Philippines Disaster Response Fund - Haiyan

Recovery Programs on Busuanga Make Their Mark

We at Peace Winds America wish you a good 2015!  We are grateful to continue working with you as we focus on disaster recovery and reconstruction.  Earlier we shared the many recovery activities on Busuanga Island:  providing Typhoon Haiyan victims with home and boat repair kits, new livestock, fishing nets and ropes, farm tools and seeds, and community disaster education.  These recovery activities have mostly concluded:  our partners on the ground have gauging the impact and effectiveness of the program and using the results to tailor future recovery projects.  Their assessment indicates a significant impact of PWA programs.  All six targeted barangay still need boat repair kits, fishing nets, fishing gear, livestock, vegetable seeds, and farm tools.  With your help we can implement another recovery program.

A Focus on Disaster Preparedness

In PWA programs, we engage in disaster preparedness of the Philippines as a whole.  Working with Government and non-profit partners, we are assessing responses to Typhoon Haiyan and Typhoon Hagupit.  In partnership with key allies (Philippines, U.S. and Japan), we are improving future planning and response.  From local relief and recovery efforts to our multi-year initiative on disaster preparedness, PWA remains involved and committed with the Philippines to reduce the devastating impact of natural disasters.

We extend our gratitude for your support.  We ask you to continue to join us in Philippine recovery. 

It has been one year since the devastating Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) wreaked widespread destruction on the Philippines. Even as new typhoons bear down on the country, survivors of that disaster are still picking up the piecing, trying to recover, restore their livelihoods, and resume the lives they had prior to the destruction of November 8, 2013. Peace Winds America responded immediately, but pledged as well we would not leave when immediate relief ended. We committed to long-term recovery.

Restoring Livelihoods and Economic Opportunity on Busuanga

In our previous reports we detailed our work on the western island of Busuanga. Far from the media spotlight in the Eastern Visayas, this area was equally damaged by the storm.  In partnership with the Citizens’ Disaster Response Center, the Southern Tagalog People’s Resource Center, and the U.S.-Philippines Society, we targeted six hard-hit barangay for relief, recovery, and rehabilitation.

The most recent recovery project highlighted the barangay of Cheey, Salvacion, Buluang, Maglalambay, San Isidro, and Panlaitan.  There we have helped 70% of shelter beneficiaries construct new residences, providing galvanized iron sheets, nails, lumber, and carpentry tools.  To speed economic recovery we selected 100 needy fishing families and provided them with marine plywood, paint, epoxy, nails, and boat bases, sufficient for restoring their damaged fishing boats. Fishing families also received nets (specific to their catch), seaweed culture, ropes, and drying materials.

PWA assisted farming families as well. In the six barangay we provided 145 farmers with rice and vegetable seeds, farming tools, swine management training, farm tools, and carabao (water buffalo). To prevent our recipients from becoming victims again, the shelter and livelihood tools were accompanied by community disaster management training.

Match Your Donation Today to Extend Recovery

Today only, GlobalGiving is providing a 100% match for all donations to Haiyan recovery projects.  With your donation we can continue to meet the many needs that still exist in the Philippines, expanding our economic livelihood assistance within the six barangay and identifying others in need.

Thank you for your support! With your help, one year after the storm we can tell the victims of Haiyan that they are not forgotten.