THE CHURCH WORLD SERVICE: EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROGRAM
CWS  EMERGENCY APPEAL: PHILIPPINES (HURRICANE DURIAN)
December 15, 2006


SITUATION:  The Philippines continues to recover from Typhoon Durian --
the November storm caused extensive damage in the central part of the
country and occurred just as the country was recovering from Typhoon
Xangsane in October. Durian has been called the worst natural disaster
in the Philippines since the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in 1991, leaving
more than 1,000 dead. The provinces of Batangas, Quezon, Mindoro
Oriental and Marinduque in the Southern Tagalog region and Camarines Sur
in the Bicol region were badly hit. The typhoon also affected Vietnam.

The Bicol region has sustained the highest rate of total damage and
casualties among the affected areas. Aside from damage caused by heavy
rains and strong winds, the most devastating result of the typhoon were
unexpected and deadly mudflows which engulfed whole villages surrounding
the Mayon Volcano. Because the mudflows were unexpected and moved so
swiftly many families were buried in the mud, while others who managed
to escape had no time to secure any belongings.


CWS RESPONSE: Church World Service is responding by supporting the
efforts of Christian Aid and the National Council of Churches in the
Philippines (NCCP), two CWS partners and fellow members of the Action by
Churches Together (ACT) network.

Work underway includes providing basic emergency relief items such as
food packages, blankets, sleeping mats, mosquito nets, health and
hygiene kits. The crisis phase relief is being followed by a post-crisis
phase with short-term rehabilitation assistance including food-for-work,
housing and livelihood support.


SPECIFICS:

Christian Aid Response:

Christian Aid and its local implementing partners are working in
severely affected barangays (villages) in the towns of Legaspi, Daraga,
Sto. Domingo, Guinobatan and Kamalig.

Their response centers on the provision of emergency relief food,
non-food items, emergency shelter and psychosocial support for 10,000
households.  Specifically: 5,200 households in the most affected
villages of Daraga City (Barangays Busay, Binitayan, Tagas, Matagbac)
and Legaspi City (Barangay Padang) in Albay to be provided with non-
food items (e.g. mosquito nets, mats, blankets, kitchen utensils,
hygiene kits, emergency shelter).

Other parts of the program: Providing 3,300 households in villages that
were affected by the mudflow and flash floods at the foot of Mt. Mayon
(Mabinit, Mataanag, Buyuan, Bunga in Legaspi City and the municipalities
of Tabaco and Sto. Domingo) with food items such as rice, milk, sugar,
mango and corned beef. In addition, 1,000 homeless families in the
municipalities of Legaspi, Daraga, Guinobatan, Kamalig, Sto. Domingo are
being provided with emergency shelter (all-weather, sturdy tents), while
500 of the poorest households in Albay are receiving livelihood and
housing support

In all, the Christian Aid response targets beneficiaries who are the
poorest families with very little means to cope with the loss. These
families made their living as small-scale farmers, laborers (washing
clothes, domestic services, seasonal construction workers), vendors and
drivers. These livelihoods are now disrupted leaving affected families
with no means to sustain their basic needs and to rebuild their lives.

Budget for the Christian Aid program:

Relief Assistance: $367,265, including non-food items, emergency shelter
and food items; $173,469 for rehabilitation assistance; $62,614 for
administrative costs.

National Council of Churches in the Philippines Response:

Having provided immediate relief assistance to some 4,800 families
seriously affected by the typhoon, the NCCP plans to provide relief
assistance to 2,000 families who were not reached during the rapid
response phase, as well as providing agricultural assistance to 500
farmers through distribution of seeds, farm implements, livestock and
poultry.

Also planned is the provision of materials for the repair and
construction of houses for 300 families; provide assistance for the
implementation of five community rehabilitation projects; to provide
venues for the church communities and the affected population to discuss
issues pertaining to potential disasters, disaster preparedness as well
as initiate advocacy and preparedness activities.

Among the assistance being provided to the 2,000 families who were not
reached during the relief phase are: a relief bag containing 8 kilos of
rice, 4 pieces of canned goods, 1 kilo of sugar, =BD liter of cooking oil,
=BD kilo of mung beans, =BD kilo of dried fish and =BC kilo of salt. Other
food items such as supplementary food for children showing signs of
malnutrition, as well as pregnant and lactating mothers will also be
provided. Non-food materials such as sleeping mats, light blankets,
water containers, pails and basins will also be provided to families who
need such items.

In the post-crisis phase, a food-for-work program will be provided to
1,500 families who have no economic resources to start off their
recovery. Through this program, families will have more flexibility to
cover basic necessities such as food for their families, while providing
labor for community activities and farmland rehabilitation. Each family
will be given a food bag for a maximum of seven days work.

As well, agricultural assistance will be provided to at least 500
farmers. Provisions will be made for the distribution of rice, corn and
vegetable seeds as well as farm tools to farmers whose crops and
farmlands were destroyed.

Housing assistance will be provided to at least 300 families who do not
have the means to repair or construct their destroyed/damaged houses.
One hundred families who need relocation will be provided with materials
to construct new houses.  Another 200 families, whose houses were
partially destroyed will be provided with basic materials for the repair
of their houses.

The construction will be conducted through the formation of construction
teams among the family beneficiaries. Basic construction tools will also
be provided to facilitate the construction work. If there is a need for
specialized workers such as master carpenters, provision for daily wages
will also be provided.

BUDGET for NCCP program includes: $30,612 for crisis phase assistance;
$244,944 for post crisis phrase, including food, agriculture aid and
housing assistance; $4,082 for transport; and $26,204 for personnel and
administrative support.


NOTE ON VIETNAM: In Vietnam, Durian killed at least 100 persons and
caused extensive damage in south-central provinces, including Binh
Thuan, Ba Ria Vung Tau, Ben Tre and Vinh Long. Church World Service
Vietnam participated in a joint assessment of affected areas and will be
responding with support to approximately 30-40 of the most vulnerable
families whose homes were destroyed and who will need assistance to
rebuild, said CWS Vietnam Director Joanne Fairley. Special attention,
she added, is being paid to damaged water supply systems and latrines.


For further information about disasters to which Church World Service is
responding please visit www.churchworldservice.org or call the CWS
Hotline, (800) 297-1516.

CWS Emergency Response Program special contacts: (212) 870-3151
Program Director: donnajderr@churchworldservice.org
International: flumeya@churchworldservice.org
Domestic: lreedbrown@churchworldservice.org

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