PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The proposed project is a rehabilitation program of the survivors of typhoon Reming (international codename: Durian), whose hardest hit victims were those communities in the Bicol Region surrounding Mayon Volcano.

This 1-year project, to be implemented in two high-risk and underserved villages of Daraga, Albay, shall endeavor to hasten up their recovery and strengthen their resiliency to disasters. The four components (evacuation survival and management, livelihood assistance, farming assistance, disaster preparedness) are strategies by which the project objectives will be achieved.

PROJECT BACKGROUND

During the second half of 2006, the Bicol Region was plagued by complex disasters which collectively impacted especially on the communities surrounding Mayon volcano. A month-long protracted eruption of Mayon culminated in a strong explosion in August.  A series of eight devastating typhoons from September to November, whose wind velocities ranged from 100 to 200 kph, wreaked havoc.

But the most lethal blow was super howler Reming, now regarded by Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAG-ASA) as the worst typhoon to hit Albay Province in 30 years. The combination of sustained winds (200 kph) and  heaviest recorded single-day rainfall in 40 years (~466 millimeters) triggered erosive floods that brought with it tons of heavy Mayon volcano debris, lahars and huge boulders. The floods breached a number of mitigating dikes and created new pathways as deep as 10 meters and as wide as 30 meters which diverted the flows to other villages previously unaffected by perennial floods.

A week after Reming, Albay Province, out of the 11 provinces that were affected, was declared the worst-hit. According to government statistics, there were 518 dead, 648 missing and presumed dead, 1,423 injured, 68,617 homes totally destroyed, 45,199 homes substantially destroyed, 114,805 families or 669,895 persons affected, 6,194 families or 30,318 poultry/livestock destroyed, and PhP 260M worth of infrastructure destroyed.

Among the villages that were devastated were Malobago and Malabog in Daraga, Albay. A substantial portion of these villages were literally engulfed, casualties were recorded and livelihood practically gone.

THE IDENTIFIED NEEDS FOR INTERVENTION AND TARGET BENEFICIARIES

Ten months after Reming, Albay province is still reeling from destruction. Aid-giving agencies have ceased emergency responses; and the government's responsibility to rehabilitate the affected communities, by all indications, seems to remain a mere hollow declaration.

Per TABI's latest Needs Assessment Report, Malobago and Malabog figure as the most vulnerable villages to date. Status of survivors as of August 14, 2007 reveals that

1. Malobago
   - has 252 families (1,019 pax) still in evacuation center (Anislag Relocation Site);
   - 26 families (78 pax) are in the village, either staying with host family-relatives or staying in makeshift dwellings; and
   - 52 families (232 pax) are permanently relocated.
2. Malabog
   - has 32 families (147 pax) still in evacuation centers; and
   - 18 families (70 pax) are in the village either staying with host family-relatives or staying in makeshift dwellings.

Based on the aforementioned, this project will then endeavor to respond to the following needs:

OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT

This project is aimed at raising the capability and building the resiliency of the survivors in Malobago and Malabog villages in Daraga, Albay in their efforts to recover from the destruction of typhoon Reming.

Specifically, the project hopes to achieve the following:

1. To provide evacuation-appropriate services to survivors still languishing in evacuation centers in order to alleviate the effects of prolonged evacuation;
2. To facilitate micro-enterprise development that would supplement family incomes;
3. To raise productivity and expand their economic base through production of short-term disaster-resistant indigenous crops;
4. To facilitate farming and/or create alternative sources of income by providing farm/backyard animals;
5. To further enhance a community-wide capacity-building by facilitating disaster preparedness training/activities.

KEY ACTIVITIES OF THE PROJECT

Three interrelated components have been conceptualized to address the identified needs and contribute to realizing the project objectives. These are:

1. Evacuation Survival and Management
• conduct Evacuation Center Management Training, 1 batch in Anislag Relocation Site (Malobago survivors) and 1 batch in Malabog Evacuation Center (Malabog survivors)
• facilitate the formation of appropriate organizations in evacuation centers to ensure that survivors are involved in the overall management and day-to-day affairs
• conduct relief distribution operation on non-food items (sleeping mat, blanket, mosquito net, laundry soap) that are essential to the survival of 284 families languishing in prolonged durations at evacuation centers
• conduct 3 batches of psychosocial activities per evacuation center to relieve mounting stress and to impart stress management techniques
2. Livelihood Assistance
• conduct livelihood seminar and enterprise planning:1 batch each in Anislag Relocation Site, in Malabog Evacuation Center, and in Malabog village proper
• formulate policies to ensure that enterprises are realistic, viable and replicable
• provide small-scale capital to start-up micro enterprises for 380 families: food processing, vegetable/market vending, handicraft-making.
3. Farming Assistance
• seed dispersal: provide modest seed inputs/planting materials of indigenous and disaster-resilient crops to 96 families
• provide 1 farm animal (carabao) each to Malabog village, Malobago village, and to the relocated Malobago residents for communal use
• provide goat/chicken for backyard raising to 96 families as an avenue to augment household incomes
• conduct sustainable agriculture and animal health care seminar, 1 batch in Malabog village, 1 batch in Malobago village, and 1 batch in relocated Malobago residents
• formulate policies to ensure that backyard animal scheme is realistic and replicable to other recipients
4. Disaster Preparedness
• conduct Disaster Management Orientation, 1 batch each in Malobago village, relocated Malobago residents, Anislag Relocation Site, and Malabog (including the relocated residents)
• conduct Disaster Preparedness Training, 1 batch in Malobago village, relocated Malobago residents, Anislag Relocation Site, and Malabog
• conduct Evacuation Center Management, 1 batch in Anislag Relocation Site and in Malabog Evacuation Center
• facilitate the formation of Disaster Preparedness Committee per village
• formulate counter-disaster plan per village
• conduct disaster community drills, 2x per village
• posting of hazard maps in 3 conspicuous places per village

PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION

The proposed project will be implemented in a period of one year. Hereunder is the Gantt Chart that indicates the methods and timelines.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

The project will adopt a participatory management characterized by multi-level bodies that have clear authorities and responsibilities.

At the village/evacuation center level, project teams (PTs) will be structured, the composition will basically ensure that 'sitios' within the villages are represented, and complemented by 2-3 CDRC and/or TABI field staff. The PTs will be in-charge of the daily supervision in their respective areas. They will conduct monthly meetings, ocular visits and consultations with beneficiaries to review the progress of implementation.

At the level of the implementing organizations, CDRC's Field Operations Department Coordinator will head the Project Management Committee (PMC). He/she will be assisted by TABI's Branch Coordinator in Albay. The PMC will be further composed of 2 designated personnel from CDRC as well as 2 from TABI. The PMC, which meets every 2 months, will assume full responsibility of the project implementation as designed.

On a quarterly basis, the FOD Coordinator/PMC Head will report to CDRC's Management Committee (ManCom), which shall deliberate on the progress of the project. As a member of CDRC's  ManCom, the FOD Coordinator will be accountable to the ManCom on all matters pertaining to the project. The ManCom, headed by the Executive Director, will in turn be accountable to the Board of Trustees of CDRC

As a matter of policy, all meetings of these bodies are to be fully documented. These will form as integral parts of the project report.

BUDGETARY REQUIREMENTS

1. Admin & Management
1. Communications (P2,000 x 12 mos)
2. Transportation (P5,000 x 12 mos)
3. PMC Meetings (P1,500 x 6)
4. Documentation (P5,000 x 12 mos)
5. Monitoring (P10,000 x 12 mos)
6. Audit Fee
24,000.00
60,000.00
9,000.00
60,000.00
120,000.00
50,000.00
2. Evacuation Survival and Management
1.  Evacuation Center Management Training (P4,000 x 2 batches)
2.  Non-food Relief Distribution Operation
    (284 families x P18/bar laundry soap)
    (284 families x P275/pc sleeping mat)
    (284 families x P150/pc blanket)
    (284 families x P500/pc mosquito net)
    (2 x P50,000 operational expense/RDO)
3.  Psychosocial activities
    (6 batches x P3,000/batch)
8,000.00
 
5,112.00
78,100.00
46,600.00
142,000.00
100,000.00
 
18,000.00
3. Livelihood Assistance
1. Livelihood seminar and enterprise planning
   (3 batches x P3,000/batch)
2. Small-scale capital for micro enterprises
   (380 families x P5,000)

9,000.00
 
1,900,000.00
4. Farming Assistance
1. Seed dispersal (96 families x P3,000)
2. Farm animal (3 heads x P20,000)
3. Backyard animal (96 families x P3,000)
4. Sustainable agriculture and animal health care seminar
   (3 batches x P3,000/batch)
288,000.00
60,000.00
288,000.00
 
9,000.00
5. Disaster Preparedness
1. Disaster Management Orientation
(4 batches x P3,000/batch)
2. Disaster Preparedness Training
(4 batches x P3,000/batch)
3. Community disaster drills (4 x P1,000/drill)
4. Hazard maps (6 x P300/map)

12,000.00
 
12,000.00
4,000.00
1,800.00