Press Kit

November 2015

Photo by Rosa May Maitem/ACF

Super Typhoon Haiyan | Yolanda: Two Years After

Survivors Journey towards Recovery

November 2015 marks the second year since Super Typhoon Yolanda (internationally known as Haiyan), the category five typhoon that swept across central Philippines; leaving over 6,000 people dead, thousands more missing
and severely affecting the lives of at 15 million others. Loss of homes, assets, livelihoods and infrastructures were
widespread.
As the people of Philippines and the international community remember the lives lost and recognize the resiliency of
survivors, ACF recalls two years of actions and looks to a future of restorative efforts to help provide the unmet
needs of affected communities.
ACF's emergency response began 72 hours after the typhoon hit, with food and water deliveries in the most affected
areas: Tacloban and Roxas and Panay. Two years later, ACF has been on the ground every day addressing the
immediate needs of the population, particularly children under five, pregnant and lactating women, single femaleheaded households, the elderly, and persons with disabilities and chronic illnesses.
The second anniversary is an occasion to be grateful for the country's recovery and to remember those who have
not yet fully recovered. There are thousands of people still trying to return to their old routines and thousands still
looking for permanent housing," says Javad Amoozegar, country director of ACF International.
ACF International has worked closely with partners and local government bodies in delivering programs on nutrition
and psychosocial support; water, sanitation and hygiene; food security and livelihoods. All of these integrate gender
issues, disaster risk management, climate change adaptation and care for the environment. These have gone from
the life-saving interventions of the first days to long-term, sustainable solutions for the affected population.
The organization provided lifesaving aid to 911, 956 typhoon Haiyan-affected people in 46 municipalities in seven
provinces.
For interviews with our spokespersons, please contact Rosa May de Guzman - Maitem at + 63-929-319-4607
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Press Kit
November 2015

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Humanitarian Overview
Recovery Phase

ACF covered intervention

288,098 - Leyte
92,592 - Samar
291,298 - Panay
2,715 - Masbate
20,878 - Bohol
216,375 - Emergency Response

911, 956 people served

46 municipalities

7 provinces

Nutrition

170, 295 - provided with nutrition and health support

122,809 - Children under five screened for malnutrition
931 - Treated for severe acute malnutrition (SAM)
61,633 - people received high-calorie, vitamin fortified food supplements
Mental Health and Care Practices

24, 673 mothers received psychological counselling (with access to basic health facilities)
2,817 - people received training (health staff, leaders and aid workers)
85 mother-baby spaces, OTP sites established and nutrition health services revived
Water, Sanitation and Hygiene

493, 042 - people received water, hygiene and sanitation support and
71-

trained on disaster risk management

barangays declared as Zero Open Defecation

Food Security and Livelihoods

223,946 people provided with livelihoods support, provided food access and trained
on disaster risk management

98, 040 people provided with in-kind food assistance and cash grants in the
first three months of the emergency

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Press Kit
November 2015

From L-R: Cyrinne Anota, Lolita Anota, and Sherel Sudario standing next to their new found livelihoods , two years after Typhoon Haiyan.
Photos by ACF International

ACFs 2-Year Response Supports Livelihoods in the Philippines

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines Two years ago today, several areas in the central Philippines were wiped out by
Super Typhoon Haiyan (local name Yolanda) causing storm surges and massive flooding that left millions of people
homeless and thousands dead in the worlds worst disaster ever recorded.
The category five typhoon that swept across central Philippines left over 6,000 people dead, thousands more missing and severely affecting the lives of at over 14 million others. Loss of homes, assets, livelihoods and infrastructures were widespread.
Two years on, however, many survivors have been able to rebuild their lives and move towards full recovery.
Cyrinne Anota and her husband Romeo remember the family's vast coconut plantation, their main source of income
to support their five children. Before the typhoon hit and destroyed their town in Burauen, Leyte, the couple depended on what they called the Tree of Life, the coconut where Romeo used to climb these trees to gather the raw liquid from the fruit buds, which is later processed into wine. From this daily activity, Romeo earned so little to feed his
wife and two sons. Their source of income was destroyed at the height of typhoon. To help them rebuild their lives,
the couple, along with 10,000 families of the most vulnerable in Leyte, received the amount of PhP26, 000 from the
cash transfer program of ACF implemented in 2014 until middle of 2015. Cyrinne used some of the money to buy
two piglets and encouraged his husband to return home from Manila to help build a new house.
"I saved some money to buy building materials and piglets which we sold after the few months and we were able to
put up a small retail store," Cyrinne said. Still without coconut trees to climb, the former wine gatherer Romeo manages the store, earning P150 daily. To augment the daily family income, Cyrinne found another work as a department store saleslady, bringing home PhP 4,200, and brought another piglet. "Now I can sleep soundly knowing that I
dont have to worry about meeting our basic needs," she shared.
The ACF International also provided interventions to the affected people by empowering them through capacity
building on health and nutrition, child protection, hygiene and sanitation, savings and mobilization. Two years after,
ACF has been on the ground every day addressing the immediate needs of the population, particularly children under five, pregnant and lactating women, single female-headed households, the elderly, and persons with disabilities
and chronic illnesses.
Like Cyrinne, Sherel Sudario, 26, of Pastrana town in Leyte shares the same victory. Even before Haiyan, life was
already hard for single mother Sudario, who had to send her son Hagrid Zecke to pre-school without pocket money
for snack. The situation worsened when Sudario lost everything to the typhoon. "The cash grants gave us hope, I
found an opportunity to turn our lives around," she said. She now boasts a mini retail store, where she earns enough
for her familys daily needs. She also bought piglets that she raised and sold when these were big enough. From her
earnings, Sudario was able to buy school supplies for Hagrid. My son now always has pocket money for snack
when he goes to school, Sudario said. "This has undeniably and concretely uplifted my spirit from nothing into
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Press Kit
November 2015
something.
In Tacloban City, for the elderly Lolita Elizan, a grandmother of two, who were left to her care and husband Mario,
Haiyan destroyed everything, but not her spirit. "Our house was a wreck, our belongings were destroyed, all under
the rubble, my grandchildrens clothes were washed away by the flood," Elizan said. I made sure the children had
food to eat and clothes to wear and the reconstruction of our house, she said of how she spent the money she received. Lolita returned to her former livelihood selling banana cue on the streets. I also supply nutritious snack in
a schools canteen. Also, every day, I put P10 on my piggy bank, she said.
Meanwhile, Marilou Olino lost her husband to a heart ailment days before Haiyan unleashed wrath. The still-grieving
mother of three children, had to face another challenge. This time, it was Haiyan that devastated her village in Sta.
Elena, Tacloban City. When her husband Benjamin was still alive, the husband and wife were busy cultivating a
patch of land planted with eggplants, bell peppers and string beans, most of the produce they sell.
But Haiyan destroyed the familys source of livelihood. As a widow, Marilou was able to avail of the unconditional
cash grants. "The timely intervention of ACF helped me and my community to rebuild back our lives despite the
challenging ordeal we have gone through," she said. From the grants she received each month, Marilou was able to
continue to send her children to school and provided the essential needs of her family; pay her monthly bills, and
saved some to finance a small-scale lending business. She lends money, with interest rate, to relatives and friends.
"Im really thankful for the help that I received when we had nothing. Things would have been different and difficult if
help did not come in our place, Marilou said.
ACF's emergency response began 72 hours after the typhoon hit, with food and water deliveries in the most affected
areas: Tacloban, Samar and Panay. The first months after the typhoon, the survivors faced enormous challenges.
Two years later, they are on the road to recovery thanks to the Filipino spirit of resilience in the face of disaster and
the collaboration of the local and national government units and the international community.
Donations came in from across the Philippines and around the world. It's just inspiring to know that everyone children with their parents, teachers and volunteers side by side with the Philippine government and people from different nations--they all pitched in, which made the recovery efforts fast. The stories of Cyrenne, Sherel, Lolita and
Marilou who refused to surrender to hopelessness after the super typhoon ruined everything they have, illustrate the
sense of hope and faith in difficult times, said Javad Amoozegar, country director for ACF Philippines. (End)

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Press Kit
November 2015

Photos by ACF International

The family man

Although already 63-years old, Francisco Libres continues to strive hard to provide for his family in the village San
Jose West in Burauen in Leyte.
Francisco, who neighbors fondly call Mang Nining, is married to Virginia. They have eight children, three of whom
have families of their own.
Mang Ninings livelihood depended on farming planting rice, root crops and vegetables on a parcel of land that he
did not own. His produce was more than enough to feed the family. The rest of the harvest, he sold.
We always had huge harvest which was sufficient for the family consumption. We get extra money from selling the
remaining harvest, he said.
But Typhoon Yolanda destroyed everything.
We became so vulnerable. Our house was destroyed. We did not have anything to eat, he said.
We were even forced to eat bananas that were swept away by the flood, he added. But Mang Nining was still
thankful. Every member of his family survived Typhoon Yolanda. Hungry, but safe, he said.
Three months later, help arrived via the ACF International which implemented the UNICEF-funded Unconditional
Cash Transfer (UCT) program.
Mang Nining qualified as beneficiary of the UCT program, receiving P4,370 monthly for six months.
When he claimed his first cash grant, Mang Nining spent the money on food to make up for the months of food
shortage.
The following months, Mang Nining used part of the cash grant to buy building materials and slowly rebuilt his
house. He also started raising chickens and hogs. Part of the money was also spent on school supplies so that his
children can continue with their education.
I also bought seeds and started planting on the farm, he said.
Theres no stopping Mang Nining, from his earnings he put up a small retail store.
This is what I learned from the savings mobilization workshop given by ACF. I now know how to save money for the
future, he said. (End)

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Press Kit
November 2015

Barangays Achieve Zero Open Defecation

ROXAS CITY, Philippines The sanitary toilets go a long way in stopping open defecation and helping maintain
a healthy environment. It provides security, privacy and dignity to community members, especially women and girls.
Today, we boast of a community that is clean, healthy, dignified, and child-friendly environment, said Maximo Binas
of Brgy. San Dionisio.
Typhoon Haiyan left its devastating trail throughout the Panay island in 2013 battering the entire region. Most of the
families had their toilets damaged or unusable. That period in our life was difficult. Without the toilet, we go to the
bushes or behind a tree to poo. It can be dangerous at night, Binas added.
Two years after Haiyan, the drive for community participation is on its peak - a good indicator of behavior change, as
the campaign for ending open defecation has gained progress in Panay after 37 barangays in the towns of Ajuy,
San Dionisio and Sara in Iloilo province, Pilar and Pontevedra in Capiz province were declared zero open defecation
(ZOD) by the Department of Health.
The ZOD campaign supports the strategies involved in rural sanitation development promoted by the Department of
Health and partner agencies. The ZOD verification team composed of a municipal health officer, sanitary inspectors
and representatives from international non-government organizations working with water, sanitation and hygiene
(WASH) program visited the villages and randomly sampled 10 percent of the total households to check if they met
the criteria.
In Binuntucan, Pontevedra alone, a total 1,156 households spread over 13 sub-villages have their toilets. The success of Binuntucan being the largest barangay in the municipality of Pontevedra, with regards to levelling up in their
sanitation status to ZOD, will serve as an example for other communities. This is an achievement driven by the
households with strong support from local leaders, said Maribel Bengaura, Binutucans health officer.
Bengaura also shared that the barangay council crafted an ordinance in support of the program on sanitation. All
the village health workers were mobilized for this cause, and they even assisted some household to construct their
own toilet. Other households seemed to procrastinate at some point to the extent that I dug the holes for them. Now
every household continued the work and constructed their own toilet, after they received toilet bowl, cement, GI
sheets and hollow blocks to repair our toilets that typhoon Haiyan damaged, she added.
"A village is declared open defecation-free if no one openly defecates anymore. Households either build their own
toilets or they share toilets with their relatives. Hand washing with soap and water after toilet use and proper disposal of infant and adult diapers should also be practiced. With this success, households have realized the need to
have their own toilet and the benefit from living in a sanitary environment, said Ray Anthony Banglos, head of project for WASH in Panay.

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Press Kit
November 2015
The Philippines Approach to Total Sanitation (PHATS), is a Philippines agreed strategy that promotes universal access to improved sanitation and hygiene behavior. It foresees an end to the practice of open defecation by facilitating change in behavior and build resiliency. ACF International, with funds from the UNICEF, is carrying out the
PHaTS program in the three vulnerable municipalities including schools in Panay.
In a UNICEF-led survey in 2014 following typhoon Haiyan, 17.3 percent of households in vulnerable areas of Leyte,
Eastern Samar, Cebu, Iloilo and Capiz were found to be practicing open defecation. Nearly 95 percent of the respondents claimed that they do not have toilets. Most ZOD barangays report fewer cases of diarrhea among children. The use of toilets have resulted in comfort, security, and protection particularly for women and children as well
as dignity for the whole community, according to a UNICEF report.
This initiative should be reinforced by the barangay councils through ordinances that stipulate sanctions and rewards for sustainability, Banglos said. #

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Press Kit
November 2015

Photos by ACF International

Engaging women in improving village sanitation

GEN. MaCARTHUR, Eastern Samar-- Without help from her husband, who has a daytime job, Gregoria Canatoy
dug a six-foot hole that would serve as a septic tank of a toilet. Then, the 39-year old mother of three, did some carpentry--installing lumber, concrete flooring and, finally, fitting the ceramic toilet bowl.
After four days of labor, I managed to build the toilet, a satisfied Gregoria said. Its quite difficult but Ive tried hard
to get it done. My husband and children are happy.
Gregoria is just one of the women in the remote villages of Gen. MacArthur in Eastern Samar who do not have access to clean toilets even before Haiyan hit the region in 2013.
ACF, with support from UNICEF, works hard in its campaign to end child and maternal undernutrition and mortality.
One of ACFs goals is to end open defecation through implementing innovative solutions to the challenges of water,
sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in the communities.
The project focuses on implementing the Philippines Approach to Total Sanitation (PHATS) program in the region,
including the 40 barangays in the municipalities of San Julian and MacArthur. This contributes to the Philippine Sustainable Sanitation Roadmap and the National Sustainable Sanitation Plan, by building on the national vision of creating zero open defecation (ZOD) environments with safe disposal of liquid and solid waste, and the promotion of
health and hygiene practices within a holistic approach to promote an enabling environment including disaster risk
reduction and climate change adaptation.
Typhoon Haiyan, considered the strongest typhoon ever to hit the Philippines, devastated San Julian and Gen. MacArthur towns, destroying homes and livelihoods, including water systems and toilets. The town's remote and almostinaccessible communities made it difficult for the families to have access to basic social and healthcare services.
Sanitation has always been a problem in the municipality. Every time we have year-end evaluation in the province,
Gen. Macarthur gets a red mark because of poor access to sanitation facilities. The advocacy to promote proper
use of latrines and support the Department of Healths ZOD campaign is a big help to us, said Dr. Corazon Miflores,
the municipal health officer.
Esther Magdayo, head of WASH project in Eastern Samar, said the women played a crucial role in improving hygiene and sanitation issues in the said town. The women have been actively engaged in our program implementation. We make sure that their needs and voices are heard and included in our programming to address their concerns. They bear the impact of dirty and inadequate water and hygiene and sanitation practices. But they rose up
from these challenges. They were the first ones to understand the devastating effects of unhygienic practices, and
the benefits of having toilets, she added.
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Press Kit
November 2015

ACF, in coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the municipal health offices, was
in the forefront in promoting the significance of having toilets in far-flung communities in Eastern Samar. In 2014,
129 barangays from the 11 Haiyan-affected towns in Eastern Samar were identified as target for the ZOD project.
As of October 2015, 34 barangays have been declared ZOD.
The Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) behavioral changes process encourages community self-analysis of
existing defecation patterns and threats, and promotes local solutions to reduce and ultimately eliminate the practice
of open defecation," Magdayo said.
Typhoon Haiyan has taught women that they can step up and do more beyond their traditional roles of tending the
households and caring for their children. They, too, can rebuild their homes, just like Gregoria, Magdayo shared.
Dr. Corazon Miflores, the municipal health officer stressed the importance of sanitation and the change of behavior.
She urged the barangay council members and the community to continue and maintain good practices.
It has been my long-time dream that Gen. Macarthur become a clean community not only in front of our houses but
the whole community as well, Mayor Jaime Ty then said. I am grateful that the eight barangays heeded the call
stopping open defecation. I would also like to encourage the residents to build their latrines and practice proper hygiene, the mayor added. (End)

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Press Kit
November 2015

Focus on Microinsurance in the Philippines

MANILA, Philippines AC recently released its case study integrating microinsurance as part of social protection
framework for recovery projects in super typhoon Haiyan-affected areas in the Visayas region. First introduced and
promoted in Panay, the microinsurance scheme played a significant role in creating resilience among disaster affected families.
"The impact of adverse events, such as Haiyan, significantly affects household income and consumption levels.
Food consumption may be reduced, children may withdraw from school or productive assets may be sold to cover
the expenses related to the risk events. The low-income families are most exposed to risks and least protected
against consequences," Suresh Murugesu, ACF Technical Coordinator said. The results from the pilot initiative on
promoting microinsurance indicates low income families can be facilitated to enroll in a tailored micro insurance
scheme as part of the relief or development projects to create social protection mechanisms and provide livelihood
support or financial assistance.
To restore the livelihoods of the typhoon affected families in Sara, Batad, and Concepcion towns in Iloilo, ACF ran a
cash-based intervention to reach the most vulnerable among them pregnant and lactating women, households with
children suffering from acute malnutrition, persons with disability, persons with chronic illnesses, elderly persons and
single female-headed households who have lost their livelihoods due to typhoon. Funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD), ACF tapped the Cebuana Lhuillier, one of the country's leading
chain of pawnshops that also offers financial services, in its project in Iloilo.
"ACF's microinsurance characteristics are based on common insurance principles, with some adjustments in order
to make it more accessible, affordable, simple and flexible to reach the low-income households. The insurance covers a range of protection services, such as life, health, invalidity, livestock, crops and assets insurance," Nashrudin
Modin, the program manager for Food Security and Livelihoods of ACF Philippines.
"Where state social protection systems are nonexistent or not enough extended, a microinsurance scheme can fill
this gap. It will prevent vulnerability against different risks; protect assets and promote engagement in more productive opportunities, due to the presence of a safety net, Modin explained.
To create awareness and promote the positive impact of microinsurance to the partner beneficiaries, a range of activities in collaboration with the team from the Cebuana Lhuillier, were carried out using multi-media channels such
as videos and flyers bearing testimonies of microinsurance recipients in order to educate the partner beneficiaries
on its benefits.
Under the scheme, the team from Cebuana Lhuiller designed a customized microinsurance coverage plan for ACF
beneficiaries following their enrollment and set of criteria. The plan provides protection to insured persons 24 hours
a day, not exceeding 12 months. The principal insurer must be at least 18 years to 65 years old, but can be transferwww.accioncontraelhambre.org | www.actionagainsthunger.org

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November 2015
able to any member of the family. The insurance takes effectivity after the beneficiary received the certificate of insurance with a validity date of one year at a premium cost at PhP400. This insurance covers the beneficiaries,
spouse and their legal children, as long as they are considered dependents, who not more than 18 years old, not
married and still living together with the primary beneficiary and the spouse by the time they availed the insurance.
Grandchildren are not included.
To avail the insurance benefits in covered events, payment procedure is carried out through the nearest Cebuana
Lhuiller branch. Based on the success of the piloted experiences, ACF developed a concept paper to promote microinsurance in its projects and programs in the Philippines. This will be looked upon in the future interventions,
based on the local contexts and availability of service providers.
"Cash transfer programming forms a significant part of ACF's work in fighting under nutrition, and is an emerging
response mechanism in food security and livelihoods, nutrition and water, sanitation and hygiene sectors,"
Murugesu said.
After the success from the first experience on the microinsurance concept by Cebuana Lhuilliers, ACF replicated it
in Kindernothilfe (KNH) project areas in Panay.
To request for a copy of the document, please email ACF at info@ph.acfspain.org.

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Typhoon Yolanda: Two Years After

Survivors Journey towards Recovery

Programmes
Nutrition and Psychosocial Care Support
ACF worked with the local governments, the national nutrition agencies and partners to address the nutrition and psychosocial care needs of 122, 809 children under five for malnutrition and 24, 673 pregnant and lactating women in affected who
now have access to preventive and curative services. A total number of 85 health centers, mother and baby friendly spaces
and day care centers were revived.
By conducting 145 knowledge trainings on nutrition and psychosocial care practices, children under five, pregnant, lactating
women in 46 municipalities across Leyte, Samar, Panay islands were protected against micronutrient insufficiencies. Deterioration in nutrition situation was avoided among 194, 968 vulnerable sectors by giving 0-59 months, the pregnant and lactating women supplementary feeding. 931 children diagnosed with severe acute malnutrition were given therapeutic food
and treated from acute malnutrition.
Water and Sanitation and Hygiene
ACF provided 493, 042 affected people with safe drinking water, and touched with hygiene promotion activities in 46 municipalities. A total of 5, 544 latrines were built in the evacuation sites during the onset of emergency and rehabilitation period to
have access to hygienic toilets and clean surroundings as a result of ACF's work. ACF restored water sources and helped supply 82, 170 beneficiaries with water kits that include jerry cans, plastic buckets, dipper and containers to households during
the emergency phase.
Food Security and Livelihoods
ACF provided technical guidance on concrete orientations to enhance climate resilience and food security, preparing 223, 946
family heads to be able to withstand future disasters or shocks, moving toward more sustainable livelihoods. They were provided with cash grants to help rebuild income-generating activities whether in agriculture, livestock, fishery or small-scale
trading. Beneficiaries attain positive and sustainable outcomes on livelihoods through the knowledge on protecting economic resources and productive activities, which can be empowering for affected households in safeguarding their economic stability amidst the impact of Typhoon Yolanda.

About ACF
ACF international | Action Against Hunger is a global humanitarian organization committed to ending world hunger and malnutrition. ACF responds to help vulnerable populations around the world through programs that empower communities to
overcome the barriers standing in their way.
In the Philippines, ACF tackles the root causes of hunger, prevents outbreaks of life-threatening acute malnutrition, and helps
the most vulnerable communities regain self- sufficiency through integrated programs in health and nutrition, care practices
and psychosocial and care practices, food security and livelihoods; water, sanitation and hygiene; disaster risk management;
good governance and advocacy while incorporating gender, care for the environment, climate change adaptation and cultural
sensitivity. Our programs save lives and provide communities with long-term solutions to hunger and its underlying causes.
We work in more than 45 countries and reach approximately eight million people annually.
For more information about our work in the Philippines, please hit the like button of our Facebook page at
www.facebook.com/acf.philippines or follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ACF_Philippines
To arrange for interview, please contact:
Rosa May de Guzman Maitem
Communications Manager
ACF International - Philippine Mission
Email: rmaitem@ph.acfspain.org
Tel/Fax: +63 (02) 840-1808; +63-(02)-659-3598
Mobile: + 63-929-319-4607
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Typhoon Yolanda: Two Years After

Survivors Journey towards Recovery

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