Ondoy) Situation Report No

Philippines • Tropical Storm Ketsana (Ondoy) Situation Report No. 3 1 October 2009

This report was issued by OCHA New York based on inputs from the OCHA Regional Office for Asia Pacific (ROAP) and OCHA Philippines. It covers the period from 29 September to 1 October 2009. The next report will be issued on 2 October.

For a full National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) report on the Government response, please visit www.ndcc.gov.ph

I. HIGHLIGHTS/KEY PRIORITIES • According to the latest National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) figures, 277 people are confirmed dead and 42 people remain missing. An estimated 2,075 houses were destroyed by the storm and floods and 2,569 houses were partially damaged. • Tropical Storm Ketsana affected more than 2,506,845 people (512,092 households). A total of 686,699 people (135,471 households) reside in 726 evacuation shelters, as of 1 October at 0600 hours local time. • Assistance from the Government and from national and international sources amounts to almost US$ 497,000 (PHP 23,457,866.30), according to NDCC as of 1 October. • NDCC and the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Country Team conducted a joint rapid needs assessment in the affected areas. Preliminary results of this assessment were released on 30 September. Priorities needs are water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH); food; non-food items (NFI); health; protection; and education. Cluster detailed assessments underway. • Typhoon Parma (local name ‘Pepeng’) is intensifying and is forecast to skirt the east coast of Luzon on 4 October as a Category 5 ‘Super Typhoon’ with potential to bring further rains and high winds to Luzon and further exacerbate the ongoing situation and response.

II. Situation Overview

At 11 a.m. local time on 26 September 2009, tropical storm Ketsana (known locally as Ondoy) brought heavy rains that caused flooding in the capital city of Manila, the Cordillera Autonomous Region (CAR) and 25 provinces in the northern island of Luzon. An estimated 45cm of rain fell in 24 hours. This is equivalent to a typical month's rainfall in the monsoon season. The result was six-meter-high flood waters in parts of Manila. Towns east of Manila were submerged, with landslides in other parts of Luzon. Floods damaged much of Manila’s health infrastructure and electricity was disconnected in large parts of the city. This is the fourth severe weather-related incident in September 2009.

Water levels in Pasig City were rising yesterday despite no rainfall, and continue to rise today, raising concerns of further flooding.

Latest NDCC figures, as of 6 a.m. local time on 1 October 2009. (Disaggregated data available in-country and will be provided on 2 October). Deaths Missing Injured Affected population Number of people Number of Number of in evacuation evacuation centres people with host centres families

277 42 5 2,506,845 686,699 people 726 (Last figure: 346,581; no update available.)

The mission of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is to mobilize and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors.

Several other storm systems in the Pacific could impact the Philippines. According to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center, the closest of these storms - Typhoon Parma (local name ‘Pepeng’) - has intensified and is forecast to skirt the eastern coastline of Luzon by the morning of 4 October. At that time, it is expected to have intensified into a Category 5 ‘Super Typhoon’, the highest intensity rating possible, with sustained wind speeds of 125 knots and gusts up to 150 knots. If it maintains its forecast track the typhoon will bring further rainfall and damaging winds to areas already suffering from tropical storm Ketsana (‘Ondoy’). Two other storms, Tropical Depression Eighteen and Category 1 Typhoon Melor, are being monitored.

Typhoon Parma (‘Pepeng’)

Graphic: Tropical Storm Risk (www.tropicalstormrisk.com)

III. Humanitarian Needs and Response

Needs Assessments and Priorities NDCC is reporting widespread problems with targeting of distributions, with adequate assistance not reaching people outside evacuation centres. Additional distribution points are needed to reach those outside of centres but whose homes are still flooded. Priority areas for distribution include Taytay and Cainta in Rizal province, and Pasig City and Pateros Municipality in Metro Manila, although other areas are yet to be assessed.

On 28-29 September, a joint Government – IASC Philippines assessment team conducted an assessment of the worst flood-affected areas in the Central National Region (Metro Manila) and Region IV. The Assessment Teams identified the priority need as drinking water distribution at all points of displacement and in flood- affected areas, including restoration of water services and water quality testing following risk of flood water contamination. Other priority needs include immediate food and essential non-food item distribution to both the evacuation centres and homes of flood-affected households. Establishing or strengthening of Camp Management/ Coordination Services, with particular attention to sanitation and protection concerns in the evacuation centres. Logistical constraints and access to some flood-affected areas remains a challenge, in particular for Tuguig City in Manila. Access to health care in some of the worst affected areas was also highlighted as a concern. There is a need to re-vamp health and hygiene campaigns throughout the typhoon affected areas. The restoration of schools being used as evacuation centres and the provision of education to displaced children are also priorities. There is also a need for distribution management to ensure relief reaches affected and vulnerable populations outside evacuation centres and distribution points. A plan of action is also needed for resettlement of displaced unable to return to their origin.

According to Philippines National Red Cross (PNRC) the main needs identified include shelter, water, food and essential household items, and materials for cleaning and setting up immediate shelter structures for

families. Sanitation facilities at the evacuation shelters are insufficient to cope with the volume of people, and the PNRC and others are working on a plan to provide the necessary support.

Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Humanitarian Needs: Priorities are restoring water services, establishing water quality, and providing potable water and water containers.

Humanitarian Response: Habitat for Humanity proposes to construct toilets in at least ten evacuation centres. Each evacuation centre will have three sets or a total of 12 cubicle/toilets. Habitat for Humanity also proposes to provide water purifiers for clean drinking water.

Food Security Humanitarian Response: An Immediate Response Emergency Operation was approved by WFP that enables $500,000 immediately available for the purchase of 742 MT of rice from the National Food Authority. An estimated 540 MT will be dispatched on 1 October. At the same time, WFP is approving another Emergency Operation for a total of $20 million that will provide food assistance to one million persons for three months. This will involve general food distribution of rice, beans, and oil, as well as High Energy Biscuits as a supplementary feeding activity for the flood-affected population.

Next Steps: UNICEF has been requested by the Government to provide food assistance to 6 to 24 month old children who face nutritional threats due to displacement caused by the tropical storm.

Nutrition Humanitarian Needs: Breastfeeding support to protect children from diarrhoea and displacement of breast milk is a huge gap.

Humanitarian Response: Relevant agencies and the Department of Health (DoH) are in the process of creating a network to support breastfeeding mothers and assist DoH to set in place a system to monitor controlled distribution of breast milk substitutes (BMS). BMS should be distributed under controlled conditions to mothers who have chosen to exclusively feed their infants formula. UNICEF is working with DoH, NYHQ and supply division to provide alternative option to donation of BMS offered by the infant formula companies.

Gaps and constraints: Indiscriminate donation and distribution of BMS and milk powder to be monitored and controlled. The health work-force that is needed to assist in the affected areas has also been affected by the emergency, thus reducing or slowing down the response rate.

Child Protection Humanitarian Needs: Immediate needs in registering missing, unaccompanied and separated children. There are growing concerns on the impact of street and working children with some reported missing and many with further health complications. The impact on the psychosocial well-being of children affected is evident with increased anger and violence within affected areas. There is increased vulnerability to trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) particularly in the urban areas.

Humanitarian Response: The Child Protection Sub-Cluster, supported by UNICEF and partners, mobilized over 300 volunteers of which 198 are trained in delivering psychosocial activities especially structured recreation and play. These activities are being conducted daily with affected children across at least twenty evacuation camps. This number will significantly increase over the coming week. UNICEF in partnership with NGOs and DSWD reports that rapid registration of unaccompanied and separated children is on-going with numbers still to be confirmed. Community Educators trained on trafficking and CSEC prevention currently mobilized by UNICEF and partners.

Gaps and constraints: Urgent need to set up a database for missing, unaccompanied and/or separated children; supplies for recreation and play activities; lack of trained volunteers given the size of the emergency; 1,200 volunteers are needed.

Education Humanitarian Needs: Seven regions reported a total of 263 damaged schools. Most schools damaged in National Capital Region (106), Region III (41) and Region IV-A (42) (Department of Education Report, 29 September, 6 p.m.). The Department of Education also reported 226 schools used as evacuation centres, 129 of which is in the National Capital Region (NCR) while 74 is in Region IV-A. Based on rough estimates, 415,000 children may have been affected. In NCR alone, 182,800 children may have been affected, which requires further assessment. As school buildings were used as evacuation centres, children—both displaced and regular students—do not have areas and services for continuous learning. Children lost their school materials. Schools have lost many of their teaching materials, equipment, and many schools remain flooded or heavily silted, including ten schools in Rizal Province. Many schools also have damaged water and sanitation facilities.

Humanitarian Response: Cluster members still doing assessments and consolidation in several areas: Caloocan, Parañaque, Marikina, Taguig, Pateros, Pasig, San Mateo (Rizal Province), Tanay (Rizal), Montalban (Rizal), Cainta (Rizal), Antipolo City (Rizal). World Vision, Plan International, Save the Children and UNICEF are already consolidating and/or seeking funds for immediate setting up of child-friendly spaces / temporary learning spaces for children in evacuation centres.

Gaps and constraints: The current situation significantly affects children as many are used to attending school. This, coupled with the distressing environment in evacuation centres, negatively affects children’s psychosocial environment. Emergency education services are to start next week. The cluster needs more funding and human resources to implement key activities. Should the Department of Education resume classes next week, many schools could not yet function well due to the loss of materials, damaged classrooms, damaged WASH facilities, silted/flooded grounds and probable unavailability of affected teachers.

Emergency Shelter and NFIs Humanitarian Needs: Identification of alternative evacuation centres and in-depth assessment of shelter needs for the period after the initial emergency response is needed. According to PNRC the main needs identified include shelter, water, food and essential household items, and materials for cleaning and setting up immediate shelter structures for families. Sanitation facilities at the evacuation shelters are insufficient to cope with the volume of people, and the PNRC and others are working on a plan to provide the necessary support. While clean water supply is available, there is still a need for water distribution and collection means.

Humanitarian Response: Tarpaulins and other NFIs were provided to the DSWD by various organizations. PNRC set up 165 evacuation centres to house up to 32,434 families. Habitat for Humanity proposes repairing about 10,000 houses, targeting the poorest 30 percent of flood-affected families.

Gaps and constraints: Detailed assessments are needed. An estimated 75,000 of the most vulnerable families that cannot return to their homes need emergency shelter support; and an estimated 30,000 most vulnerable families that will return to their homes need a return package to help them recover from the damage. An estimated 2,000 most vulnerable families need support to rebuild their destroyed houses and an estimated 1,000 most vulnerable families need help to repair their damaged houses. There are 120 evacuation centres that need rehabilitation support.

Emergency Telecommunications Brief Summary: Humanitarian assistance in affected region continues. The Emergency Telecommunications Cluster continues to provide technical support to the humanitarian community in Manila and in Region IV-A.

Key Challenges and Gaps: Cellular coverage in region 4A remains congested at times, however rapid improvements are being reported. Internet services are yet to be re-established in some areas- ISP’s re- establishing themselves however EDGE/3G is coming back online. Metro Manila VHF repeater coverage is limited. Wide-area repeater coverage is also limited (region IV-A).

Next Steps: Assessments are on-going. Continue liaison with NDCC to identify call-centre requirements for potential Telecom Sans Frontiers deployments with assessments on-going in this regard.

Agriculture Humanitarian Needs: Emergency supply of agricultural inputs (seeds, fertilizers, tools, poultry, small animals, livestock and fishing equipment, among others). Immediate resumption of farming and agriculture- based livelihoods activities in affected areas.

Humanitarian Response: Department of Agriculture about to initiate rehabilitation measures. Limited response to date; the Agriculture Cluster to meet on 7 October 2009.

Gaps and constraints: Need for detailed assessment of damages to agriculture, livestock and fisheries, and number of affected farmer households.

Logistics Humanitarian response: The WFP-led Logistics Cluster Support Cell dispatched two people to lead the Logistics Cluster, one staff from WFP Aviation section, and one staff from RedR Australia. More staff are on the way to help with coordination and information management. WFP began the process to approve two Special Operations (SO) in order to assist in the Logistics response. The first SO will focus on Logistics and Telecommunication cluster coordination and activities. Included are provision for generators, trucking, warehousing, and Global Information System, and cargo tracking. The second SO aims to provide three helicopters for a one month period to help with assessments, passenger movement to the affected areas, and cargo delivery to remote cut off locations. Emergency import procedures were being determined between Customs, DHL and Logistic Cluster. DHL Disaster Response team arrived in country on 30 September. MSF activated two mobile health clinics, one to Montalban in Rizal, Balawag in Bulakan. Yesterday a mobile clinic was sent to Tanay and Montalban. MSF also conducted aerial assessments.

Gaps and Constraints: Sourcing of three helicopters in process. Request for procurement of four generators 100 Kva to support four provincial hospitals that have limited power supplies;

Next Steps: First Logistic Cluster meeting called for by General Robanza at NDCC, tentatively scheduled for Saturday 03 October 09.30hrs at the NNDC office.

IV. Coordination

The communication hub at the NDCC Operations Center is operational and staffed with personnel from OCHA, Telecom Sans Frontiers, MapAction, WFP Logistics and emergency-telecommunications personnel.

An UNDAC team arrived in-country and had an initial briefing with the Resident Coordinator to establish tasks and responsibilities. The team leader also met with General Rabonza of the NDCC, while two members supported an Oxfam assessment in Laguna.

A section on the UN Country Team website (www.un.org.ph) dedicated to the response is under development and will be available on 2 October. It will be available to clusters to consolidate key documents such as reports, assessments and activities as well as inter-cluster coordination products such as meeting schedules, maps and contact lists. The focal point for the site is Eio Avena ([email protected]).

The information management and mapping team based out of the NDCC are finalizing a series of products to establish a common operating picture of the affected area. Initial products include: a standardised gazetteer of regions, provinces and municipalities / cities; baseline population estimates derived from the 2007 census; disaggregated affected population data (persons and families) based on current NDCC reports; injuries and deaths; housing damage; and the location and population of evacuation centres. These are intended to provide access to a set of common data to ensure all response actors are working from a common operating picture of the disaster and will be regularly updated. The latest versions of the data will be posted on the www.un.org.ph website as soon as it is operational and in the meantime can be obtained from John Marinos, OCHA IM Officer, at [email protected].

Following an assessment of the storm’s impact on telecommunications, Telecoms Sans Frontieres reported partial damage to landlines and mobile networks, with a corresponding deterioration in voice services in some areas (though SMS is reliable). Local phone providers are offering free national phones calls for people

affected by the floods offices through local offices of the Disaster Coordinating Council (LDCCs). TSF are planning an assessment of communications in the NDCC’s Advanced Command Posts.

The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and the UNITAR Operations Satellite Application Programme produced a map from a satellite image of flood-affected areas in the Metro Manila region and Rizal Province, in collaboration with the International Charter Space and Major Disasters. The maps are based on change-detection methods using RADARSAT-2 data acquired over the area on 28 September and using ESRI data from 2007. The map can be downloaded from the link below. It is also available on the Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System: http://www.unosat.org/asp/prod_free.asp?id=46 (the flood assessment is a preliminary analysis and has not yet been validated in the field).

V. Funding/Flash Appeal

On 30 September, the UN Resident Coordinator and Heads of agencies for the key IASC clusters met with NDCC, the Department of Social Welfare and Development, and the Department of Health at the NDCC Operations Center to consult on the scope and management of the Flash Appeal.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has pledged $3 million in support of emergency relief efforts. These funds will be used to provide clean water, health services, medical supplies and other essential emergency items to vulnerable families in need of assistance.

The Government of Australia has pledged an initial $870,000 (AU$ 1 million) in support of the emergency response and stands ready to provide further support once identified by the Government.

The Spanish Government has made a cargo plane available to transport shelter and NFIs that will leave Madrid this Friday. This service and the goods it delivers equal the cost of $727,000 (EUR 500,000). Through an agreement with the Red Cross, Spain is giving $363,000 (EUR 250,000) for hygiene kits. Another $218,000 (EUR150,000) will be used through Action Against Hunger for the provision of drinking water. The Spanish Agency for Development Cooperation has also allocated $218,000 (EUR 150,000) to buy local food.

USAID/OFDA provided $100,000 through USAID Philippines to the Philippines National Red Cross Society (PNRC) for the local purchase and delivery of emergency relief supplies. Funding also will support cleanup efforts focused in the Manila metropolitan area. On 30 September, USAID/OFDA allocated $1 million for emergency grants to PNRC and other humanitarian organizations, to be awarded based on forthcoming assessments.

All humanitarian partners, including donors and recipient agencies, are encouraged to inform the Financial Tracking Service of cash and in-kind contributions by sending an email to: [email protected]

VI. Contact

Manila: Ann Kristin Brunborg Manila : Robert MacTavish Mindanao: Matthew Serventy Humanitarian Affairs Officer Humanitarian Affairs Associate Humanitarian Affairs Officer UN Coordination Office Manila UN Coordination Office Manila UN Coordination Office Cotabato Tel: +63 2 901 0265 Tel : +63 2 901 0200 ext 238 Mobile: +63 917 5878179 Mobile: +63 917 513 9924 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]

IASC Inter‐Agency Coordination at the NDCC Operations Center Agnes Palacio, OCHA Nacional Disaster Response Advisor: +639178043321

UNDAC Team Leader Sebastian Rhodes Stampa, [email protected]

Cluster Leads Contacts The Government Lead Focal Points for this response are:

WASH, Health, Nutrition, Psychosocial Dr Banatin (Department of Health) 0917845481, 7405030, 7111001, [email protected]

Shelter, NFIs, CCCM, Protection, Food Asec. Wilma Cabrera (DSWD) 09189345625

Logistics/emergency telecommunications General Glenn Rabonza, 912 2424/912 3044 (OCD/NDCC Operations Center)

Key IASC Cluster Lead focal points

Health: Dr Gerardo P. Medina (WHO) +639189456573 [email protected]

WASH, Child Protection, Nutrition, Education: Fergus McBean (UNICEF) +639178607445

Camp Management/NFIs/Shelter: Ida Mae Fernandez (IOM) +639178465240

Food: Kyungnan Park (WFP) +639178293175

Emergency telecommunications: John Bursa (WFP) +63 917 595 2450

Please contact OCHA: Bangkok: Mr.Terje Skavdal, Head of Office, OCHA Regional Office for Asia Pacific [email protected] New York: Ms. Pia Hussein, Associate Humanitarian Affairs Officer, OCHA New York [email protected] Geneva: Mr. Anvar Munavvarov, Humanitarian Affairs Officer, OCHA Geneva [email protected]