RAPID ASSESSMENT REPORT ON EASTERN SAMAR as of Nov. 22, 2013 6 PM
SITUATION
1. Priority areas: The provincial government of Eastern Samar identified nine municipalities as
priority for relief operations:
Data as of November 16, 2013:
Municipality
Affected
Missing
Families
1. Guiuan
13,400
23
2. Hernani
15,115
7
3. Salcedo
5,165
0
4. Balangiga
2,069
5
5. Lawaan
2,613
0
6. Giporlos
6,000
5
7. Quinapondan 2,115
0
8. Mercedes
1,015
0
9. Balangkayan
2,352
0
Source of data: Eastern Samar PDRRMO
Dead
93
69
29
15
11
12
5
4
3
Injured
Other
information
931
101
395
52
193
2,004
15
285
0
There is no disaggregated data in terms of sex and age.
Guiuan, being the hardest hit municipality and the one with the highest number of casualties, is
receiving a lot of assistance from humanitarian organizations and other donors although other
sectors need to be looked into. In general, other municipalities are receiving less attention.
2. Mass communication systems
- Smart and Globe lines are now operational but limited especially for Globe.
- All Eastern Samar-based radio stations are not yet operational (2 FM stations, 1 universitybased community radio, MBC, 3 radio stations owned by Cong. Ben Evardone, 1 AM station
Radyo ng Bayan DYES owned by the government)
Only one radio station (DZRH Tacloban) can be heard from northern part of the province to
Borongan (not clear in the city)
- Community newspaper (Tacloban-based) is not yet operational. National dailies are not yet
available in Eastern Samar.
- Some local government officials use megaphones when going around to update community
on relief operations.
- Power supply to be restored in 2 months; provincial capitol and major establishments are
powered by generators
- Cable TV is operational in Borongan except in some areas
- UNFPA and Plan have satellite phones; Plan has also Bgan. The provincial capitol doesn’t have
a satellite phone.
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3. Clusters
- Through the assistance of UNFPA, the provincial government of Eastern Samar has activated
the following clusters: 1) Food/Non-food, 2) Camp Management/Emergency Shelter, 3)
Permanent Shelter and Livelihood, 4) Logistics and Emergency Telecommunications, 5)
Education, 6) Agriculture, Early Recovery, 7) WASH, Health and Nutrition and MHPSS, and 8)
Early Recovery. OCHA was supposed to come but was unable to do so. Some clusters have
met while others will still meet and there was an Inter-Cluster meeting on Nov. 20 6 pm. The
clusters reported on their activities and plans and any problems were discussed and
solutions/recommendations were made. There was a need for OCHA to come to Borongan to
help coordinate.
WASH, health, and nutrition are currently combined in one cluster but during the first intercluster meeting (Nov 20), it was suggested that these should eventually become separate
clusters as soon as cluster leads and members are identified. Specifically for nutrition, the
provincial HEMS coordinator asked if UNICEF could help activate the nutrition cluster and
provide a nutrition specialist to support the cluster.
UNICEF also suggested that a separate cluster for child protection be formed. Members are
UNICEF, Plan International, TDH, Christian Revival Formation
4. A humanitarian hub has been formed in Guiuan. However, there is no clear coordination yet
between this hub and the provincial clusters.
5. Needs (as expressed by the Governor and Plan corroborated by Provincial officials and TDH):
food, shelter, WASH, medicines, fuel, electricity, phone signals/internet, psychosocial.
6. Assessment and relief and supply distribution by the provincial government and even partners
are hampered by the absence of power supply, limited fuel, and poor road conditions.
7. People are now going back to the areas where their houses stood and started to build
temporary shelters using scrap materials. People need construction supplies.
SECTOR SITUATION
8. Child protection/GBV
- The PSWDO said there are no reported cases on separate and unaccompanied children but
there might be at the municipal level. Their staff have not been trained on Family Tracing
and Reunification.
- No reported cases of child abuse, violence/GBV, exploitation, or trafficking so far; the
PSWDO said there is an existing referral system at the provincial and municipal levels
though these need to be checked at the municipal level. But there is a need for CFS in
evacuation and affected areas and matters pertaining to CP/GBV need to be established in
ECs with referral system in place.
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There is a Provincial Crisis Center in Borongan for children and women survivors of VAWC:
there are 18 girl survivors of sexual violence (rape and 4 cases of incest) before Yolanda but
none after Yolanda.
There is also a Regional Rehabilitation Center for Youth (RRCY) in Tanauan, Leyte where 4
youth are from Easter Samar and the province pays P12,000 per month to cover the
expenses for the youth (before Yolanda).
The province has activated 8 clusters. Initially, protection issues were put under Food/NonFood and Camp Management/Emergency Shelter clusters but we suggested and it was
decided to separate the Protection cluster with CP and GBV sub-clusters. This cluster was
scheduled to be convened on Nov. 21, 2013.
There are 4 social workers and 6 nurses from the province trained to do and are doing stress
debriefing to survivors.
Majority of the people stay in or near their damaged houses and with no electricity, the
children are at risk of possible abuse, violence and exploitation. There are many children
staying near the roads or begging for help in the roadsides, thus, they are vulnerable to
accidents. There is also a lot of debris around which pose danger to the children.
PNP help desks have been set up in some of the affected municipalities.
Met with Plan International in Borongan. Their focus areas are Balangkayan, Oras, Salcedo,
Llorente and Hernani, 4 of which are among the 9 most affected. They have current
programs on CP (see Annex doc for details). Plan is doing an assessment and plans to
respond further to the emergency based on assessment results. Discussed with the Samar
and Manila staff re possible PCA on CP and education.
According to the PSWDO, the PCPC and PIACAT-VAWC are functional and meets every 3
months. There are also MCPCs and MIACAT-VAWCs which meet regularly but there are only
73 functional BCPCs out of 597 barangays.
The Philippine Coalition Against Trafficking (PACT) assists the province in anti-TIP (ATIP)
through the Millenium Council Action Philippines (MC AP) Community Outreach
Component.
Terre des Hommes (TDH) has a current program in Oras and San Julian municipalities
focusing on 1) community awareness on child protection, 2) policy advocacy on Municipal
Children Code enforcement, Gender Code and Family Code, 3) facilitating referral system, 4)
training teachers on personal safety lessons, 5) organizing informal sectors, i.e., Children and
Youth Development Committee, 6) Establishment of the Women and Children Protection
Unit, 7) promote keeping children safe in times of disasters, 8) capacity building for MCPCs
and BCPCs, and 9) early interventions for children with disabilities.
TDH is doing an assessment in the municipalities of San Julian, Borongan, Hernani and
Balangkayan and initial results indicate no reports on SUC and child abuse, violence and
exploitation yet; but there is a need for psychosocial support ; and there are reports of 13
cases of children stealing from other houses in Balangkayan. It plans to respond on the
municipalities mentioned above and is open to partnership with UNICEF.
In the partial results of the MIRA conducted in 3 barangays each of Guiuan and Lawaan
municipalities, the most common protection concern is the loss of legal documents like the
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birth certificates. Other concerns are lack of adequate physical protection for the affected,
lack of communication between family members and/or to emergency response, persons
with special needs and teenage pregnancy.
Also met with the Christian Revival Fellowship, a church with a program funded by
Compassion International which sponsor scholarships for indigent children. They are
providing relief items in Borongan, Maydolong and Balangkayan. Their program/activities
include 1) center time where the sponsored children do various activities, 2) medical and
dental operations, 3) religious instruction, 4) counseling, 5) value formation, 6) feeding, 7)
sessions on ATIP, and 8) livelihood for mothers. Other churches funded are UCCP, Nazarene,
and Assembly of God.
There are staff from DSWD Region V who support the relief operations of the province. They
set up a tent near the provincial capitol. They also check the destinations of passengers in
Matnog port in Sorsogon coming from Samar and Leyte particularly survivors of Yolanda and
have prevented and sent back one adult male to Leyte since his destination was not clear.
They plan, too, to respond to other CP concerns later.
9. WASH
- PRC Borongan implemented Health, Hygiene Promotion and Emergency Response (HYPER)
in Salcedo, Guiuan and Borongan.
- UNICEF distributed 2,000 hygiene kits and ____ jerry cans with hyposol to Guiuan.
- Plan distributed jerry cans and will distribute 2,000 hygiene kits to Hernani and 2,000 infant
kits (diapers, safety pins, pillow, etc.)
- PHO distributed hyposol and aquatabs and still has prepositioned 500+ jerry cans and 300+
hygiene kits.
10. Nutrition
- The Center of Empowerment and Resources for Development (CERD) planned to distribute
relief food items including powdered milk but the Food/Non-food cluster and UNICEF team
advised CERD not to give milk formula to infants and young children and instead, ask
mothers to breastfeed/continue breastfeeding their babies or utilize other means like wet
nursing or relactation.
- In the Nov 18 meeting of the food and non-food cluster convened by the PSWDO, UNICEF
team stressed the importance of monitoring milk donations and protect breastfeeding. The
PNAO stated that they intend to monitor food items being donated to the province. Other
members of the provincial government stated that food items that are being donated
should be checked to make sure that infant formula will not be given to infants and young
children.
- The Provincial Nutrition Action Officer (PNAO) was not part of the initial assessment team
that was dispatched by the provincial government immediately after the typhoon. Due to
limited supply of fuel, going to the field for assessment has been a major problem.
- As of Nov 18, no assessment has been done on nutrition. However, the PNAO is planning to
do so at the earliest time possible in December.
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The provincial focal points who participated in the cluster and inter-cluster meetings don’t
seem to have adequate knowledge on the milk code and the importance of breastfeeding in
emergencies.
An IYCF training for MNAOs and midwives in the province was scheduled in November and
will be conducted as planned, however, those from the affected areas will not be able to
attend.
Immediate needs: Vitamin A, weighing scale, height board. Health and nutrition personnel
are not trained to use MUAC.
Other needs: According to the PNAO, they are anticipating a need to intensify IYCF campaign
in the affected municipalities and technical assistance form partners will be needed. The
provincial government also needs IYCF counseling cards for the 9 municipalities.
11. Education
- PLAN will assist 8 municipalities which were affected by Yolanda and which also happen to
be its regular programme areas: Balangkayan, Hernani, Salcedo, Guiuan, Giporlos,
Mercedes, Balangiga, Lawaan. For Education, they can assist the PSWDO/ MSWDO in
setting up SNP sites and work with DepED on TLS and CFS.
- DepED Division of Eastern Samar SDS leads the creation of local EiE Cluster, initially
composed of DepED, UNICEF and Plan Philippines. Other members invited to meetings are
Terre des Hommes and GAIA Club, PSWDO (ECCD Coordinator).
- There are currently no Education in Emergency supplies in Eastern Samar at the moment.
DepED Division, UNICEF and Plan had initial discussions on needs and planned response.
Please see attached matrix of assistance.
- Here is summary of Rapid Damage Assessment Report by the DepEd Division of Eastern
Samar:
o Kinder to 4th year affected enrolment – 47,790 (children)
o Damaged instructional classrooms – 1,343
- Three batches of training of trainors on psychosocial intervention concluded. Around 50
regular school nurses, volunteer nurses and 60 school administrators participated. These
trained school officials are, in turn, to brief teachers.
- Municipality of Hernani has 2 schools which are totally damaged (almost erased) – Pedro
Candido National High School and Carmen Elementary School.
- The following municipalities resumed classes as of 18 November: Balangkayan, Llorente,
Maydolong, General Macarthur
- Tents are preferred over tarpaulins as structures are damaged. SDS advised against
conducting classes inside classrooms where debris are as this has resulted in/ may continue
to result to injuries, infections among children (e.g. wounds).
- SDS said teachers will report for work/teach as soon as the tents arrive.
- The children, schools and teachers will need teaching learning materials (e.g. ES Library
sets, HS Library sets, ES student packs, HS student packs, teacher packs) as almost all of
these have been washed away.
- SDS requesting for orientation/ training on how to conduct Education in Emergency.
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ECCD Coordinator said there are no DCCs left in Balangkayan, Hernani, part of General Mac
Arthur, Salcedo, Guiuan, Lawaan, Quinapondan, Balangiga, Giporlos. Thus, of the 570 DCCs
of Eastern Samar, around 250 need ECCD packs.
Classes in the Day Care Centers may start later than January 2014.
Tents with capacity of 30 children and teacher or tarpaulins may be used for conduct of
sessions. ECCD Coordinator recommends 100 pieces of 45 sqm tents.
PSWDO has its own social workers who provide psychosocial intervention, including for 3-4
year olds.
ECCD Coordinator to advise Guian MSWDO to set up SNPs and hold sessions while DCCs are
not yet operational.
Ruby noted that in response to DepED request for school feeding, they can offer rice (which
children can bring home or the schools can cook) or high energy biscuits.
Terre de Hommes committed to provide teaching - learning materials for 4,000 children in
selected barangays in Balangkayan and Hernani.
Gaia Club committed to map/ identify coordinates of all the schools in the 8 target
municipalities of DepED.
Child Friendly Spaces to be set up in coordination with CSO partners (e.g. Plan).
Some Balangiga schools are expected to benefit from a roll of 6m x 40m tarpaulins from
USAID.
12. Health
- There are 8 out of 12 hospitals and 15 out of 25 RHUs that are functional. The rest are either
partially or totally damaged but services have resumed.
- The provincial health office (PHO) needs a genset for the vaccines. Currently, the vaccines
are at the provincial hospital and to private individuals with refrigerators.
- Immediate needs: essential medicines and supplies (complete list available):
Essential medicines
Cotrimoxazole 800mg
Cotrimoxazole syrup 50ml
Paracetamol 500 mg
Paracetamol syrup 50ml
Mefenamic acid 500mg
Mefenamic syrup 50ml
Dichlofenac sodium
Oresol
Salbutamol (Nebule)
Salbutamol (inhaler)
Salbutamol 2mg
Dicychloverine
Captopril
Lozartan
Supplies
Syringe 3 ml, 5 ml, 1 ml
Silk #40, #20
Face mask
Nylon #30
Quantity
5,574 boxes
5,574 boxes
11,145 boxes
2,648 boxes
11,145 boxes
2,468 boxes
8,336 boxes
1,393 boxes
39,816 pcs
79,632 pcs
7,963 boxes
7,963 boxes
2,889 boxes
79,632 pcs
3,056 pcs each
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Lydocaine, Lydocaine topical
anaesthesia
Isoprophyl alcohol
Gloves 6 ½
Gloves 7
Examining gloves (plastic)
Examining gloves 1 in
Betadine antiseptic 10%
Hydrogen peroxide
Water disinfectant
Hygiene kits
Insect repellent
250 gallons
250 gallons
140,994
23,499
23,499
- PHO supplies have been distributed to affected municipalities and there is a need to
replenish the stocks.
- According to the mayor of Guiuan, they have enough supply of essential medicines from
donors. Donor agencies are asked to focus on food, materials for temporary shelter, and
later, livelihood.
- Philippine Red Cross Borongan implemented Health, Hygiene Promotion and Emergency
Response (HYPER) in Salcedo, Guiuan and Borongan.
- UNICEF distributed health supplies (I truck) to Guiuan.
- Need for temporary shelter for the district hospital, equipment and solar power.
13. Camp Management/Emergency Shelter
- Plan gave shelter kits (tarps and ropes) to Salcedo, Balangkayan and Hernani.
- The Camp Management/Emergency Shelter cluster identified the ff. ECs: 1) Immaculate
Conception School in Guiuan; 2) Brgy. 3, Hernani, 3) Batong, Hernani, 4) Garam, Hernani, 5)
Carmen, Hernani, and 6) Balangkayan ES. Later, it was reported that there are 7 ECs in
Guiuan although the names need to be taken yet.
14. Food Security
- Food aid is provided by the province with family packs (rice, canned goods/sardines,
noodles, and coffee) and other donors.
- PRC distributed relief food items in Brgy. Canlaray, Borongan.
- ICRC plans to distribute food items via Guiuan airport in cooperation with PRC; PRC gave
beneficiary cards and will distribute PRC supplies also.
15. MHPSS
- PHO conducting orientation on stress debriefing to service providers.
- 4 social workers and 6 nurses are doing stress debriefing to survivors.
16. Partners/other organizations coordinating with provincial government:
- Plan International
- UNFPA
- Terre des Hommes
- Oxfam
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Gia Club
Arche Nova
ICRC
Philippine Red Cross
IOM
WHO
Christian Revival Fellowship (funded by Compassion International)
Diocese Social Action Center of Borongan
GEC
17. Others
- UNICEF supported UNFPA in the holding of a meeting on MIRA with representatives from
Plan, OXFAM and the provincial government. The body decided to change the 5 target areas
with the top 5 most heavily damaged municipalities and agreed to focus teams to do the
MIRA as follows: 1) Guian – UNICEF, 2) Lawaan – UNICEF, 3) Salcedo – Plan and OXFAM, 4)
Hernani – Plan, and 5) Balangiga – UNFPA. Data collection was done on Nov. 19-20 with a
letter from the Governor to the mayors of the 5 municipalities, then UNFPA will consolidate
the results on Nov. 22 and submit to OCHA Manila.
- All affected barangays are accessible by road or the sea although there are still many debris
on the roadsides.
- Fuel supply is limited in Borongan but is expected to be stable in two weeks.
- No banks/ATM open in Borongan and are expected to open soon.
18. Recommendations
- UNICEF should provide technical assistance to the provincial government and to the
priority municipalities of Eastern Samar specifically to:
 Work with the WASH, nutrition, education, and child protection clusters
 Ensure coordination with the provincial clusters in Borongan City and the
humanitarian hub in Guiuan and that other priority municipalities are also served
 Activate the nutrition cluster in the province and the 4 clusters in Guiuan.
- Briefing/orientation to health personnel and partners in the field regarding the milk
code, breastfeeding in emergencies.
- Recommend OCHA to establish presence at the provincial level for coordination and link
up with the humanitarian hub in Guiuan.
- The sectors to conduct follow-up/in-depth assessments considering the level of
capacities of the province and municipalities.
- All supplies directed to the province should be properly coordinated with the PDRRMO
and sector focal points.
- For CP, follow-up the CP/GBV issues especially PSS and SUC/FTR in the municipalities
particularly the priority municipalities and mobilize the CPWG to provide appropriate
responses.
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For staff to be detailed in Borongan, Eastern Samar, ensure that the Education Cluster
lead, DepED Division of Eastern Samar, participates in the inter-cluster meetings. Note
that Education is not devolved.
Contacts:
Governor – Gov. Conrado Nicart (no phone)
PDRRMO – Mr. Levi Nicart 09168231657
Inter-Cluster Coordinator/Provincial Agriculture Office – Ms. Cristy Cidro 09081175266
PHO HEMS/PSI – Ms. Grace Salas 09194022138/09276179585
PSWDO – Mr. Gil Rebamontan 09176323855
PNAO and dietary nutritionist – Ms. Sallie Jabinal 09267246351/09395539990
DILG Provincial Director –
DILG/PDDRMO – Ms. Jinnah Mae Lobrio
PPDO OIC – Mr. Samson Nervez 09477417592
Plan International Manager – Mr. Jojo de Villa 09175709391
Plan CP FO – Ms. Emily Mantilla
OXFAM – Mr. Abdullah Ampilan 09273419269
PRC Chapter Administrator – Ms. Josefa Tentativa 09264770317
UNFPA Program Manager – Mr. Roy Dimayuga 09088765565
DCSA JP – Fr. Alex Galo, Jr.
TDH Municipal Team Leader – Donabell Abalo 09173242097 tdhyul_philfieldoffice@yahoo.com
Eastern Samar Public Information Officer/Tourism officer – Ms. Cresencia Quitario
Guiuan Mayor Christopher Sheen Gonzales 09173250065
Dr. Bernardo Adina, SDS, Department of Education Division of Eastern Samar - (00882) 162 299
8433.
Roy Ador, ASDS, Department of Education Division of Eastern Samar – 0935 844 5311
Ms. Estelita Afable, ECCD Coordinator, PSWDO
Telesforo Laplana, Plan Eastern Samar – 0926 946 8410, telesforo.laplana@planinternational.org
Mark Dia, GAIA Exploration Club – 0917 843 0549
Claire Can Der Hemel /Babette, Terre des Hommes – 0917 3324 2027
Ruby, WFP – 00882 165 425 3412
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