful to Action Against Hunger and other humanitarian agencies,”
“We’re grateful to Action Against Hunger and other humanitarian agencies,” Luzviminda said as she thanked the team for the cash aid they received. This will minimize their family’s expenses in purchasing basic needs like food and water.
Luzviminda’s family is one of the 539 households in Barangay Day-Asan, Surigao City who received 5,150 pesos from the Multi-purpose Cash Assistance (MPCA) of our Typhoon Odette Emergency Response funded by the USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA).
Photo by Jowhari Maulana Salik for Action Against Hunger
https://actionagainsthunger.ph/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/PH_B2AO_Luzviminda-Manaog.jpg18162420Adminhttps://actionagainsthunger.ph/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/logo_text_orig.pngAdmin2022-04-10 01:58:402023-01-10 01:59:0372-year old farmer hopes for quick recovery from lost livelihoods after Typhoon Odette
Last December, Lea Añora and the rest of our Tandag Field team were immediately deployed to Surigao City mere hours after Typhoon Odette made landfall—an experience that made her feel the proudest in being part of the most “hardworking humanitarian force of Action Against Hunger.”
On a regular day, Lea dedicates her time as a Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Supervisor in our AECID-funded PROact Project while empowering women in her field to break free from stereotypes.
I am part of the PROAct Project that aims to improve disaster and climate change resilience in communities. As DRR Supervisor, I lead in facilitating skills and capacity training, spearheading community drills, provision of DRR Equipment and Early Warning Devices, facilitating, assisting our partner local government units in crafting and enhancing their DRR-CCA and Development plans, implementing Alternative Resilient livelihoods including the provision of technical support to partner Peoples Organization and conducting emergency response to disaster-affected areas, especially within the AOR of the base and neighboring provinces.
How long have you been working as a humanitarian worker?
It’ll be my 5th year in the organization this coming March 2022
What motivates you to become a humanitarian worker?
The trust and confidence of our partners, believing us and the organization that we WILL and CAN make significant changes in their lives and into their communities.
Photo by Dale Divinagracia for Action Against Hunger
Why are you making this sacrifice?
To see more faces of hope and joy, encouraging others to be an instrument of positive change despite the cruelty of the world.
In photo: Lea (third from the right) in one of the activities of ProACT.
What have been the challenges to your work?
Engaging in a diverse environment, with people having different beliefs, stand-points, and characters.
What motivates you to keep doing your work even with these challenges?
Having the experience of being genuinely appreciated by the people that we are helping fuels me every day to do more beyond what is expected from me to accomplish.
What are you most proud of?
Recently, during our Typhoon Odette Emergency Response, I was part of the team that was deployed to Surigao City immediately after the aftermath of the typhoon. Everyone in our team, including our drivers, worked so hard that a 4-hour sleep and eating a full day’s meal was a luxury. There were times when we were all drenched in rain and in sweat during the first wave of our assessment and relief distribution. These challenges never stopped us.
Everyone extended an extra mile of heartful labor to aid the immediate needs of the typhoon survivors. This experience made me the PROUDEST – to be part of the most hardworking humanitarian force of Action Against Hunger.
In photo: Lea hands over a hygiene kit during one of the Typhoon Odette Emergency Response distributions in Surigao City. (Photo by Dale Divinagracia for Action Against Hunger)
As a DRR Supervisor, what climate change impact have you seen with your own eyes?
Taking to countless farmers and fisherfolks through the years, the common lament is that their yield has been dwindling. This is due to the extreme weather conditions that we are all experiencing today; change of weather pattern, severe heavy rainfall, long periods of the dry season, and rising sea level. These not only directly affect the livelihood of the farmers and fisherfolks, but also of the average customer because of rising prices for food.
Photo by Nino Kim Diez for Action Against Hunger
How do you help in combating climate change?
It is a challenge fighting against climate change. We can’t stop it. But, we can mitigate its impact. Strengthened advocacies on DRR-CCA, people’s increased resiliency, and capacities, and strong support from our local government units, concerned national government agencies, and non-government agencies or organizations are one of the most important keys in executing projects, programs, and activities that directly address the adverse impact of climate change in our communities.
In photo: Lea helps load the sacks of rice for distribution to Typhoon Odette survivors in Surigao City (Photo by Nino Kim Diez for Action Against Hunger)
How do you #BreaktheBias in your line of work or day-to-day activities?
In the humanitarian world, there is no room for discrimination. Each of us is given the opportunity and responsibility in helping the needs of the people, especially in times of crisis. I myself work without any bias towards my gender, for my attitude and passion define my work ethic which radiates to the people that I am working with.
How do you envision a gender-equal world?
A gender-equal world is a world that gives rights, independence, power, and responsibilities to both women and men without discrimination and segregation.
On the 16th of December 2021, Typhoon Odette (internationally named Typhoon Rai) made its first landfall in the Siargao Islands of Surigao Del Norte in Caraga. Within hours of its impact, a total of 2,552,312 families across 38 provinces have been affected as the typhoon had incurred massive damages in infrastructure, houses, and livelihoods that have severe and long-term effects on the affected populations (Source: National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council as of 30 January 2022).
Burgos was one of the municipalities that bore the brunt of Typhoon Odette’s impact. Geographically facing the Pacific Ocean, many of its communities experienced storm surges and violent winds.
Through our Super Typhoon Odette WASH Emergency Response in CARAGA, we are hoping to reach 26,000 typhoon-affected people within the Municipalities of General Luna, Burgos, San Benito, and Del Carmen. With the support of UNICEF Philippines and UN CERF, our goal is to provide the children and their communities with safe water and sanitation services while promoting proper hygiene practices in times of emergency.
In photo: UNICEF Emergency WASH kits are unloaded for distribution in Barangay San Juan, San Benito in Siargao. (Photo by Benjie Montilla for Action Against Hunger)
We jumpstarted our water, sanitation, & hygiene (WASH) activities starting in Barangay Baybay in the Municipality of Burgos and made our way to San Benito to reach Barangays Bongdo, Talisay, and San Juan. Within the first week of February, we have supported approximately 3,580 people (221 households in Burgos; 495 households in San Benito).
In photo: One of the recipients in Barangay Baybay, Burgos checks the contents of the UNICEF emergency WASH kit. (Photo by Benjie Montilla for Action Against Hunger)
Life-saving WASH assistance in the form of hygiene and/or water kits (jerry cans with Aquatabs/Hyposol) were provided to prioritized families with children under five years old, family members with vulnerable circumstances— pregnant/lactating women (PLWs); single-headed households, child-headed households; persons with disabilities (PWDs); senior citizens; and family members with comorbidities—or impoverished families who have not yet received emergency WASH support in the aftermath of Typhoon Odette.
In photo: Action Against Hunger staff conducts a hygiene promotion session in Barangay San Juan, San Benito in Siargao. (Photo by Benjie Montilla for Action Against Hunger)
During the distributions, hygiene promotion sessions for the participating families were conducted. Our WASH staff demonstrated how to practice proper handwashing using soap and water. The barangay health workers (BHWs) also supported our team before and during the distributions.
One of the recipients, a mother from Brgy. Bongdo, expressed her gratitude upon seeing several soap items in the emergency kit. She stated that her community had little expectations that they would still be receiving WASH support. According to her, neighboring barangays already received similar aid weeks before, but her barangay was not included.
https://actionagainsthunger.ph/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/PH_D3BZ_2022-021A-33-scaled.jpg19202560Adminhttps://actionagainsthunger.ph/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/logo_text_orig.pngAdmin2022-02-21 04:29:322022-02-21 04:29:32REACHING THE UNREACHED: Super Typhoon Odette WASH Emergency Response in CARAGA provides life-saving WASH support for affected communities in Siargao , Dinagat and Surigao City
Within a week after Typhoon Odette made its first landfall in the country, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has since been supporting our emergency response operations in Caraga. Now, we are taking a step further by continuing the support to help typhoon-affected families in recovering from the impacts of Odette.
Through the funding of the USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA), we are hoping to enable around 75,105 people to support their basic household needs through multi-purpose cash assistance (MPCA).
This is part of our continued Typhoon Odette emergency response among the affected areas of Surigao del Norte, Agusan del Norte, Dinagat Islands, and Bohol. Around 500 people from Barangay Day-asan in Surigao City had received cash assistance amounting to 5,000 pesos yesterday, February 16.
Aside from the cash assistance itself, heads of households also received an amount allotted for their transportation fare. This is the first among our series of MPCA activities in the coming weeks.
Photo by Meifen Mamangkas for Action Against Hunger
https://actionagainsthunger.ph/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/PH_B2AO_2022-0216_Leilani-Flores_MPCA-in-Day-Asan-1-scaled.jpg19202560Adminhttps://actionagainsthunger.ph/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/logo_text_orig.pngAdmin2022-02-18 06:12:162022-03-16 02:49:09Supporting Typhoon Odette-affected families to meet food and other basic needs through cash assistance
