AP Forum Documentation Report Municipality of New , Compostela Province June 28, 2013

I. Introduction

HRC – Oxfam and UN OCHA jointly facilitated the Affected Population Forum as a culminating activity of the duly conducted Community Consultations (during the mid and last week of May 2013) in some of the barangays of the municipality of New Bataan, Compostela Valley Province.

The forum is intended to facilitate meaningful dialogue between the communities and local government where issues and recommended actions are identified and presented. This also is a venue for the LGU to articulate its actions and future plans, other agencies to answer questions and present plans. At the end of the presentations the community can seek clarification and initiate discussions to further impact plans and provide information back to the community regarding government and agency plans.

Participants included 4 to 5 community leaders from the affected barangays; other members of the community as observers and for input into the discussions, Local Chief Executive, MSWDO, MAO, MPDO and other functionaries, NHA XI, DSWD XI, BFAR XI, FAO, IOM, and staff/management of HRC-OXFAM and UN OCHA.

Community participants were selected so as to represent both gender and marginalised sector concerns to ensure cross cutting issues from the community were part of the discussion.

II. Affected Community Issues, Recommendations and LGU responses The community developed its issue and recommendations during the weeks prior to the forum as part of a larger group. This information was shared with the LGU's so as to provide them an opportunity to prepare their discussion points prior to the forum. Part of this process included an orientation on affected population rights to set the stage for the discussion.

ISSUES COMMUNITY RECOMMENDATION LGU PLANS/ACTIONS LIVELIHOOD:  MLGU to seek assistance for the de-silting of rivers  In New Bataan - Livelihood is agricultural and was  Cash assistance for Farm Rehabilitation and and creeks; more debris clearing activities; river destroyed by Typhoon Pablo. Long-term crop like Development (CFW) protection structures project and rehabilitation of coconut (copra) and other mid (Banana) and short  Continuation of debris clearing at the farm site roads and bridges and the reconstruction of term crops (rice, corn, vegetables and fruits). As a (chainsaw for debris clearing) building and other damaged structures result, unemployment and loss of income affects  IGPs for women, farm-workers, youth and elderly  Cash crops assistance, including vegetable the majority of families whose income mostly goes (e.g. Handi-craft making, dress-making, food production, was given to affected families. to basic needs. processing, livestock and poultry raising and  MLGU through its Municipal Agriculture Office others) (MAO) has plans to assist farmers to shift to cacao and coffee production; rubber production; and, coconut.

1 ISSUES COMMUNITY RECOMMENDATION LGU PLANS/ACTIONS  Capital for “sari-sari store”, coco seednuts / seedlings for replanting and pesticides for Brontispa control, rice and corn seeds with farm inputs (fertilizer and pesticides)  Establishment of “Farmers Market” or “Bagsakan” FOOD:  Livelihoods were totally devastated, resulting in  Cash assistance for food of the affected families  Affected families of Andap were given families unable to purchase food and basic  Continuation / extension of food ration until farmers food rations as the MLGU’s only intervention. supplies. can restore back their farms SHELTER:  LGU to request funds for relocation sites to the  In New Bataan majority of houses were damaged national government (NHA/DSWD) by or “Pablo”. Forcing some of the  LGU to clarify relocation sites families migrate to other places for safety and  Implementation of emergency shelter assistance  MLGU identified a 10-hectare land at 5 that survival. Some stayed in Temporary Relocation (ESA) to affected household families. cost P4 million, but MLGU has only P800 Sites (Bunk Houses and Tents) and other On-Site  Provision of additional shelter assistance to affected thousand; barangay has P500 thousand. MLGU is makeshift shelters. Such that, a need to more household families living on-site (lack of materials for relying on the support of the National Housing shelter support and assistance house repairs). Authority (NHA).  Uncertain relocation sites for reasons of MGB  Replacement of Tents / roofing with G.I. sheets or  Habitat for Humanity will extend assistance shelter certification and insufficient LGU funds Nipa roof / “Pawod” kit for 300 families, of which 200 will go to Andap..  Dilapidated tents of the temporary shelters, affecting the health condition of TRS residents WaSH:  In New Bataan most of water sources were damaged (water intakes and hosepipe connections). Resulting to: . Insufficiency of water supply  Rehabilitation and reconstruction of water intakes . Water contamination, not suitable for and hosepipe connections household consumption  Continuation of training on Water Quality Monitoring . Inaccessibility of water sources, for the barangays. especially to elderly HEALTH:  Devastated health facilities, contributed to  Improvement of delivery of health services, through: worsening health service delivery, resulting to:  additional fund allocation for purchase of medicines . Insufficient supply of medicines, and vitamins for children, nursing mothers and especially for the children, nursing elderly mothers and elderly  Additional budget for BHWs’ honorarium . Diminishing health personnel (BHW /  Repair / reconstruction of the damaged health  Six (6) day care centres located in the , 2 ISSUES COMMUNITY RECOMMENDATION LGU PLANS/ACTIONS Community Health Volunteers) centers / facilities Manurigao, Kagan, among others are planned for reconstruction. EDUCATION:  Damaged school buildings / facilities greatly  Provision of scholarship grants for the affected  MLGU will try its best to link with schools offering affected, especially the elementary and high families scholarships for college and other technical school.  Reconstruction and repair of school buildings / education such as TESDA.  Increased number of school drop-outs, from facilities  The Mayor immediately addressed the financial college, high school and elementary, as a result of  Additional allocation for para-teachers and day needs of a high school drop-out to go back to economic / livelihood destruction and care centers school. displacement.  Construction and repair of the Day Care Centers  The MLGU offers education assistance under its “Sulong Tulong Program” for the out-of-school youth willing to go back to school.  DSWD has education assistance for members of the 4Ps program. INDIGENOUS PEOPLES:

No road access to hinterlands:  Preventing farmers to till their farm-lands for  Construction of access road / farm to market roads upland rice, vegetables, fruits and other cash crops in the hinterland production.  Difficulty in mobility, especially in time of emergency.

III. Gaps and Agreements: In the course of the open forum dialogue between the community and the LGU, gaps and recommendations were detailed. The following table will form the basis of holding responsible agencies and communities accountable over the next period.

Gaps Action Point Responsible Agency  There is a need to formulate recovery plan  Review / Assess needs and gaps from the communities for the MLGU / BDC / Communities formulation of the recovery  No clear area for resettlement site  Identify sites for land development (resettlement site) MLGU / BLGU / Communities  Land banking for future relocation sites  Insufficient resources for relocation sites, permanent shelter  MLGU to link with the PLGU, NGAs and funding agencies for MLGU / DSWD / NHA / DA and replacement of tents the implementation of recovery program  There is a need to include sectoral representatives in the  Creation of a Barangay Composite Team to include MLGU selection/validation of beneficiaries at the barangay level. representatives from the community. MSWD / DSWD  The need to inform/promote government and non-government  Reactivation of the Barangay Development Council and ensure MLGU / Municipal Information 3 Gaps Action Point Responsible Agency programs, policies, procedures, requirements, etc. that regular consultations are conducted with the communities. Office MLGO / Barangay Development Council  There is a need to replace damage tents (immediate)  Conduct inventory of households that need replacement of MSWDO/DSWD tents. Communities

IV. Next Steps

This documentation will be disseminated to the community members that attended, LGU's and other agencies to provide a frame of reference for monitoring and evaluation. This monitoring will be done by members of HRC-Oxfam and other agencies.

The forum highlighted to the LGU's the real concerns and misunderstandings that the communities have about the ongoing response. It also showed to the community the real difficulties faced by the LGU mobilizing resources and coordinating with other levels of government. This venue provided both sides of the partnership a deeper understanding and shows the need for community/government dialogue to continue.

The very real needs of the communities and the LGU's also will be transmitted to other layers of government using this documentation as a basis for prioritising resources and capacity for the development and implementation of an overall economic/infrastructure/social service recovery plan.

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