Communication with Communities Needs: Communities in the typhoon Hagupit affected areas need consistent access to information on typhoon updates, early warning advisories on the possible impacts of the typhoon and storm surge, preparedness and response plans of the government and humanitarian agencies, location and status of the identified evacuation centers and initial impacts of the typhoon to areas hit by the typhoon as of yesterday afternoon. Response:  The Philippine CwC-AAP Community of Practice (CwC/AAP CoP), the preparedness wing of CwC network based in Manila, pre-positioned sets of response team to provide additional coordinated mechanism support to the field level working groups in Regions 6, 7 and 8 once the typhoon hits the country. Various assessment, situation report, community feedback and closing the communication loop tools or templates were shared to CoP. These include the first 72-hours multi-agencies rapid needs assessments and the Rapid Information Communication and Accountability Assessment (RICAA), CwC sitrep, community feedback form (CFF) and CwC/AAP closing the loop form.

 In support to the CwC-AAP working groups (WG) in Eastern Visayas, the Peace and Conflict Journalism Network (PECOJON) and Radyo Abante distributed 6, 000 copies of information bulletin and newsletter (containing family preparedness messages translated in Hiligaynon, Tagalog and Waray Waray) and provided series of public service announcements (PSAs) to various affected municipalities in Samar, Leyte, Eastern Samar and Roxas.

 The CwC-AAP WG conducted series of community consultations and provided hotline numbers for feedback to various evacuation centers. Feedback gathered from affected communities highlighted fear on the similar impacts of Hagupit to Haiyan, confusion on the early warning advisories coming from the government, issues about rampant panic buying, barangay officials seeking food assistance in the evacuation centers.

 In support to the CwC/AAP-WG frontline SMS messaging to the affected communities, the Mercy Corps Philippine offered its text blast services to at least 25, 000 beneficiaries in Leyte, Eastern Samar and Northern Cebu. Both Care Philippines and IOM, in separate areas, distributed disaster risk reduction information materials (particularly on storm surge, emergency kits and steps on how to protect houses from potential damages on the house). IOM is also coordinating with the local government unit (LGU) of Ormoc to ensure that communication protocols are still in place enabling the LGU to address communication needs of those affected communities. Care, on the other hand, activated its seven local emergency teams (working with local NGOs) in regions 6 and 8.

 The Digital Humanitarian Network (DHN) was activated with support from hundreds of Standby Task Force Volunteers (SBTFV) across the globe, the Rappler team, and some volunteers in the Philippines. DHN will gather information from the social media data (Twitter, Facebook, Storify and Instagram). It is expected to capture three phases in the next 72 hours. Phase 1: immediate infrastructure and population displacement for the first 48 hours; Phase 2: urgent needs of the affected communities before and after 48 hours; and lastly, Phase 3: overall humanitarian aid days after the typhoon.

 Emergency radio equipment facilities and more than 1, 000 solar powered radio sets (from FEBC Philippines and Hands On Volunteers) are pre-positioned in Manila and Cebu City. In the same way, the Philippine Amateur Radio Association (national association for the amateur radio service in the Philippines) has activated its amateur or Ham radio for emergency response across Central, Eastern and Western Visayas.

 Eight local media networks across Guiuan, Borongan, Samar, Leyte, Cebu, Bacolod, Panay and Manila were activated by the Peace and Conflict Journalism Network Philippines. The said network includes local non- government organizations and faith-based groups.

 Rappler set up a satellite operation at the Office of Civil Defense to continue monitor the impacts of the typhoon and ongoing deployments in various affected areas using the social media. The “Batingaw” (Filipino word for siren or alarm) mobile applications software developed by SMART has been utilized by the NDRRMC for disaster preparedness awareness texts blasts since Tuesday.

 SMART telecom’s information board SMS broadcast system is being utilized for alerts as early as Tuesday by various government agencies (like the Department of Science and Technology, PAGASA, Philippine

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Information Agency and the Office of the Civil Defense) and local government units (such as Albay, Cebu and Southern Leyte). In partnership with the Vodafone Foundation, SMART has also pre-positioned instant network equipment (suitcase type cell site and backpack cell site); while its engineers and operators have been readied for immediate deployment to restore possible damages to various cell sites.

 Hands On volunteers and IOM has deployed surveillance/assessment team to conduct initial assessment on the impacts of the typhoon and assess the conditions of various evacuation centers. While Caritas International member organizations (CRS, CordAid, and CAFOD) have lent their satellite phones to affected dioceses and provinces

Gaps & Constraints:

 There are no reports yet as to the damages on telecom cell sites and various media infrastructures (monitoring is ongoing and information will be provided as the information/updates come in).

 Cell phone signals are now affected in some areas in Samar.

 Unlike other active local radio stations across Eastern Visayas, Radyo Abante (humanitarian radio station funded by humanitarian agencies) had to close operations temporarily (for the duration of the storm) and will be back after the storm.

 Should transportation lines be badly damaged, transporting staff and equipment to various agencies will be difficult.

 There's a need to identify a secure if not all weather type location for setting up of various radio facilities as well as safekeeping of solar radio sets.

 Access to fuel for generator should be maintained to be able to run broadcast equipment daily.

For additional information and queries, please contact: Gil Francis G. Arevalo, Communications with Communities Officer, OCHA, Manila, [email protected], +63 917-515-3539 Catherine Alcaraz, Communications with Communities Officer, OCHA, Tacloban, [email protected], +63 917-554-6155

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