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Philippines

Philippines: Humanitarian Bulletin Issue 10 | November 2018

Attachments

HIGHLIGHTS

• Typhoon Yutu causes flooding and landslides in the northern Philippines, affecting an agricultural region still trying to recover from the devastating impact of Typhoon Mangkhut six weeks earlier.

• As the Government looks to rebuilding Marawi City, there is a need to provide for the residual humanitarian needs of the displaced: food, shelter, health, water & sanitation, education and access to social services.

• In Brief: Assistant SecretaryGeneral for humanitarian affairs Ursula Mueller visits the Philippines from 9-11 October, meeting with IDPs affected by the Marawi conflict and humanitarian partners from the public and private sector.

FIGURES

Typhoon Yutu

# of affected persons in Regions I,II,III, VIII and CAR 257,643

# of displaced persons with host families and in evacuation centres 204,214
(Source: DSWD DROMIC as of 8 November)

Typhoon Mangkhut

# of affected persons in Regions I,II,III, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, NCR and CAR 3,816,989
(Source: National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council as of 6 November)

Marawi Conflict

# of displaced persons 73,266
(Source: Task Force Bangon Marawi and DSWD Region 10 as of 12 October. Figure includes the number of displaced outside of Marawi City and those in transitional shelters in Sagonsongan, Bakwit Village, Angat Buhay, Bahay Pag-asa, Sarimanok 1 and 2)

Typhoon Yutu follows in the destructive path of Typhoon Mankhut

Just a month after Typhoon Mangkhut, the strongest typhoon in the Philippines since Typhoon Haiyan, Typhoon Yutu (locally known as Rosita) entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on 27 October. The typhoon made landfall as a Category-1 storm on 30 October in Dinapigue, Isabela and traversed northern Luzon in a similar path to Typhoon Mankghut. By the afternoon, the typhoon exited the western seaboard province of La Union in the Ilocos region and left the PAR on 31 October.

Affected communities starting to recover from Typhoon Mangkhut were again evacuated and disrupted, with Typhoon Yutu causing damage to agricultural crops, houses and schools due to flooding and landslides. In Kalinga province, two elementary schools were washed out on 30 October as nearby residents tried to retrieve school equipment and classroom chairs. Homes made with lightweight material were damaged, and in many cases completely destroyed. Over 24,000 homes were affected due to Typhoon Yutu, while over 319,000 homes were affected by Typhoon Manhkhut, which made landfall on 15 September as a Category-5 storm. Landslides made roads impassable and remote communities even harder to reach, and delayed rescue teams and the arrival of humanitarian assistance. Local communities of Abra, Cagayan, Ifugao, Isabela and Mountain Province were affected by the repeated displacement.

Compounding the devastating effects of Typhoon Mangkhut

As of 8 November, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRMMC) reports that over 66,000 families (more than 259,000 people) were affected by Typhoon Yutu in over 1,400 barangays in the northern part of Luzon, and over 24,000 homes damaged in Regions I, III, III, VIII, and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR). Over 300 people remain in eight evacuation centres.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that evacuation sites were being closed as internally displaced persons (IDPs) are choosing to relocate to home-based sites. Their homes have been damaged due to flooding and landslides particularly in Ucab, Itogon, where reportedly homes have been wiped out by two-story high mudslides. The Government has identifed many of the IDPs’ places of origin and other nearby areas as danger zones and has since restricted their return for their safety. The repeated displacement and damage to homes highlight the need for a permanent and sustainable solution with evacuation centres closing sooner than expected and families moving to home-based sites.

The NDRRMC has so far confirmed 11 deaths, mostly related to floods and landslides. Media reports state that in Natonin, Mountain Province alone, there are 18 deaths and 12 missing from a landslide that buried a four-storey Department of Public Works and Highways building. The casualties were mostly workers and displaced people who were seeking shelter from the typhoon.
The Mines and Geosciences Bureau head Benigno Espejo stated that communities in Natonin may need to be moved to safer areas, as an estimated 90 per cent of the area was landslide-prone due to soil erosion.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) is reporting that as of 7 November, damage and losses from rice and high value crops now total PhP2.89 billion (US$54 million), affecting over 30,000 farmers and fisherfolk, and more than 111,000 ha of agricultural areas in the affected provinces. The estimated volume of production loss is at 144,465 metric tons. The areas affected include Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, Mountain Province,
Ilocos Sur, Pangasinan, Isabela, Quirino, Aurora and Pampanga. Crops that were not destroyed by the previous typhoon are now damaged due to flooding and strong winds.

While most learners have resumed classes and classrooms are no longer being used as evacuation centres, school facilities have sustained damage and equipment has been destroyed. According to the Education cluster, schools that were damaged during Typhoon Haima in 2016 still haven’t been repaired. The repeated disruption of education will have long term effect on the learner’s development. The Department of Education reports that Typhoon Yutu disrupted education in seven regions by either declaring class suspensions or using schools used as evacuation centres, affecting over 15,000 schools and 8.8 million learners. The province of Isabela, where the Typhoon Yutu made landfall, has the most number of schools, with 60 schools used to shelter nearly 700 families.

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