PHILIPPINES – Although I returned home on December 12th, I quickly got a cold which developed into Bronchitis, not surprising as I guess I overdid it on my trip. So I have been under the weather and did not yet get this blog out about my last stop this year in the Philippines. With the Tacloban World Renew/CRCP office now well established with 7 staff and the Guiuan office well on its way, I felt free to go back to the island of Panay and help establish a World Renew/CRCP office there.

With the Tacloban World Renew/CRCP office now well established with 7 staff and the Guiuan office well on its way,  I felt free to go back to the island of Panay and help establish a World Renew/CRCP office there.

On Sunday, I went again to the Pavia CRC church in the southern city of Iloilo. Established 30 years ago, this church was instrumental in implementing the first distribuiton of relief items in Panay. The church has a very dedicated Disaster Response team who got their feet wet with the 2008 Typhoon Frank, and just resurrected the team.

It was great to attend the morning service and sing praise songs like at home and see the 2nd advent candle lighting. Christmas has not been on my radar at all this whole time. When they took me to lunch, I was in for a shock because it was such juxtaposition from where I had spent the last 3 weeks in Tacloban and Guiuan. Where I had lived in a city of darkness with no electricity yet, and barely any food available, here I was in the food court of a bright, noisy mall with staff dressed in elf suits and Christmas Carols playing everywhere. It was odd to my psyche to be in a place where everyone has access to not just basic items but affluence.

The city of Iloilo is in the south of the island of Panay, 200km from the location where we are responding up in Estancia, and inland so was not affected by Haiyan. It is natural for life to go on here. I was anxious to get up to northern Iloilo where I could help make a difference.

Travelling with me are some of the CRCP Panay Disaster Response team and the incoming International Relief Managers, Harry and Greta Harsevoort, who are giving up Christmas in Canada to work in the Philippines til mid- February. Bless them.

"They were so thrilled because they said World Renew was the fairest, giving relief items to all, not just a few. So often it is only the most vulnerable that are targeted. In this case everyone lost everything, so we covered the whole community."

We went directly to visit the Barangay Captain or village leader of Pa-on, Estancia where World Renew/CRCP served 773 families already with the first emergency distribution. They were so thrilled because they said we were the fairest, giving relief items to all, not just a few. So often it is only the most vulnerable, elderly and woman headed households that are targeted, but in this case everyone lost everything, so we covered the whole community. They related to us again their overwhelming needs for livelihood, shelter, and even water, as their well is contaminated. Although the barangay of Pa-on had no loss of life, 86 dead bodies floated up on shore, so there is much trauma, and they welcome the psychosocial services we plan to provide. Our meeting ended by 5:30pm as it was getting dark as similiar to Leyte and Samar islands far away, there was no electricity yet at the Barangay level. Fortunately, our hotel had a generator. A shower before bed with the fan blowing on your wet hair works when there is no A/C. 

The next morning, we visited the mayor at the municipal hall of Estancia, the next level of coordination. Pa-on is only one of the 25 barangays in this municipality.  It is amazing how available the government makes itself compared to Canada. You don’t have to wait days for an appointment. They are so glad to see you and the help that North America and the World is sending. 

There are many challenges for the mayor. Many of the coastal homes affected by the Typhoon are now in a declared no-build zone and land is Estancia is limited or costly if these families are to be relocated. Also, the affected families are primarily fishermen, and moving them away from the shore is against the norm for their livelihoods. I visited the oil spill as well, being so close to Pa-On.

Concerned over access to fishing if we provide boats again, I asked the mayor about it. He explained there is much fishing on the outer side of the island, not just in the inland bays so we will continue to plan for the rehabilitation of livelihoods.  Much wisdom is needed, so I offered up a prayer on the mayor’s behalf for God to provide the wisdom and stamina to work through this response.

The top level of coordination is with UN OCHA (United Nations Organization for the Coordination of Humanitarian Aid) which we also met with, located in Roxas city, about 1 hour from Estancia.  It is important to register and coordinate so that there is no overlap at the Barangay level. At this level you can get the mapping of the damage island wide. It is significant that there are 241,738 totally damaged houses, and 256,302 partially damaged houses, close  to ½ million in Panay alone, considering Typhoon Yolanda/Haiyan hit other islands as well.

I was very proud to be a Canadian when I met Canada’s Dart team who also sit with OCHA in the provincial governor’s offices. They helped to clear miles and miles of road from the debris and rebuid a lot of infrastructure. One fellow I spoke with was from Woodstock, Ontario, not so far from home. It was a bit of terra firma for me.

There is much to do here. Happily before I left, I was able to confirm Jeff Cosico as Program Manager for Panay. He served with us in Haiti for 3 years following the earthquake of Jan 2010.  We also have an Assistant Program Manager and project coordinator in place, and a bookeeper/Admin assistant, but several other positions to fill. I covet your prayers in the planning and design of such a large response.

I will be back Jan 15th to 30th for my next trip. I am sure to see much improvement. 

Blessings,

Grace Wiebe

Senior Project Manager
World Renew International Disaster Response