Typhoon Bopha Affected Population Forums Report by HRC - Oxfam and OCHA

I. Introduction

HRC – Oxfam and UN OCHA jointly facilitated the Affected Population Forum as a culminating activity of the duly conducted Community Consultations (during the mid and last week of May 2013) in some of the barangays of the municipality of New Bataan, Compostela Valley Province.

The forum is intended to facilitate meaningful dialogue between the communities and local government where issues and recommended actions are identified and presented. This also is a venue for the LGU to articulate its actions and future plans, other agencies to answer questions and present plans. At the end of the presentations the community can seek clarification and initiate discussions to further impact plans and provide information back to the community regarding government and agency plans.

Participants included 4 to 5 community leaders from the affected barangays; other members of the community as observers and for input into the discussions, Local Chief Executive, MSWDO, MAO, MPDO and other functionaries, NHA XI, DSWD XI, BFAR XI, FAO, IOM, and staff/management of HRC-OXFAM and UN OCHA.

Community participants were selected so as to represent both gender and marginalised sector concerns to ensure cross cutting issues from the community were part of the discussion.