During the first week of July, two typhoons - Ditang (international code name Kirogi) and Edeng (international code name Kai-Tak) simultaneously hit Luzon. A few days after the twin typhoons, another one called Gloring hit Northern Luzon and part of Bicol province.

The twin typhoons swept through seven regions in Luzon leaving some 1.2 million people or around 230,000 families seriously affected by the resulting floods. Around 136,190 families abandoned their homes due to rising floodwaters and at least 42 people died, most of whom drowned in floodwaters and/or were electrocuted. Eleven persons were injured and 33 are still missing.

Another sad and tragic event was the collapse of the garbage mountain in Payatas, Quezon City on July 10, which claimed over 200 lives. More than 535 were injured and around 350 are still missing.

ACT member, the National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP), was among the first to provide aid to the survivors. NCCP is now proposing to assist the disaster affected people with the following components:

• Food & Nutrition
• Non-Food (blankets, sleeping mats, hygiene kits, etc.)
• Shelter (plastic sheets & housing materials)
• Health Care – (services & medicines)
• Agricultural inputs (seeds)

Signed by:
Thor-Arne Prois, ACT Coordinator
Geneviève Jacques, Director, Cluster on Relations, World Council of Churches
Rudolf Hinz, Director, Department for World Service, Lutheran World Federation

REQUESTING ACT MEMBER INFORMATION

• National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP), Program Unit on Faith, Witness and Service - Relief And Rehabilitation

IMPLEMENTING ACT MEMBER INFORMATION

The National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP) was formed in 1963 as a councilor body composed of 11 member Churches and associate member organizations.

Relief and Rehabilitation is a special program of the Faith, Witness and Service Unit. The program is involved in disaster management work with survivors of both natural and human-made emergency situations. This includes relief services, education and training on disaster preparedness and rehabilitation assistance. Its network in the regions comprises church leaders, clergy and lay persons from the NCCP member churches, church-related organizations and peoples organizations. Others are organized through the Regional Ecumenical Councils (RECs) who are given training in disaster management and eventually become the implementing local partners or local volunteers.

The Relief and Rehabilitation section is staffed by a licensed social worker, which is a requirement by the government and a driver cum warehouse-man. It is complemented by the personnel of the Faith, Witness and Service who are also development workers.  

DESCRIPTION of the EMERGENCY SITUATION

The Philippines is hit by 20-22 typhoons a year, most of which are destructive, causing heavy flooding and landslides. This is aggravated by the deteriorating environmental conditions of the Philippines due to massive mining, logging and extensive land conversion.

In August 1999, a four-day heavy downpour of incessant rains caused heavy flooding in the whole of Metro Manila and nearby provinces which lasted for almost a month.

Earlier this year, during the first week of July, two typhoons simultaneously hit Luzon - Ditang (International code name Kirogi) and Edeng (international code name Kai-Tak). A few days after the twin typhoons, another one called Gloring hit Northern Luzon and part of Bicol provinces.

The twin typhoons swept through seven regions in Luzon. According to the Office of Civil Defense, some 1.2 million people or around 230,000 families were affected by the floods. Around 136,190 families abandoned their homes due to rising floodwaters. At least 42 people died, most of whom drowned in floodwaters and/or were electrocuted. Eleven persons were injured and 33 are still missing.

Listed below are the affected regions which include both industrial centers and agriculturally productive areas.

• Region 1 – Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte and Pangasinan
• Region 2 – Nueva Viscaya
• Cordillera Administrative Region: Benguet, Abra, Apayao
• Region III- Bataan. Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac and Zambales
• National Capital Region: Manila, Marikina, Quezon City, Valenzuela, Malabon, Navotas
• Region 4- Cavite, Rizal, Batangas
• Region 6 – Negros and Iloilo

The plains of Central Luzon, were extensively inundated by floodwaters released from two hydroelectric dams in the Cordillera Region. According to reports, damage to agriculture and infrastructure is estimated at $4.5 million.

The lahar-devastated areas of Central Luzon suffer the longest because it takes several weeks before floodwaters start to subside. This is due to the inundated river channels caused by lahar deposits. The number of flood-stricken families has reached almost one-tenth of the region’s population.

Continuous rains have caused floodwaters to rise in the towns in Bulacan, Hagonoy and Calumpit, which serve as the catchment areas for flooding from the two adjacent provinces of Nueva Ecija and Pampanga.

A few days after the twin typhoons, an active low pressure hit Bicol provinces and intensified into a tropical depression. The public storm signal was immediately hoisted over Region 1 and Region 4 but the heavy rains in these two regions further exacerbated the existing flooded situation.

The worst tragedy occurred on 10 July when water seepage caused an avalanche of a 50-foot garbage dump in Payatas, Quezon City. The week-long downpour of rain loosened the dump and rendered it heavy with water. Cracks leaking water appeared on the ground and some families anticipating possible danger, alerted other families to evacuate. However, before any action could be taken, the garbage pile collapsed.

The garbage packed mountain collapsed on some 500 houses in seven communities and affected around 3,000 residents. As the heap toppled electric lines, fire broke out, worsening the predicament of trapped people. As of 19 July, the death toll has reached 205, with 538 injured and 350 missing. 2,480 individuals are in evacuation centers. Many among the buried were children and out of the 32 pre-school children enrolled in a nearby day care center, 11 are confirmed dead. Recovery of bodies is ongoing.

The Payatas garbage dumpsite is the largest dumpsite in Metro Manila, taking about one fourth of Metro Manila’s garbage. The huge mass of garbage has reached 50 feet high and the dumpsite is estimated to be about three times the size of a football field. For two decades it has been home for about 80,000 destitute residents who make a living on scavenging.

Though only in its third month, the monsoons in the Philippines which occur from May to November has already caused severe damage and the problems wrought by the twin typhoons is steadily worsening.

Impact on Human Lives, Property, Infrastructure
At least 1.2 million people in seven regions were affected by the onslaught of typhoons Ditang, Edeng and Gloring. Damage to agriculture was estimated at PhP130,163,596 million while damage to infrastructure was pegged at PhP 74,259 million. Around 1,582 houses were totally destroyed while 5,607 were partially damaged. Forty-two persons were confirmed dead and many others are missing.

Two landslide incidents were reported to have occurred in Baguio City claiming four lives. Landslides which occurred in Abra isolated at least six towns from the main highway.

In the Payatas tragedy the death toll has reached 205 with 350 still missing. As one can imagine, the trauma is severe, especially for those families who are waiting for the bodies of their missing and dead relatives.

Meanwhile, health officials continue to alert the public on the most common diseases such as leptospirosis, athlete’s foot, scabies, flu, cholera, diarrhea and typhoid fever, which easily infect people after floods.

General Information on Areas Affected

Region 1 - lies in the northwestern coast of the island of Luzon. It is composed of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union and Pangasinan provinces. The area is rich in non-metallic minerals for agricultural and industrial use. The major agriculture products are rice, corn, banana and coconut. The region is also the number one producer of tobacco.

Due to its natural and human resources, and in line with the government’s export-oriented development strategy, the region is being developed to form part of the Northern Luzon Growth Quadrangle. But the Ilocanos and the Pangasinenses are against it because such a paradigm sells cheap labor and has an adverse impact on the environment.

Region 2 - Cagayan Valley is in the northernmost part of Luzon and is made up of 5 provinces: Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Viscaya and Quirino.

Cagayan Valley has a total land area of 2,683,758 hectares, 64% of which is forestland. The region is bounded by three bodies of water. The Cagayan River Basin which is the country’s largest river basin, is found in the region. Although the region is rich in resources, the main source of livelihood is still agriculture which is controlled by a few big landlords. Large logging companies have been operating in the Valley for many years thus depleting the forest resources of the area.

Region 3 - Central Luzon (lahar area) straddles the central portion of the island of Luzon. It is composed of six provinces namely Bataan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac and Zambales.

The region is known as the rice bowl of the country. It also known for coffee, sugarcane, poultry and livestock production.

The Mt. Pinatubo eruption in 1992 covered almost 52,320 hectares with lahar. The volcanic matter also inundated the water tributaries which has contributed largely to the yearly flooding since then. At least 47, 625 hectares has been determined to be lahar or hazard-prone.

Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) - lies at the northern tip of the island of Luzon. By virtue of Executive Order 220, which the then President, Corazon Aquino, created in 15 July 1987 a region for the indigenous peoples living in five provinces. The region is home to ten ethno-linguistic groups and has a rich cultural heritage.

The terrain is rugged with mountain ranges that rise as high as 7,000 feet. A thinning forest covers most of its lands and mineral resources abound in these mountains. In fact most of the country’s mineral reserves and production, particularly gold and copper, are found in the region.

The cool climate of the region is suitable for temperate vegetable crops and thus provides most of the vegetable needs of the country. This industry was introduced and developed by the American colonialists who established a "Summer Capital of the Country", to govern the country during the hottest season of the year.

The exploitation of its natural resources by extractive industries and the intrusion of market economy into subsistence agrarian-based economy has made the region into one of the most depressed areas in the country.

National Capital Region (NCR) - is also known as the Metro Manila Region. It is composed of eight cities and nine municipalities. The cities are Manila, Kalookan, Quezon, Pasay, Mandaluyong, Makati, Pasig and Muntinlupa.

The NCR serves as the economic and political center of the country. The head offices of financial institutions and multi-national corporations are located in the region. It is likewise the seat of power in the country.

Region IV - Southern Tagalog is composed of eleven discontinuous provinces (Aurora, Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Quezon, Rizal, Oriental and Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan). The government’s industrial project CALABARZON, has earned the ire of the region’s people. Massive land conversion has increased land costs to geometric proportions, displaced communities and now threatens food security.

The region ranks third in rice production and second in coconut production. It also ranks first in livestock and poultry raising. Yet Southern Tagalog registers the highest unemployment and underemployment rates and ranks among the highest in poverty incidence.

Region VI - Western Visayas is one of the three regions in the Visayas. It is composed of six provinces, namely, Negros Occidental, Iloilo, Guimaras, Capiz, Antique, Aklan.

The region’s provinces are located on smaller islands. It is rich in natural resources, namely, forest land, agricultural land, fisheries and minerals. These are the primary sources of the people’s food, water, shelter and income. However, poverty, population pressure, unemployment and increasing economic disparity between social groups have resulted in the depletion and degradation of the resources, one after the other. Mismanagement by the authorities and over-exploitation of resources is diminishing any long-term usefulness and will negate whatever gains would be achieved by their past and present exploitation.

Statistics and figures on the disaster

* Number of people killed in the garbage dump collapse in Payatas is increasing everyday.

GOAL & OBJECTIVES

The project aims to provide life-sustaining support to the most vulnerable families and communities affected by the disasters and lacking the capacity for survival.

• To provide immediate assistance to the most vulnerable affected families and communities in the form of:
• Food and non-food materials and medical assistance to at least 14,000 families during the current monsoon season.
• Seeds for agriculture to 300 peasant-families to enable them to recover from their social and economic losses; and
• Housing materials to at least 100 families - survivors of the Payatas tragedy

NCCP will mobilize the involved church constituencies in the relief and rehabilitation efforts in the sphere of resource generation, monitoring, distribution, purchasing and repacking.

BENEFICIARY INFORMATION

Type of beneficiaries & selection criteria
Most people in Luzon are dependent on an agricultural economy and the most severely affected are small peasant families, farm workers and fisher folk. In the National Capital Region, the affected families in the Payatas tragedy are the shanty-town dwellers - the most deprived of the urban poor.

Prior to relief distribution, coordination is being undertaken with government and non-government agencies to identify areas that need further assistance. Member churches and the regional ecumenical councils also conduct their own survey to determine which areas, families or communities need priority assistance.

Locations for proposed emergency response and number and type of beneficiaries

PROPOSED EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE

Food and Nutrition: Food bags containing basic food provisions such as rice, canned goods, sugar, milk, legumes, dried fish and salt.

Non-Food: Besides food, affected families, especially those in evacuation centers and those affected by the Payatas tragedy, will also be provided with health and hygiene kits containing toothpaste, toothbrush, bath soap and laundry soap along with sleeping mats, light blankets and clothing especially to those whose belongings were submerged in floodwaters. Plastic sheets for temporary roofing will also be provided to those whose houses were damaged.

Medical: Medical assistance through free medical check-ups and dispensing of medicines will be provided. Situations such as the current emergency situation usually trigger upper respiratory infections, skin diseases and gastro-intestinal diseases.

Medical missions will be conducted comprising medical and paramedical practitioners and trained community health workers from the member churches.

Agriculture: Rehabilitation assistance will be provided to around 300 peasant-families of Region I (North Luzon) and Region III (Central Luzon) since these are the areas where agriculture is severely damaged. Rice seeds will be provided to farmers to replace their destroyed crops.

Shelter: Housing materials for construction of destroyed houses will be provided to around 100 families - survivors of the Payatas garbage avalanche. Local organizations will be working on possible relocation sites to facilitate resettlement.

IMPLEMENTATION METHODOLOGY

Personnel required to carry out the emergency work

The Program Unit on Faith, Witness and Service wherein the Relief and Rehabilitation Program is lodged will be responsible for implementing the proposed assistance. The two staff assigned to the program (social worker and driver cum warehouse-man) will be complemented by the personnel of the Faith, Witness and Service composed of five development workers and one administrative assistant. Contractual staff will be hired on a daily basis and will assist in the day-to-day operations of the program, especially during successive emergency situations.

The relief and rehabilitation work is implemented through the participation of the following:

• Member Churches in the regions - Iglesia Filipina Independiente, United Church of Christ in the Philippines; United Methodist Church, The Salvation Army, Iglesia Evangelica Metodista en las Islas Filipinas, Apostolic Catholic Church, Episcopal Church in the Philippines and
• The Regional Ecumenical Council – Central Luzon Ecumenical Council

Project Administration and Support
Support requirements include communication facilities. Monthly fees of existing communication lines will be needed for the monitoring of the situation and follow-up of various requests from partners. Office supplies will also be needed for the production of monitoring and distribution forms.

Transportation
The NCCP has only one utility vehicle which can transport relief goods of limited number. However, in some areas where goods are not available in the local market, transportation is needed for the delivery of such goods from the national warehouse to the designated distribution centers.

Transportation is also needed to carry staff and volunteers on disaster monitoring. Since NCCP no longer has a vehicle suitable for terrain travel, hiring of such a vehicle is necessary.

Most of the requesting partners in nearby provinces, especially in Central Luzon, will pick up the needed relief goods from the NCCP headquarters. Some churches can also afford to pay for fuel for vehicles or are able to mobilize vehicles from their area.

Procurement
Most of the affected regions are within the Luzon island and the NCCP headquarters is reached through land transport. All food and non-food-items are procured locally, either in the national center stocked at the NCCP national warehouse, or in commercial centers near the affected areas. However, during emergency situations such as this, supplies in the local markets becomes scarce or prices usually escalate which necessitates purchase in the national capital region.

Purchased goods are usually stockpiled at identified warehouses - local churches, church offices or schools. A token amount of money is usually paid for the use of space and other utilities, but those churches who have the means, usually donate the storage space and utilities.

ADMINISTRATION, FINANCE, MONITORING & REPORTING

Management and Administration
The NCCP will administer and manage the whole project. It will also act as the over-all coordinator and facilitator. At the regional or provincial level, the NCCP member churches will be the local counterparts and will coordinate the various activities of the relief and rehabilitation work. They will be responsible for monitoring the emergency situation and conducting needs assessments. They will also determine the areas to be served and the corresponding needs to be delivered. Periodic assessments will be conducted to determine the extent of accomplishment, identification of strengths and weaknesses and recommend possible actions for improvement.

Terminal evaluation with the participation of the various committee members, will be conducted at the end of the project. The final report will be prepared by the NCCP Relief and Rehabilitation Coordinator while the financial report will be prepared by the NCCP Treasurer’s Office.

Monitoring and Reporting Procedures

• On-site visits to affected areas either by the NCCP staff and/or its partners
• Area survey reports from local counterparts.
• Participation in relief operation.
• Activity reports, both financial and narrative, by local counterparts.
• Project completion report to ACT, both narrative and financial.

Financial Management and Controls
Funds transmitted to NCCP bank account or given to NCCP in cash or by cheque will be acknowledged with an official receipt. All disbursements will be made in accordance with the budget or grant from any funding partners for a certain activity and shall have to meet with the Finance Officer’s requirements. The request should be signed by the Program Secretary or the duly designated representative and will have proper supporting documents attached. After submission of these documents, the Treasurer’s Office will prepare a disbursement voucher and check for the implementation of the activity. If it is a cash advance, the person responsible will liquidate the cash advance completely with receipts and other documents related to the activity, prior to being given any further funds.

IMPLEMENTATION TIMETABLE

The project will be implemented from July '00 to June '01 as per details below:

COORDINATION

One week after the start of the heavy flooding, the NCCP provided food assistance, especially those in Central Luzon. Monitoring reports of the various churches and organizations are collated to determine the extent of damage and to determine priority areas to be served.

The NCCP is also a member of the Task Force Damayan-Payatas which was formed by the various non-government organizations to systematize various ongoing assistance to the victims and survivors. The NCCP was the first agency to provide food assistance to survivors several hours after the tragedy.

BUDGET