Update for CCCM in the Philippines (02.12.13)
Mon, 02/12/2013 - 22:19
cwilliamson
As of 2 December 2013, 14.9 million people are now estimated to have been affected by Typhoon Haiyan. 4.1 million people are estimated to have been displaced, over 204,000 of whom are entering a fourth week living in evacuation centres. 1,031 such centres are still open across the affected areas. The other displaced (3.92 million individuals) are staying elsewhere, such as with friends and relatives.
The CCCM Cluster’s Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) activities, carried out in collaboration with the Philippine authorities (DSWD) and local partners (Eastern Visayas Network), are providing valuable information, highlighting cross-sectoral gaps and flagging issues for clusters (Health, WASH, Shelter, Food Security, and Protection) to respond to according to their area of intervention. CCCM teams on the ground have helped direct foreign medical teams to where needs are greatest based on DTM data. In addition, the DSWD will also be incorporating DTM data from evacuation centres into its own analyses, thus avoiding unnecessary duplication of assessment activities in displacement sites. To date, DTM has collected and processed information from 18 municipalities, corresponding to 157 sites. As data from more affected areas is processed in the coming days, typhoon response actors will have a clearer picture of both the immediate needs of affected populations and the emergence of longer-term issues.
From a CCCM perspective, DTM results show a gap in camp management capacity in evacuation centres assessed so far. In Tacloban City, for example, 46% of emergency centres lack camp management structures. In Ormoc, 90% of evacuation sites do not have a site committee present. The identification of camp managers and the implementation of CCCM trainings is therefore a high priority in these areas. The DSWD has made a request to the CCCM Cluster for further support them in this matter. CCCM trainings, such as that held in Cebu, are being conducted to enhance existing camp management capacities as one measure to address this concern. In addition, DTM results have highlighted that over 50% of evacuation sites in Tacloban have a ratio of more than 20 individuals per latrine – an indication that health and sanitation issues in emergency sites in the city are also a key issue to be addressed. Of the 157 displacement sites within the 18 municipalities assessed so far through DTM, 62% are schools. This severely hinders the re-opening of schools, affecting access to education for children and youth.
In Guiuan, the declaration of ‘No Build Zones’ is impacting the possibility of return for affected populations. The CCCM Cluster is linking closely with the Global Protection Cluster and local authorities to mitigate possible complexities in the resultant IDP situation. Issues relating to land identification for relocation and resettlement are also developing in Tacloban and Ormoc, where Barangay captains have reportedly been asked by the mayor to identify land for bunkhouse construction. The Migration Outflow Desk (MOD) in Ormoc is active with a total of ten staff positioned across the airport, shipping port, and bus terminal. Cluster partners (UNHCR and UNICEF Child Protection) from Tacloban visited the IOM MOD in Ormoc where they were briefed on MOD activities and observed trends.
Finally, a Philippines-specific CCCM website (http://cccmphilippines.iom.int/) has been launched, on which all relevant CCCM information will be posted, including DTM data and reports, interactive maps, guidelines and standards, camp management resource materials, meeting minutes, contact lists and repositories for all other relevant CCCM information. The website includes interactive maps that integrate DTM data and displacement site profiles that will be further populated in real time as the roll out of DTM continues.
For additional information on these and other response activities, please visit http://cccmphilippines.iom.int/ or http://philippineresponse.iom.int/.