More than 12,000 people remain displaced across the typhoon affected areas more than three months after Typhoon Rai’s landfall last 16 December 2022. Over 2.1 million houses were damaged of which 425,000 were completely destroyed and 1,702,428 partially damaged, according to the latest government reports. A total of $56.6 million has been mobilized by international community to date to support Typhoon Rai relief operations – or 33.5 per cent of total funding requirements under the Humanitarian Needs and Priorities (HNP) plan – which resulted in humanitarian agencies implementing over 11,000 multi-sectoral interventions to support the government’s response.
As of February 21, the national government deactivated its national operations center, including national and regional clusters, which shifts coordination to the respective local disaster management agencies and local government units. The Post Disaster Needs Assessment results in all 6 regions and its corresponding recovery plans have yet to be presented to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC). The presentation and approval of the recovery plan will unlock government resources for full blown recovery and rehabilitation of Rai-affected regions and communities.
On 8 April, the Protection and Shelter Clusters met with the Department of Human Settlement and Urban Development (DHSUD) at the technical level to discuss the HCT Advisory on the No-Build-Zone policy in the areas impacted by Typhoon Rai. Both clusters will be invited as resource agencies to the government’s Shelter Cluster meeting to present the advisory and discuss the proposed ways forward.
Tropical Storm Megi/Agaton also struck in early April 2022, across many of the same areas affected by TY Rai/Odette, causing floods and landslides. More than 2,260,000 were affected, particularly in Leyte province. The government confirmed that 212 people died, mostly due to rain-induced landslides, with 132 people still missing. Initial assessment findings of the government indicate that 2,400 houses were destroyed and 14,100 incurred damages, while 28,000 hectares of agricultural land were affected resulting in losses worth US$25 million. Efforts are ongoing to assess the damage particularly in communities still recovering from Odette.
In light of the upcoming national elections on 9 May, the Commission on Election (COMELEC) issued a resolution on the prohibition of any public official or employee to release, disburse or expend public funds, effective 25 March 2022 until 8 May 2022, in accordance with the provision of the Omnibus Election Code. While there is no expressed prohibition on the provision of assistance by the UN organizations, international non-government organizations, and non-government organizations, the HCT released a Guidance Note on Humanitarian Assistance During Election Period.
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