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ADRA in the Philippines sustains humanitarian efforts in typhoon-hit areas

Countries
Philippines
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ADRA
Publication date

The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) in the Philippines has spent almost 8 million USD in combined emergency response and recovery efforts since Typhoon Haiyan struck the country in November last year, addressing the basic but crucial post-disaster needs of more than 160,000 individuals or 32,000 households in the Visayas region.

Eight emergency response projects amounting to 1.9 million USD in total were already completed as of July this year. These included food relief distribution, provision of potable water and sanitation and hygiene (WASH), Disaster Risk Reduction trainings, self-recovery shelter projects and Cash-For-Work programs. These efforts were directed at severely affected communities in Leyte, Aklan, Iloilo, and Capiz provinces, although food relief aid also covered some areas of Northern Cebu just days after the typhoon.

ADRA International, ADRA Network, ADRA Regional Office, ADRA Japan, Swiss Solidarity, Hong Kong Disaster Relief, Aktion Deutschland Hilft (ADH) Germany, and the Southern Asia-Pacific Division of the Seventh-day Adventist church have made these initial efforts possible.

Meanwhile, eight recovery projects are ongoing in the aforementioned provinces, with a projected total spending of 5.9 million USD. These projects primarily focus on rebuilding shelters, reviving sources of livelihood, food security and further DRR education.

ADRA Network, ADRA Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, New Zealand, Norway, United Kingdom, GEZA Austria, the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, and the Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada are supporting the said recovery projects.

Through the Support to Self-Recovery for Shelter (SSRS) program, ADRA is helping 5,950 households rebuild decent shelters. The organization has provided these families shelter kits composed of construction materials such as corrugated galvanized iron (CGI) sheets, GI sheets and coco lumber, and tool kits composed of tarpaulin, rope, nails, saw, hammer, shovel, machete and bucket, among others.

The SSRS project had been completed in Kalibo, Aklan last July and had reconstructed houses for 550 families. This was part of the eight initial emergency response projects.

Meanwhile, 4,000 shelters are still being constructed in Roxas (Capiz), 1,000 in the towns of Carigara and Dagami (Leyte), 500 in Ajuy (Iloilo) and 170 in Makato (Aklan).

Livelihood is another crucial aspect in the recovery process of the typhoon survivors. ADRA has assisted fisher folks and their families in terms of reviving their fishing livelihood, which had been severely affected by the devastation of the super typhoon. Through the Boat Repair Assistance Grant (BRAG) program, the organization has helped a total of 1,716 households in Ajuy (Iloilo) and 500 in Roxas (Capiz) repair or construct their boats.

In Bato, Leyte, ADRA is helping 300 families in the fishing community of Dawahon Island in terms of having better access to local food source. The residents on this island primarily rely on seaweed farming and fishing. ADRA is providing these families fishing tools such as fish traps and seaweed kits for seaweed production, and cash-for-work incentives for the locals.