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Philippines: Super Typhoon Rai (Odette) - Situation Report No. 9 (As of 26 May 2022)

Countries
Philippines
Sources
OCHA
Publication date

This report is produced by OCHA Philippines in collaboration with humanitarian partners. It covers the period from 25 April- 24 May 2022.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) reports that 1,767 families (or 6,825 individuals) are still displaced in Regions VI, VII, VIII, MIMAROPA, and Caraga due to Typhoon Rai.

• Out of this total displaced population, 1,117 families (4,437 individuals) are in 124 evacuation centers (EC) and 650 families (2,388 individuals) are outside ECs staying with relatives or friends.

• Health human resources are overstretched due to competing priorities such as the provision of routine and essential care, vaccinations, and controlling the spread of COVID-19. Dengue cases are rising in both Southern Leyte and in Caraga.

• There is a need to cut and clear damaged coconut trees as they decompose in 6 months from the time of damage.
Restarting agricultural activities remains an issue due to limited capacity for debris clearing and the use of fallen coconut trees.

• Food remains to be the need of families who are living within the remaining evacuation centers. Support on food and nutrition of IDPs reportedly declined as efforts transition towards early recovery.

• Adolescents and young people are in great distress after experiencing STY Rai/Odette and later Tropical Storm Agaton, particularly the landslide. Many of the young ones need mental health care services. Provision of awareness campaign and referral services on suicidal prevention is needed in Southern Leyte.

• OCHA is preparing a month-long handover/exit strategy to be implemented in June 2022, to ensure coordination of continuing response beyond the life span of the Humanitarian Needs and Priorities (HNP) plan for TY Rai ending June 30, 2022. Mapping of coordination capacity and consultations with humanitarian agencies and local NGOs who are continuing operations is ongoing.

• As of May, the humanitarian response under the HNP is 46 per cent funded. Nevertheless, funding remains a key constraint as communities transition to early recovery.

• The national and local election in typhoon-affected areas were largely peaceful. In the pre-election period, most of the humanitarian activities were on hold due to the election ban, but they have now largely resumed

SITUATION OVERVIEW

More than 6,800 people remain displaced across the typhoon affected areas five months after Super Typhoon Rai’s landfall last 16 December 2021. Over 2.1 million houses were damaged of which 425,000 were destroyed and 1,702,428 were partially damaged, according to the latest government reports. The international community has mobilized much needed support Typhoon Rai relief operations totaling $77 million– or 45.6% percent of total funding requirements under the Humanitarian Needs and Priorities (HNP) plan. The additional funding will mainly go to initiatives supporting shelter, livelihood for farmers and fisherfolks, and protection. Humanitarian agencies have implemented over 14,800 multisectoral interventions to support the government’s response.

The Post Disaster Needs Assessment results in all 6 regions and its corresponding recovery plans have yet to be presented to the NDRRMC. The presentation and approval of the recovery plan will unlock government resources for full blown recovery and rehabilitation of Rai-affected regions and communities, which was hampered by the elections as well as rising prices of fuel, steel and cement due to the Ukraine crisis.

Following the April Protection and Shelter Clusters meeting with the Department of Human Settlement and Urban Development (DHSUD) to discuss the HCT Advisory on the No-Build-Zone policy in the areas impacted by Typhoon Rai, both clusters continue to advocate at the national, provincial and local level. An advocacy campaign and resource mobilization efforts were initiated by the Shelter Cluster in partnership with the provincial government of Southern Leyte.

Tropical Storm Megi/Agaton that struck in early April 2022, across many of the same areas affected by TY Rai/Odette, caused floods and landslides. More than 2,260,000 people were affected, particularly in Leyte province. According to DSWD reports as of 18 May, 3,141 families (11,319 individuals) are still displaced with 8,625 individuals staying in 69 evacuation centers in Regions V, VII, VIII, IX, X, and XII. 32,920 houses were damaged, of which, 2,477 are totally damaged and 30,443 are partially damaged.

The national and local election in typhoon-affected areas were largely peaceful. In the pre-election period, most of the humanitarian activities were on hold due to the election ban, but they have now largely resumed. The election outcomes will bring several changes in leadership of governors, mayors, local government line agencies, including provincial and municipal offices that bear mandates over the different clusters.

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs: To learn more about OCHA's activities, please visit https://www.unocha.org/.