Typhoon Mangkhut, which struck the Philippines on September 14, affected more than one million people. As part of our relief effort, Humanity & Inclusion is providing clearance kits to those affected and helping clear debris from roads.
HI emergency experts have assessed the needs of disaster victims in Kalinga and Ifuago provinces, in the Cordillera region.
"More than one million acres of farmland were destroyed or damaged in the Philippines,” explains Reiza Dejito, Director of HI in the Philippines. “In Pinukpuk, Cordillera, 90% of maize plantations and 60% of rice plantations were flattened. The most vulnerable individuals are people living in remote areas, who can no longer travel by road due to landslides, and farmers, people with disabilities, children and older people.
“Because rice and maize crops were destroyed on a massive scale, one of our priorities is to help farmers access new sources of income. Higher food prices make it vital to ensure affected people can access food. Another priority is to help communities quickly clear blocked roads and public areas.”
Clearance kit distribution and financial support
HI’s team distributed clearance kits containing a wheelbarrow, shovel, knife, hammer, gloves, etc., to 80 families in Pinukpuk municipality. These kits will be used to clear roads and public areas, and they will be shared with everyone in the district. More than 400 workers will be hired to help support this work.
“We met with the head of the municipality who said he was very happy with this project, because he wants the roads cleared as soon as possible,” Reiza adds. “It’s also good for a community to work together on a joint project. This type of activity builds bridges and helps people overcome the trauma of the disaster. The workers will be able to buy food at the market with the money they earn, for example. It’s a project that makes a big difference to everyone.”
Humanity & Inclusion in the Philippines
Present in the Philippines for more than 30 years, HI regularly works with people affected by natural disasters in the archipelago and launched a large-scale response to Typhoon Haiyan in November 2013, which affected more than 14 million people and claimed more than 6,000 lives. Three victims of Typhoon Haiyan recall how they coped with the tragedy. Learn more about our work in the Philippines.