THE DANISH EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND ALERT NOTE

Section A: Basic information

Organisation: Viva Denmark

Contact person name: Michael Thorlund

Contact person position: Programme Manager

Contact person’s email: [email protected]

Contact person’s tlf: +4520785788

Contact person’s skype michael.thorlund address:

Type of alert:  slow onset humanitarian crisis X rapid onset humanitarian crisis  spike in protracted humanitarian crisis Affected country(-ies):

Affected area(s):

Affected population(s): According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), a total of 797,300 persons are affected by Tembin. Of these, 438,300 have been displaced. Please describe the Through its widespread network of local churches and organisations, Viva nature of your Denmark’s (VD) longstanding partner, Philippine Children Ministries’ organisation’s local Network (PCMN) has a strong presence in the affected areas. PCMN’s presence and capacities previous work includes responding to crisis and disaster, especially in the affected area(s): targeting relief for children and families. Furthermore, VD and PCMN have collaborated on several Danida-funded development interventions involving policy advocacy on child sexual abuse.

PCMN has the experience and organisational capacity to implement relief and recovery programs in the affected areas based on longstanding experience in disaster and emergency relief. In 2009, PCMN conducted a shelter relief in City and de Oro City in response to the Sendong. More recently, they concluded a recovery program in areas affected by the 2013 . In Mindanao, there is an on- going trauma debriefing work among children in , victims of a February earthquake. And PCMN is currently finalizing a DERF-funded intervention in Mindanao in response to the Siege in City (DERF 17-71-M2).

PCMN’s network includes a local Davao-based network comprising 45 organisations. PCMN also partners with the Iligan Ministerial Association (IMA), a network of 50 local churches based in del Sur. Furthermore, partnership is being established with the Lanao Province Ministerial Fellowship (LPMF), a larger network operating at the wider regional level of Lanao.

Page 0 of 4

Please provide a brief (known as Vinta in the Philippines) made landfall on description of the crisis: December 22 in , a province located in the southern Philippines in the in Mindanao. Tembin crossed various provinces across Mindanao causing flash floods and landslides. Severe flooding and landslides were reported in City and in several towns in , , and provinces. (Source: “OCHA SitRep”, December 26-29, 2017). Please indicate whether YES you intend to submit a proposal for funding should the DERF be activated for this crisis

Page 1 of 4

Section B: Rapid onset humanitarian crisis: B.1 Where is the crisis? Describe the areas affected Mindanao, Philippines (see Annex A. Overview of Tembin (Vinta) for further details).

B.2 What is the nature of the crisis? Severe Tropical Storm (STS) Tembin (locally known as Vinta) made landfall in , Davao Oriental, on 22 December and crossed various provinces across northeastern Mindanao and causing flash floods and landslides. On 24 December, STS Tembin intensified into a typhoon and maintained its strength as it exited Philippine territory. Besides from massive internal displacement of the local population, Tembin has left 173 people dead, 176 people missing in addition to 4,020 houses destroyed and 5,090 houses damaged (OCHA Tembin snapshot as of 01.02.2018). There are severe humanitarian needs, including, but not limited to, temporary shelter, housing, food relief and psycho-social interventions for affected families and especially children.

The entire Mindanao island has been under Martial Law since the outbreak of the conflict between an ISIL-affiliated insurgent group seized control of Marawi City seven months ago. As a result of continued instability, the Philippine Congress recently approved (240-27), President Rodrigo Duterte's request to extend military rule on the island until the end of 2018 (www.cnn.com, 13.12.17). Tembin (Vinta) contributes to further destabilization in a region where massive internal displacement has already subjected the local population to distress and worsened existing ethno- religious tensions between local Christian and Muslim population groups. With Tembin (Vinta) many families who fled the armed conflict in Marawi City seven months ago experienced a second upheaval as they are displaced again by the Typhoon. Evacuation centers in Iligan City and Lanao provinces hosting displaced families from Marawi have also suffered damage, affecting living conditions and disrupting livelihoods. Families who have recently returned to Marawi are in a very vulnerable situation due to the successive impacts of armed conflict and natural disaster.

B.3 What information do you have about the situation? What is the source of that information? Tembin has displaced 161.628 families throughout Mindanao (as reported by the Philippine National Disaster Risk Reduction & Management Council (NDRRMC) on Dec. 30, 2018). Rural communities, which are in remote mountainous areas, are the hardest hit. The flashflood and mudslides swept away houses and belongings including learning essentials; caused heavy damage to schools, halls, child development centers, and health centers; damaged water pipelines and water intake boxes; washed out agricultural crops such as corn, coconut, and rice; and instantly killed livestock such as cows, horses, and goats. Flash floods brought by Tembin triggered major needs on child protection, water, sanitation, and hygiene; food security and livelihood; and disaster preparedness at the school and community level. Evacuation centers and temporary shelter is an urgent need which has initially been provided for by government. According to a Rapid Assessment Report, the Typhoon has been especially harmful for children, causing behavioral change, including restlessness and fear (Save the Children, 31.12.2018). and Lanao del Norte where PCMN has been responding to the needs of Marawi IDPs for the past 7 months were not spared. The Lanao del Norte Division Office reported that 33 schools in their area of jurisdiction have been flooded and bore partial damage. Some schools are not yet accessible due to damaged roads and bridges. In Davao City, the city government reported that it has listed 22.911 families situated along the riverside of the Davao river.

Other actors responding and coordinating According to UNOCHA, non-government organizations operational in central Mindanao, including Al-Mujadillah, Community and Family Services International (CFSI), Ecosystems Work for Essential Benefits (EcoWEB), Humanitarian Response Consortium (HRC), and MARADECA were among first responders. In Lanao del Norte, the Provincial Risk Reduction and Management Council coordinates efforts. International humanitarian organizations like the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Save the Children, Plan International and others who are currently responding to the need of the IDPs from the Marawi conflict are also engaged in responding to Tembin. In Davao City, the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Center coordinates relief efforts of all responders. It is observed, however, that there

Page 2 of 4 are no international humanitarian organizations responding to the crisis here. The government responded immediately in setting up evacuation centers whereas local churches and schools have provided temporary shelter for the IDPs. The city government has distributed 3 rounds of food packs and is extending financial cash assistance to some of the affected.

Please insert link(s) and/or attach relevant documentation to the alert email See Annex B. Links and documentation. b.3.1. How could DERF grants make a difference for the crisis affected population? DERF grants would allow local civil society organizations with presence and the required capacity and experience to deliver an effective intervention to the affected population through provision of relief goods, temporary shelters and psycho-social interventions especially to children. Partners envisage a Lifesaving and Stabilizing Intervention as the most optimal solution given the implications for the affected population entailing internal displacement and possible psychological trauma. Rapid disbursement of assistance to the affected families will help them cope with the crisis and increase resilience whereas there will be a need to stabilise and restore living conditions once the situation normalizes. Providing immediate assistance to the severely affected communities would also lessen the risk of families applying negative coping mechanism such as pulling children out of school due to lack of money. It would also reduce the risk of child trafficking, child labor, recruitment of youth to armed groups, or violence against children and women. PCMN can build on their existing humanitarian response to the conflict in Marawi to ensure that children and families have access to protection.

Page 3 of 4