Long-term support needed for over half a million children severely affected by Typhoon Bopha; Save the Children welcomes revised UN appeal of US$75.7million

(Tagum, Philippines) – Save the Children welcomes the revised United Nations appeal for US$75.7million, up from US$65 million, in order to deliver life-saving aid and help rebuild the lives of those severely affected in the aftermath of Typhoon Bopha. The children’s aid agency estimates that over half a million children and their families will require long-term support in order to recover from the disaster.

Save the Children has targeted the worst-hit areas of Agusan del Sur, Davao Oriental and Compostela Valley for its relief operations. About 275,000 people, including 165,000 children, have been assessed to be most severely affected in those areas. It aims to provide families with a comprehensive package that would cover their shelter, health, child protection and education needs.

“Many children and their families in this flattened area have lost everything they have,” said Anna Lindenfors, country director for Save the Children in the Philippines. “They have no roof over their heads, no school building for classes, no running water or latrines, no agricultural land to plant their crops on and hardly anything left to salvage in their homes. This will take months or even years to rebuild.”

Overall, about 6.2 million out of Eastern Mindanao’s population of 6.9 million people have been reported by the Philippines’ National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council to be affected, of which more than 840,000 require humanitarian assistance.

“Now that the distribution of immediate relief is underway, we have to start looking at the long-term implications,” said Anna Lindenfors. “About 80 per cent of the residents in Mindanao rely on subsistence farming for income, but with plantations flattened, it may take years for them to fund and replant the crops.”

Save the Children has begun putting people to work in Mindanao, providing a daily wage for those helping to clean up debris, embed water pipes, fix damaged fences, dig canals and collect garbage.

“The impact of the loss of livelihoods cannot be understated. If we do not help restore this quickly, it is likely that we will see more split families, harmful child labour, trafficking and a spike in child stunting and acute malnutrition,” said Anna Lindenfors.

Mindanao is one of the poorest regions in the Philippines, and child malnutrition rates there are higher than the national average. In Davao Oriental, nearly half of all children suffer from stunting, an indicator of malnutrition. Malnutrition can damage children permanently, impairing their brains and bodies. A child who is chronically malnourished can have an IQ of up to 15 points less than a child properly nourished.

“Schools are an excellent venue for us to ensure that children are protected against harmful child labour and trafficking, and monitored for their psychosocial and nutritional status. Getting schools up and running as fast as possible is also crucial to ensure that children have a chance at a better future,” said Anna Lindenfors.

“We need to recognise that livelihoods may take a long time to re-establish. In the meantime, however, children can’t wait. It is crucial that they have nutritious food, protection and education. We therefore urge donors to prioritise child-focused activities.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

-  The figure of 500,000 is derived from the total severely affected population provided by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council in the Philippines. 60 per cent of the population in Mindanao are children.

-  A child having an IQ of up to 15 points less than a child properly nourished is taken from S Horton: ‘Opportunities for investments in low income Asia’, Asian Development Review, 17, p 246-73, published in 1999