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Appeal for the
Victims of Typhoon Mina
Bikol
Movement for Disaster Response (BMDR), November 22, 2007
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The province of Masbate is currently under public storm signal number 1
while signal #2 is up in Catanduanes, Sorsogon, Albay, Camarines Sur,
and Camarines Norte provinces.
The current location and direction of typhoon Mina as forecasted by
PAG-ASA indicates it will not directly hit the provinces in mainland
Bicol.
However, the disturbance in the atmospheric condition due to typhoon
Mina will intensify the current heavy rainfall. Already, the continuous
rains in the past weeks has saturated and loosened the ground around
Mayon Volcano and elsewhere in the province of Albay. Thus, we expect
heavier downpour as PAG-ASA warns of two more upcoming
typhoons before yearend. Further, PAG-ASA notes that this is already a
manifestation of La Niña, a weather condition characterized
by sustained heavy rains over a period of time leading to inundation of
entire villages and croplands.
Communities in Albay towns were flooded and one wooden bridge
connecting two villages in Daraga and serves as an access bridge to
four other barangays at the foot of Mayon Volcano, was washed away last
week, and a landslide has occurred in Brgy. Tinapian, Manito Albay last
November 19. Previously, the Provincial Board of Albay declared a state
of calamity in 22 barangays in Camalig, Albay due to floods.
In Sorsogon province, a total of 226 families or 998 persons remain in
several evacuation centers after fleeing flashfloods from the slopes of
Mt. Bulusan. We expect this figure to more than double as residents in
coastal barangays evacuate to safer shelters in anticipation of typhoon
Mina.
Elsewhere in Catanduanes, villagers and fisherfolks troop to evacuation
centers as typhoon Mina approaches the island-province. Aside from
strong winds, the residents fear landslides. Incidents of
landslides were reported in the aftermath of heavy rains last week.
The Provincial Government of Albay has identified three key hazard
areas, each requiring particular disaster preparedness and management.
First are the lahar-prone areas covering the towns of Sto. Domingo,
Camalig, Daraga and Guinobatan and the Cities of Legazpi, Ligao, and
Tabaco. Next are the storm surge areas in the eastern seaboard which
include six towns from Tiwi to Manito. Third are the “flood
plains” in the towns of Oas, Libon, and Polangui.
According to the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council count, there
are 654,000 villagers living near the hazard prone areas. Pre-emptive
evacuations are ongoing province-wide in Albay, but only the 10,076
families (56,000 persons) residing in the lahar-prone areas is under
mandatory evacuation.
As of 12 noon today, according to the Albay Public Safety and Emergency
Management Office, there is a total of 5,450 families consisting of
26,142 individuals in different evacuation centers in Albay. Add to
this figure is the still un-relocated typhoon Reming survivors
remaining in evacuation centers up to this day. This early, Joey
Salceda, the governor of Albay, considers the situation a
“logistical nightmare.”
According to news reports, more than 8,000 families which Typhoon
Reming divested of shelters and livelihood in November 30,
2006, remain homeless until today.
With this, full efforts are extended by various people’s
organizations, cause-oriented groups, and local government units to
avoid a repeat of last year's catastrophe that killed more than 1,000
Bicolanos.
Let us provide much needed relief assistance to affected families in
the short term and build disaster-resilient communities in
the long-term. We can help through financial assistance and/or by
providing the immediate needs of the evacuees which include the
following: Basic food needs: canned food, instant noodles, rice, dried
fish, biscuits, etc. Basic shelter needs: mattresses and beddings, etc.
Sanitation and Hygiene: potable water, water containers, and sanitary
supplies. Medicine for common illness: cough & colds, fever,
diarrhea, allergies, etc.
For financial contributions, kindly deposit at this account:
Account name: Ma. Agnes Pacres and Ma. Teresa Marbella
Account No. 138 313 822 7929
Metrobank Rizal St. Legazpi City
Material and financial donations through the BMDR will be utilized in
the feeding program in evacuation centers, immediate relief assistance
to affected families and rescue operations in lahar-prone areas.
Beneficiaries of BMDR are the families in villages that are hardest hit
but least served by the government.
Ongoing rehabilitation projects of the BMDR are the following:
• Construction and repair of fishing boats (banca),
procurement of fishing paraphernalia, and repair of the Day Care center
in Brgy. Sugod Tiwi, Albay
• Plantation of coconut seedlings and construction of a
potable water system in Brgy. Salvacion, Sto. Domingo, Albay
• Irrigation system and palay seeds distribution in Brgy.
Tamaoyan, Legazpi City
Together, let us all be part of this commitment to prevent the loss of
lives and mitigate the destruction of properties and livelihood.
BMDR Contact Persons:
Maritess L. Pielago
Coordinator
0915 6464134
Ma. Agnes M. Pacres
Finance Officer
0919 8467571
Office Address:
#664 Encarnacion Bldg., Brgy. 17, Rizal St., Legazpi
City, Philippines
Email: bicolmovement@yahoo.com
bicol_movement@gmail.com
Telefax: +6352 4805227 |
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