IOM is racing to provide emergency shelter for thousands of
families displaced by the deadly tropical storm that hit the
southern Philippines on December 17th.
Tropical storm Washi, known locally as Sendong, sent torrents of
water, mud and logs cascading through villages and two major cities
on the island of Mindanao, destroying nearly 13,000 homes and
displacing some 400,000 people. At least 1,250 people are known to
have died.
Cagayan de Oro and Iligan cities, two of the hardest hit areas,
are now struggling to provide shelter for over 10,000 families in
42 evacuation centres, according to the Philippines Department of
Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
"Right now we are focusing on three main priorities identified
jointly with the DWSD and our partner agencies in the camp
coordination, camp management and emergency shelter clusters," says
IOM Emergency Program Manager Dave Bercasio.

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"http://www.iomdonations.kintera.org/" target="_blank" title=
"">Help Victims of Typhoon Washi in the Philippines
"The first is to identify and provide alternative spaces for
displaced people sheltering in schools, so that classes can resume
in January. The second is to provide emergency shelter materials
for families who are willing and able to return to their home
communities. And the third is to upgrade or repair evacuation
centers that are not equipped to safely accommodate displaced
people."
IOM, which has deployed 30 staff to the area, has now received
US$ 1,000,000 from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF)
and EUR 700,000 from the Humanitarian Aid Department of the
European Commission (ECHO) earmarked for emergency shelter
materials, camp coordination and camp management.
"This disaster has effectively left these people with nothing
and the needs are huge. We are also hoping to receive additional
funding from the United States and other international donors in
the coming days," said IOM Philippines Chief of Mission Ovais
Sarmad, speaking from Cagayan de Oro.
IOM is already distributing emergency shelter and non-food
relief item kits, including plastic sheeting, sleeping mats, jerry
cans and other essential items to families willing and able to
return to their communities from evacuation centres.
At the same time, it has started repair work at the centers,
where camp managers have identified water, sanitation and hygiene
facilities as an urgent priority. It is currently constructing
temporary bathing facilities in Macasandig Covered Courts - one of
the largest evacuation centers in Cagayan de Oro, where 300
families are sheltering.
In the immediate aftermath of the disaster, as the IASC Cluster
lead agency for Camp Coordination and Camp Management in Natural
Disasters, IOM, immediately deployed teams to assess needs in
evacuation centres, displacement sites and other affected
communities.
It also participated in a joint assessment mission with
government line agencies led by the Office of Civil Defense and the
Mindanao Humanitarian Team (MHT).
For more information, please contact:
Dave Bercasio
IOM Mindanao
Tel: +63.908.865.4546
E-mail:
"mailto:dbercasio@iom.int">dbercasio@iom.int