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Oxfam urges gov’t to hasten relocation of homeless victims of Yolanda

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TACLOBAN CITY – International development organization Oxfam has called on the national government to step up its assistance to local government units in carrying out relocation program for victims of super typhoon Yolanda.

In a briefing paper, Oxfam listed four major recommendations for the national government to fast track in moving displaced families from no dwelling zones to safe areas.
The first recommendation is the issuance of guidelines to local authorities on compensating land or house owners in no-build zones, tenure security in permanent relocation and selection criteria for recipients of permanent housing.

“The Philippine government should provide the necessary financial support through clear and transparent procedures, and backed up with strong accountability  measures – to local authorities to ensure they can complete the relocation process in line with international and national standards,” Oxfam stated. The group emphasized the need to fast track the identification of safe and unsafe zone and production of more detailed geo hazard maps by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau.

The government was also urged to enact laws on national land use policy “to institutionalize coherent land use planning.” The organization warned that delays in relocation would lead to worsening poverty incidence. “Decision makers should prioritize the suitability and sustainability of relocation processes, rather than to rush and risk wasting scarce resources and increasing the poverty of vulnerable groups,” the briefer added.

For local government units, major recommendations include delaying the transfer of families to permanent housing pending the scientific identification of safe dwelling zones, consult with affected communities to develop durable relocation plans, make livelihoods an integral part of relocation planning, ensure robust evacuation centers are available, and updating of local land use plans.

“Livelihood was cited by 49% of people surveyed as the most important criterion for the authorities to consider is site selection. Without effective livelihood opportunities in new areas, people relocated will either stay and poorer and more vulnerable to disasters, or leave,” the briefer explained.
Oxfam found that 81% of survivors were not aware of their rights on permanent relocation. Very few were clueless about relocation plans, and only 7% of respondents reported that they were consulted by a government official. (SARWELL Q.MENIANO)

Leyte village people welcome visits of soldiers, cops

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CARIGARA, Leyte- It has become a common sight in remote villages in Leyte of soldiers and policemen visiting these areas nowadays. And contrary to perceptions, these government troops are in these villages not to hunt a rebel member or of person accused of committing a crime. They are now frequently visiting these remote and far-flung villages in Leyte to help the barangay people gain some degree of literacy and in the process help them eke out a better living from poverty.

“Our goal is to cultivate synergy from stakeholders’ network for the benefit of the communities,’ Lt. James Taguic, commanding officer of the 19th Infantry Battalion based in Kananga, Leyte.

Aside from providing them the basic skills, the visiting soldiers and policemen also inform the village people of the current issues affecting them. Their presence in these villages are welcome by the villagers saying not only they can be assured of a stable peace and order situation on their respective areas but more importantly gain some knowledge and skills to help them improve their living conditions. Barangay chairwoman Aurora Quebec of Caghalo, a remote in Carigara town said: “We should be thankful that this time, the Army and the police are now in our barangay as our partners in implementing peace and order in our barangay.”

She lauded as well the troops for their discipline and for showing genuine peace and development efforts to the people.  Asterio Uribe, 57, a farmer of Brgy San Isidro said they now feel safe with the presence of both soldiers and the police. “We feel safe and we thank the soldiers and the police for their care, compassion and understanding to us residents here in the village. It cannot be matched and we are proud to have them here in our barangay,” he said. (JAZMINE BONIFACIO)

SSS reaches out to over 27,000 workers thru new linkages with coop, NGO

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More than 27,000 workers from Metro Manila and parts of Luzon will benefit from wider access to Social Security System (SSS) services following the pension fund’s accreditation of a non-government organization (NGO) assisting the urban poor and a cooperative for vegetable vendors as partner agents. The SSS signed a servicing partner agent (SPA) agreement with Kasagana-Ka Development Center, Inc. (Kasagana-Ka) to reach out to the NGO’s over 24,000 member-beneficiaries, as well as SPA and collecting partner agent (CPA) agreements with the Baguio Vegetable Retailers Savings and Credit Cooperative (BAVESCO) which to date has more than 3,700 members, within the first half of 2014.

“SPAs can accept SSS membership, loan and funeral benefit applications to help their members file these without going to an SSS office. Meanwhile, CPAs can collect and remit contributions and loan payments of their own members, making active SSS membership easier and more convenient for these workers,” said Judy Frances See, SSS Senior Vice President for Account Management.

The new partnerships with organizations are part of SSS initiatives to provide social protection to millions of workers, especially those from marginalized sectors, and address concerns such as limited access to SSS offices and members’ lack of time and resources to handle SSS transactions on their own.

Kasagana-Ka is a social development NGO that has assisted over 20,000 families, mostly from the urban poor sector. While headquartered in Quezon City, it also has field offices in Metro Manila and neighboring provinces such as Bulacan, Laguna and Cavite. BAVESCO, a duly registered cooperative operating in Baguio and Benguet, provides affordable loans, goods and other services to its vendor-members. It implements an efficient collection system for membership dues and loan amortizations, which the cooperative will also use for the SSS payments of its members.

“SPAs and CPAs are paid a processing fee for every successful SSS transaction, enabling them to earn additional income, and at the same time, advance the welfare of their members by serving as channels for their active SSS membership. These factors further spark the interest of organizations into partnering with SSS,” See noted.
At present, 14 organizations across the country, including Kasagana-Ka and BAVESCO, are now authorized as CPAs, SPAs, or both. Two multi-purpose cooperatives, which have a combined reach of over 17,000 workers in Luzon and Visayas, are awaiting accreditation as both SPA and CPA, she added.

Simbag sa Pag-asenso Inc. (SEDP), a diocese-run organization that caters to socio-economic needs of over 35,000 workers from marginalized households and home-based industries in Southern Bicol and Nothern Samar, has also applied for additional accreditation as CPA. SEDP, an SPA since February 2013, is among SSS’ first partner agents.

Interested organizations can visit the nearest SSS branch, contact the SSS Call Center at 9206446 to 55 or send an email to member_relations@sss.gov.ph for information on how to apply for CPA and SPA accreditation and other SSS queries. (PR)

World Bank to offer $500-M loan to PHL

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TANAUAN, Leyte – World Bank Group (WBG) president Jim Yong Kim announced during his visit here on the submission next month of the $508.25 million Philippine Rural Development Project to its board of executive directors, including fresh aids for areas hit by supertyphoon Yolanda. The proposed loan includes more than $62 million for the livelihood recovery of farmers and fishermen and repair of 230 kilometers of farm-to-market roads in Yolanda-hit areas.

For Eastern Visayas, 18 farm-to-market (FMR) roads are up for upgrading and expansion specifically in the provinces of Eastern Samar, Leyte, Northern Samar, Samar and Southern Leyte. To include projects for Regions 6 and 7, there are 54 farm-to-market roads and bridges that will be funded by the World Bank. “The project is designed to raise rural incomes and boost productivity for farmers and fishermen nationwide,” Kim told reporters in a press conference held at the Tanauan town hall after his visit with storm-hit communities in Leyte on July 14.

“I am here to reaffirm the World Bank Group’s support for the courageous Filipinos who are rebuilding from the ruins of Typhoon Haiyan,” Kim added, referring Yolanda’s international name. “While much more can be done and needs to be done, I am encouraged to see the government, civil society, private sector, and local communities rebuilding access roads, irrigation facilities, shelters and schools for those affected by the disaster,” he added.

The WBG president said that he was impressed with the resilience of typhoon victims. “I am pleased to see communities are making progress recovering from the disaster,” he said. Kim was in the country to see the post-Yolanda recovery process in the Visayas. (SARWELL Q.MENIANO)

Over 2,000 fishermen from East Samar towns avail boat repair project of BFAR

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GUIUAN, Eastern Samar-About 2, 223 fishermen in Guiuan, Mercedes, and Salcedo, all in Eastern Samar, benefited the government’s “AHON Project” of Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR). BFAR, together with its private partners, launched the “AHON Project” that targets 10, 000 boats to be repair within “Yolanda” affected areas particularly Leyte and Eastern Samar. This project comes in three phases.

The phase one of the project is the repair of boats and the giving of materials consisting of plywood, epoxy, nails, and paints to affected fishermen. Along with this phase, each beneficiary receives an incentive of P1, 500 for repairing their boat under the scheme of cash-for-work. The second phase is the replacement of totally damaged boats and gears.

A boat building facility was built at the Guiuan Integrated Terminal for this phase where fiber glass boats are built. BFAR did not set limits regarding the number of beneficiaries for this phase. Pearl farm project leader Sarah Salazar said that only those who were not beneficiaries of the first phase and received boats from non-government organizations are eligible to avail the phase II of the project. The last phase of the “AHON Project” is the provision of support mechanism to improve productivity.

This phase includes deployment of 70 units of payao. The deployment is from towns of Arteche down to Guiuan. Distribution of chest freezers is also a part of this phase where it took place last July 1 during BFAR’s anniversary. (REINALORE GUIMBAOLIBOT)

NDC month in Calbayog highlights recognition of local rescue volunteers

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CALBAYOG CITY-As National Disaster Consciousness Month opens, Calbayog City has lined up activities highlighting recognition of individuals and groups who, without reservation, volunteered themselves in the city’s quick response after Yolanda’s devastation in Tacloban November 8, and lately, in Barangay Binaliw, this city, on June 26. In a simple ceremony held on July 8 at the city hall stage, Mayor Ronaldo P. Aquino led the distribution of certificates of recognition to the barangay rescue volunteers called SALVAR (Saving lives by volunteers and active rescuers) for their valuable and untiring support to the city government of Calbayog through City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO).

SALVAR is known to be ever ready to respond in the rescue, search and relief operations of the city during calamities and disasters. CDRRM head Estanislao Cortado, in his message, stressed that it is everyone’s responsibility to lessen the impact of a hazard or any disaster, and likewise, minimize the loss of lives.

To recall, early morning of June 26 at exactly 3:30 a.m. a tornado hit Barangay Binaliw, 20 kilometers away from the city proper, which resulted to the destruction of 92 houses, rendering 501 residents’ homeless and 8 injured. The tornado also destroyed 8 motorized and 3 non-motorized pump boats. (AIMEE CATALAN/PR)

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