One year on, the country has made impressive achievements in recovery. This shows the power of the collective action between the government and humanitarian actors on the ground, and the indomitable will of the communities and survivors to rise above the tragedy.
A year after one of history’s strongest typhoons ravaged three regions in central Philippines, the vast majority of displaced people have returned home amid efforts to seek longer-term solutions for people remaining in temporary shelters.
Of the 4.1 million people uprooted by Typhoon Haiyan, most have returned home or have relocated in the last 12 months. The Philippines government estimates that 5,000 families consisting of 20,000 people remain in 56 formal displacement sites across typhoon-affected areas, living in tented camps, transitional shelters, and one evacuation center.
“One year on, the country has made impressive achievements in recovery,” said UNHCR’s Representative in the Philippines, Bernard Kerblat. “This shows the power of the collective action between the government and humanitarian actors on the ground, and the indomitable will of the communities and survivors to rise above the tragedy.”
Within a week of the November 8 typhoon, UNHCR opened an office in Tacloban to meet the immediate needs of the displaced people. It assisted over 700,000 of the most vulnerable people, providing them with life-saving relief items and protection kits comprised of tents, plastic sheets, blankets, hygiene kits, jerry cans, kitchen sets, and solar lanterns. Likewise, private global corporations provided major support. IKEA donated mattresses for hospitals, while UNIQLO donated clothing and Huqsvarna donated chainsaws to the government and humanitarian agencies.
In the early recovery phase, UNHCR started a free mobile civil registration project to issue and reconstruct lost civil records and legal documentation needed to access claims and benefits. The project has processed and released over 80,000 vital civil documents including birth, marriage, and death certificates.
As millions are rebuilding their lives, UNHCR remains concerned about the situation of some 20,000 people who are still displaced in temporary sites. A recent protection assessment found that they face a number of protection risks and residual humanitarian issues, including housing, land and property issues, physical security, water sanitation and hygiene.
“Recovery and rehabilitation should always be based on proper community consultation,” noted Kerblat, adding that responses should target the specific needs of the remaining displaced people.
In and around Tacloban and in Eastern Samar, local authorities have provided temporary shelters as the search for permanent sites continues.
For these families, the protection work helped ensure that their basic needs are met. The refugee agency has been advocating for the rights of these displaced people – including their right to voluntary return or relocation – and addressing critical protection issues in camps and transitional sites with relevant government agencies. UNHCR succeeded in getting local authorities to improve services in the transitional sites/bunkhouses where IDPs are being hosted while awaiting durable solutions.
An inter-agency task force continually monitors the displacement and resettlement situation in Tacloban, and similar monitoring mechanisms have been established in other areas.
As the Protection Cluster co-lead, UNHCR has worked closely with the government to build protection capacity. The cluster has sustained its support to the government in terms of building the capacities of mandated institutions and their frontline staff to strengthen community preparedness to disasters. UNHCR has now completed its operations and handed over to mandated agencies and development organizations.
In the midst of yet another typhoon season in one of the world’s most natural disaster-prone countries, UNHCR continues to highlight the urgent need for the Philippines to adopt legislation to protect the rights of internally displaced persons. The bill will provide the much needed legislative framework to allow state authorities to protect and assist displaced persons as a result of decades-long conflict.
The passage of this legislation would be very timely as the entire country is welcoming crucial steps in the attainment of sustainable peace in the Southern Philippines which will pave the way for millions of citizens to rebuild their life through local settlement, voluntary return or relocation throughout Mindanao.
Contact Persons:
Marmie Liquigan 09189208765 | [email protected]
Kent Bolisay 09155921568 | [email protected]
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