PROGRAMME TITLE: / Melor (Local Name “Nona”)

PROGRAMME LOCATION:

DATES COVERED: 19 December 2015

SITREP NUMBER: 4

SUBMITTED BY: MAYEE ABEAR-MARZAN, Donor Liaison Officer Humanitarian Unit, NASSA/Caritas Philippines

1. SITUATION OVERVIEW

President Benigno Aquino III on Friday 18 December declared a State of National Calamity in the provinces of , Northern , Oriental , and following the devastation caused by Typhoon Nona. The President issued Proclamation No. 1186 “declaring a state of national calamity to hasten the rescue, recovery, relief and rehabilitation efforts in the aftermath of Typhoon Nona.”1 News reports also state Cabanatuan City2 under State of Calamity.

At least 67 villages in Central Luzon experienced heavy flooding although they are not directly on the track of “Melor”. These are the provinces of , and , which were previously affected by (local name: Lando) in October this year.3

As several provinces experience the devastating effects of the Typhoon Nona, a number of areas will still experience moderate to heavy rains brought by the Low Pressure Area (formerly T.D. ”Onyok”) and the tail-end of the cold front. These are CARAGA Region, Central and Eastern Visayas, and the provinces of Misamis Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Davao Oriental, Aurora, and . LPA Onyok is estimated to be currently in the vicinity of Ampatuan, Maguindanao.4

• Key data on affected populations

Regions IV-A, IV-B, V, VII, and VIII are the hardest hit with 165,554 families or 742,991 individuals pre- emptively evacuated. Close to 400,000 individuals are still being served. To date, there are 34 fatalities,

1 http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/548396/news/nation/pnoy-declares-state-of-national-calamity-due-to- nona 2 http://www.mb.com.ph/cabanatuan-city-declares-under-state-of-calamity-due-to-nona/ 3 http://www.mb.com.ph/despite-improved-weather-67-villages-in-c-luzon-remain-flooded/ 4 Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) Weather Advisory No. 1 issued at 11:00 AM, 19 December.

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24 injured, and 5 missing. A total of 166,552 houses were damaged (43,818 total, 122,734 partial). Damage to agriculture and infrastructure is now close to 2 Billion pesos (1,893,728,483.52).5

Monitoring and close coordination with the DSACs provided significant data on the following areas:

Diocese of Romblon - In Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Parish, Magdiwang, Romblon: - 1,352 individuals or 497 families are in evacuation centers - 59 partially damaged houses, 8 totally damaged houses - Damage to agriculture: 101.4 ha, 329 affected farmers - 22 motorized boats damaged, 23 non-motorized boats damaged - 45 affected fishe folks - In St. Jude Thaddeus Parish in Alegria, Corcuera, Romblon: - 1,411 combined figure of totally and partially damaged houses - There are damages to crops - A total of 3,615 families from the parishes in Sibale, Alegria, Corcuera, Carmen, Calatrava, and San Andres need food and shelter assistance Diocese of Sorsogon - PDRRMO data as of December 18, 8:00 AM reports: - 324 affected barangays in 12 municipalities and 1 city - 56,908 families/276,83 individuals affected - 177 injured and 2 fatalities - 43,683 partially damaged houses (P3, 494,640, 000.00) - 23, 940 damaged houses (P2, 872, 800, 000.00) - 59 (P195, 400, 000.00) partially damaged infrastructure - 60 (P360, 450, 000.00) totally damaged infrastructure - P185, 695, 154.96 total worth of damage in agriculture - P41, 098, 590.00 total worth of damage in fisheries - P2,467, 403.00 total worth of damages in livestock Diocese of Masbate - The LGU continues to respond to the affected population through distribution of food packs - The most affected is the Municipality of Monreal - Burias and Ticao (iIslands) are reported to have 4 fatalities - There is power outage and no communication lines for the past days. Power resumed only yesterday - There is a need for shelter materials to supplement the needs especially of the families whose houses are damaged Diocese of Catarman: - Our Rapid Assessment Team (RAT) composed of NASSA/Caritas Philippines and RRU Palo has started their assessment today and will send updates as soon as data are gathered. Apostolic Vicariate of - PDRRMO data as of 18 December 2015 - 55,301 families or 253,331 individuals are affected in the whole province of - 18 fatalities, 278 injured, and 2 missing - 40 barangays affected by flash floods in Calapan City - Our RAT has arrived in Calapan today and will also send latest information.

5 National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council SitRep #13 issued 19 December 2015, 8:00 a.m.

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• Security/political situation

Our RAT composed of staff from the NASSA/Caritas Philippines and the Archdiocese of Palo Relief and Rehabilitation Unit (RRU) enroute to Catarman in yesterday was advised by the Philippines’ Office of the Civil Defense to delay their travel due to an ambush incident. A convoy of four military vehicles were ambushed in the vicinity of Madalunot, Pinabacdao, Samar as they were traversing Maharlika Highway to transport relief goods in areas affected by the typhoon. Two military personnel were wounded.6 As a result, our RAT arrived in the target area yesterday evening only and started with the assessment today.

Meanwhile, the security situation in other affected areas remains generally normal.

2. CARITAS RESPONSE

We at NASSA/Caritas Philippines have deployed a Rapid Assessment Team in the Diocese of Catarman where assessment is currently undertaken. Another team for the Apostolic Vicariate of Calapan is conducting a planning with the Social Action Centre. A third team will be deployed on Monday for the Diocese of Romblon. Our staffs together with CRS have an on-going assessment in the Diocese of Sorsogon. The DSAC is also presently distributing goods from the financial assistance that we provided.

To augment to the relief packs initially distributed by the different dioceses, we have started procuring additional food items. Specifically for Calapan, canned goods from NASSA and food packs from Caritas are now being distributed by the DSAC.

3. COORDINATION

NASSA/Caritas Philippines has expanded its coordination mechanism to involve other local church organizations in the response efforts including the Association of Major Religious Superiors in the Philippines (AMRSP), whose response network is also vast. This is to ensure that all church-led relief activities are harmonized to specially avoid duplication during relief operations.

Meanwhile, NASSA/Caritas Philippines is maintaining partnership with Caritas Manila, Quiapo Church and Radyo Veritas for the on-going distribution of relief packs to Calapan and Romblon.

On the other hand, Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan, UN-OCHA, START Network, Office of the Presidential Communications Group and the Philippine Information Agency continue to receive response updates from NASSA/Caritas Philippines.

4. MEDIA AND COMMUNICATIONS

The Communications Office for Emergency Response of NASSA/Caritas Philippines has been maintaining a system of sending (at least 2 times a day) weather bulletins to its partners, dioceses and the in-country CIMOs through SMS platforms.

Regular updates about the typhoon and the Caritas response are being also provided through electronic mails and its social media sites, while media interviews and press releases are part of the external communications protocol.

6 Ibid.

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5. PLEDGES AND CONTRIBUTIONS

NASSA/Caritas Philippines is supporting the on-going Typhoon Nona relief operation through its Alay Kapwa fund, now amounting to 1.75 million pesos. While CRS already has provided shelter and tool kits, Caritas Manila has been augmenting the relief efforts through provision of relief packs, tarps and a couple of financial assistance to the affected dioceses.

A Solidarity Appeal will be launched by NASSA/Caritas Philippines today to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines to supplement the local funds already being utilized.

6. KEY CONTACTS

Jeanie Curiano NASSA/Caritas Philippines’ Humanitarian Unit MEAL Manager (0906) 306-0952 [email protected]

Jing Rey Henderson NASSA/Caritas Philippines’ Communications Manager (0905) 546-9977 [email protected]

Mayee Abear-Marzan NASSA/Caritas Philippines’ Humanitarian Unit Donor Liaison Officer (+63908) 217-7358 [email protected]

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