CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, January 20, 2009—In an effort to avert mass starvation, the United Nations and non-government organizations (NGOs) had sent hundreds of tons of food items to several flood-hit areas in Northern Mindanao to help local government officials deal with what a UN official called a “very serious situation.”
The first trench of help from the UN humanitarian relief arm World Food Programme (WFP), mostly rice, have started arriving at the various depot points in Mindanao, particularly in this Northern Mindanao capital city and the neighboring city of Iligan on Tuesday.
This after local government units of the flood-hit areas raised alarm that they can no longer support the displaced victims numbering in the thousands who have sought refuge in various evacuation camps in safer areas.
Responding to the calls for help, various religious groups, private institutions such a radio and television networks and non-government organizations accepted donations in various forms for distribution to the flood victims.
The Balay Mindanaw group of NGOs based in Barangay Bulua have raised at least P1 million to help the flood victims.
The Balay Mindanaw group of NGOs is composed of 6 NGOs such as the Balay Mindanaw Foundation, Inc. (BMFI), Kab-ot Gahum Resource Center for Empowerment Development (RCED), Balay Alternative Legal Advocates for Development in Mindanaw, Inc. (BALAOD-Mindanaw), Balay Davao Foundation, Bangko sa Balay Foundation, and Katilingbanong Pamahandi Foundation, Inc.
Together with the Lutheran World Relief (LWR), it has pooled resources and raised P1 million to assist those displaced by the floods in this city and Misamis Oriental province.
A big television network and a radio network have also mobilize their personnel and volunteer to mitigate the situation, aside from accepting donations of various kinds for the victims.
The Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro has also mobilize its parishes to assist the victims of the massive flooding that hit the city starting on January 3 and then again on January 11 up to the weekend.
In the case of the WFP, the 630 metric tons of rice will distributed, with the help of LGU officials and NGOs in the provinces of Lanao del Norte and Misamis Oriental the cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan, said Patricia Artadi-Facultad of the World Food Programme-Philippines.
Facultad said that initial 630 metric tons of rice will suffice the rice needs for one month of at least 25,000 families displaced by the widespread flood since January 11 due to the tail-end of a cold front.
"WFP fully understands that the situation remains fluid, and we will continue to work closely with government and NGOs on the ground to further assess and adjust our response accordingly," said WFP country director and Philippine representative Stephen Anderson.
The WFP’s assistance was welcomed by local officials here, who were scratching their heads as to where to source the needed food for the families displaced by the flood.
During a briefing on the situation in Misamis Oriental province, Vice Governor Norris Babiera said: "Our problem now is how our people will fare in the coming months. The next planting season is still months away. How will they survive in between those months is our immediate concern."
"Our people can face starvation in the coming months. The post-disaster period is always the most difficult phase for the affected residents," he added.
The floods, the worst that hit Misamis Oriental in history, has destroyed at least P207 million worth of vital infrastructures in the province, the vice governor said.
Babiera enumerated these as 18 bridges, 5 dikes, 7 flood control systems, 5 spillways, 3 water systems and 16 irrigation systems.
And these will go up once all 23 municipalities of the province have submitted their reports to the Provincial Capitol, said Teddy Sabugaa Jr., officer-in-charge of the Misamis Oriental Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council.
“The situation here is very serious. There are so many families affected. The WFP will support the local government in addressing the problem," WFP-Philippines deputy director Alghassim Wurie said after the briefing.
Wurie said the WFP assistance complements the works of NGOs here. (Bong D. Fabe)
