CRC Ilocos Outreach staff inspects the damages in agriculture caused by two typhoons (ondoy and pepeng)
The Children’s Rehabilitation Center (CRC)-Ilocos Outreach Program together with Ilocos Center for Research, Empowerment and Development (ICRED) and Ilocos Human Rights Alliance (IHRA) went to Brgy. Maradudon, Cabugao, Ilocos Sur to conduct a Damage, Needs, and Capacities Assessment on the effects of Tropical Storm Pepeng (Parma) after initial relief operation held last October 23. Similar activities were also conducted in the provinces of La Union and Ilocos Norte in preparation for the relief, rehabilitation and psychosocial mission to be held this November 2009.
During the assessment, the team had a hard time reaching the area because the river washed out the road to the communities. As of this writing, roads to Sitio Caset remain impassable.
The Team traversed the swollen river, part of which used to be ricefields and a road.
Several findings of the DNCA were:
- Roads bound to the Sitios were washed out by the river.
- Agriculture, being the main source of livelihood of the people, was gravely affected by the typhoon. 75% of their total production was lost as their crops were washed out by the overflowing of the river.
- Food was scarce as more than 70% of the people were unable to prepare enough supply of food during the typhoon.
- Residents were also unable to access the health facility because the roads were impassable. Some ten (10) residents showed signs of stress during the typhoon, while some one hundred (100) children manifested signs of trauma.
Even a tricycle can hardly pass the road leading to the barangay.
The Team had to walk from sitio to sitio to document the damages brought by the typhoons
Brgy. Mararudon is one of the areas affected by the typhoon last October 4-9, 2009. The residents are still appealing for support especially for rehabilitation.
One of the landslide along the road leading to Brgy. Mararudon, Cabugao, Ilocos Sur
According to one of the residents, it would take time for them to recover from the effects of the typhoon. Since almost 75% of their production has been lost, they expect that the crisis would worsen their conditions. Because the roads have been damaged, pupils will have to cross the rivers and pass through rough roads to reach their school as an aftermath of the overflowing of river. It has been a month, yet no concrete actions have been done except for the scarce relief goods given by the local government.
Part of rice fields ready for harvest, was flooded during Typoon Pepeng (Parma)
Farmers tried to salvage whatever harvests were left.
CRC-Ilocos Outreach Program and the Serve the People Brigade, a network of people’s organizations and service institutions, appeal for your support to Brgy. Maradudon, Cabugao, Ilocos Sur as well other towns in the Ilocos Region. The STP Brigade is geared at providing relief and rehabilitation services this November in this community to help them to be resilient as well as to rely on their own capacities to recover from the aftermath of the storm.
For its part, the Task Force Children of the Storm will join forces with the STP brigade in the Mission this November.
