By BALSA Mindanao Alang sa Kabisay-an
Dear Friends and Partners,
Two months after Yolanda (Haiyan)— the world’s strongest typhoon– hit the Visayas on 8 November 2013, the humanitarian needs of survivors remains tremendous and urgent.
The number of dead and missing are nearing the 10,000 mark, as originally projected by the local authorities, making Yolanda the country’s worst-ever calamity in terms of human toll, damage to agriculture and the environment, and adverse impact on the overall economy.
The statistics remain staggering: more than 16 million are affected, more than 4 million have been displaced, there are 1,316 evacuation centers, about 95,270 pregnant and 190,540 lactating women need specialized services, and 2.5 million people need food assistance (UN OCHA Situation Report No. 85/January 7, 2014).
Balsa Mindanao continues its call for people’s mobilization for disaster response to heed the urgent needs of our fellow Filipinos in the Visayas. We have launched relief, medical, and psycho-social intervention services since November and December which benefited a total of 30,000 families.
The 2nd Wave Relief Outreach will be conducted by regions in Mindanao going to Leyte via Lipata, Surigao City, with the following schedules:
January 20-25
Balsa Mindanao Secretariat with Balsa Western Mindanao and Sisters’ Association in Mindanao (SAMIN)
January 27-31
Balsa Northern Mindanao
February 1st Week
Balsa Southern Mindanao with Balsa SOCSKSARGEN
February (to be announced)
Balsa Caraga
The situation in the areas is transitioning from the relief phase into the humanitarian phase (even as the first phase—retrieval of bodies—is still being undertaken by the government until now).
For our 2nd wave mission, we are partnering with specific communities in Leyte province, helping them with organizing and empowerment through livelihood projects, health campaigns, food production, sustainable agriculture, and reforestation through an initial period of 6 months. We are hoping to benefit another 30,000 families for the 2nd Wave Relief Outreach.
We are making an appeal to all individuals and organizations to intensify our support to Typhoon Yolanda Survivors as they now make firmer steps towards rehabilitation. Our salute to their resilience is made concrete with pledges of support to their self-help and organizing efforts. This is our way of ensuring that Yolanda will not be another forgotten crisis.
Please see the lists below to be able to determine how you can help and volunteer.
For inquiries and pledges, please email us at [email protected] or contact Sr. Noemi 09294463684/Cecil 09122178625 or Tel. +63 082 2973610.
Thank you.
Respectfully yours,
BISHOP MELZAR LABUNTOG
Chairperson
SR. NOEMI P. DEGALA, SMSM
Board Member
January 20-25, 2014 Mission
For the January 20-25, we specifically ask resources for:
- Relief Packs. Per Pack: 5 kilos rice, ½ kilo drief fish, ½ kilo monggo beans
- Shelter Assistance Package. Per Package: 1 kilo 4-inch nails, 1/2 kilo umbrella roof nails, 3 GI sheets
- Volunteer for: Relief/Rehab, Medical Mission, Psychosocial, Documentation/Advocacy. We ask each volunteer to help cover travel costs (except for Samin Members):
PhP 200/student volunteer
PhP 500/professional volunteer
Assembly time: 4am January 20, Davao City
Please contact the secretariat for confirmation and for any changes.
Components
As we do the transition from relief to rehabilitation, we shall be providing the following services in the 2nd Wave:
- Relief operations
- Medical missions
- Psychosocial Intervention
- Shelter assistance
- Organizing of Survivors
Pledges for Rehabilitation
We ask our friends and partners to donate:
- Cash
- GI Sheets/Roofing materials
- Hardware tools
- Rice
- Construction materials
- Farming tools
- Dried fish
- Motorized Banca (Boats)
- School supplies
- Medicines
- Livestock Raising
- Padyak tricycles
- Capitalization for small economic enterprises and ambulant vendors
- Seeds/Seedlings (i.e. Vegetables, Organic Rice/Corn, Fruit Trees)
*This list is not exhaustive
**All rehabilitation assistance will be coursed through and managed by survivors’ organizations
Cash donations may be deposited to:
BALSA MINDANAO, Inc.
Bank Name: Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI)
Bank Address: BPI Davao City, MacArthur Hi-way Branch
SWIFT Code: BOPIPHMM
Account Number: 2143173421
Balsa Mindanao Dropping Centers
Mindanao-wide
Kalinaw Center for Interfaith Resources
13 Francisco Avenue, Juna Subdivision, Matina
8000 Davao City PHILIPPINES
Tel +63 082 2973610/ Fax +63 082 2994964
[email protected]
balsamindanao.net
Southern Mindanao
Balsa Southern Mindanao
UCCP Haran House
Fr. Selga St., Madapo Hills, Davao City
Tel No: (082) 222-1337
Northern Mindanao
Tabang Mindanao Center
12th-22nd Streets, Barangay Nazareth
Cagayan de Oro City
Tel. No: (088) 856-6413
Balsa Bukidnon
4000 Nesor Camilotes Residence
Purok 16, Poblacion, Valencia City
Bukidnon
Mobile No. 09261769688 (Maya)
Caraga Region
Women’s Resource Center
Tuazon Subdivision, Brgy Luna
Surigao City
SOCSKSARGENDS
BALSA Socsksargends
Part 1, Sitio Toning, Lagao
General Santos City
Mobile No. 09469166462 (Ryan)
Western Mindanao
Iglesia Filipina Independiente
Diocese of Pagadian
Gatas Street, Pagadian City
