Iligan City- For days since the Ranaw Disaster Response and Rehabilitation Assistance Center (RDRRAC) started its disaster response operations for the survivors of typhoon Sendong in Iligan City, it had finally launched its campaign name that is relevant to the composition of its team and partners as well as its beneficiaries.

“Duyog Iligan” is RDRRAC’s disaster response campaign which aims to achieve the following:

1. to serve all survivors regardless of political inclinations, socio-cultural affiliations and economic status;

2. to involve all survivors in the process of recovery and rehabilitation; to enhance the survivors’ resiliency, emotional recovery, and coping mechanisms;

3. to coordinate with the government, line agencies, other service providers and humanitarian organizations and

4. to encourage and intensify participation of all stakeholders.

Call for Volunteers

Volunteers at work

The “DUYOG Iligan” campaign is derived from the Visayan term Duyog which means “in solidarity with”. It is launched with RDRRAC member networks in Lanao del Norte composing of the following:

Sumpay Mindanao, Inc. (SMI)-Iligan City

Demokratikong Kilusan ng Magbubukid sa Pilipinas (DKMP) Lanao- Maranding, Lala, Lanao del Norte

Lig-ong Hiniusang Kusog sa Kabos (LIHUK) Urban Poor- Iligan City

Lanao Aquatic and Marine Fisheries Center for Community Development (LAFCCOD)-Tubod, Lanao del Norte

Electoral Reform and Development Assistance Center (ERDAC)- Iligan City

Women and Children Therapy and Crisis Center (WATCH)-Iligan City

Paglingkawas, Inc- Iligan City

Lanao Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (LAHRA)-Iligan City

Ranaw Women and Children Resource Center (RWCRC)-Iligan City

Sustainable Alternatives for the Advancement of Mindanao (SALAM)-Iligan City

Coalition of Lanao Norte Utility Transport for Change (CLUTCH)-Iligan City

Several partners from Iligan City, Cotabato City and Pagadian City were also involved by bringing in funds, human resources as well as transportation. They are the following:

Tri-People Organization against Disasters (TRIPOD)-Cotabato City

Mindanao Peoples’ Peace Movement (MPPM)-Cotabato City

Kaagapay Overseas Filipino Workers Resource and Service Center (Kaagapay)-Cotabato City

Mindanao Tri-People Women Resource Center (MTWRC)-Cotabato City

Mindanao Tri-People Youth Center (MTPYC)-Iligan City

Alyansa ng Kabataang Mindanao para sa Kapayapaan (AKMK)-Iligan city

Kahugpungan sa mga Mag-uumang Kababainhan sa Kabanikanhan (KASAMMA KA)-Pagadian City

Convergence of NGOs and POs of Zamboanga del Sur for Agrarian Reform and Rural Development (CONZARRD)-Pagadian City

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MIVA-donated cars fasttrack “Duyog Iligan”

27 DEC Iligan City- In a disaster response, the need for transportation to facilitate moving of relief goods from donors to affected families; to carry volunteers to gather and verify data and assess evacuation centers as well as schools and villages affected, and to take members of the command committee to various coordination meetings with government officials, line agencies and humanitarian organizations is a must.

Thus, in responding to the needs of the survivors of typhoon Sendong in Iligan City, the Ranaw Disaster Response and Rehabilitation Assistance Center through its DUYOG Iligan tri-people solidarity campaign found the cars donated by MIVA-Nederland very helpful in their day-to-day operations.

MIVA-Nederland is an organization that supports pioneers working in grassroots organizations in Africa, Asia and Latin America. They try to improve the circumstances of vulnerable men, women and children. The pioneers are mostly working in the areas of human rights, freedom of the press, women’s rights, fighting AIDS and caring for abused children. They provide transport and means of communication, such as cars, motorbikes, bicycles, boats, lorries, radio masts, internet connections and computers.

Throughout the years, it had supported the efforts of non-government organizations in Mindanao that cater to the needs of grassroots communities. Many of these organizations now come together to join RDRRAC and to form DUYOG Iligan: Tri-People Solidarity for Sendong Survivors and offered their MIVA-donated cars to help ease transportation during relief and rehabilitation operations.

Kia K2700- Mindanao Peoples’ Peace Movement (MPPM)

Toyota Hilux- Alternative Community Health and Development, Inc. (ACHDI)

Multicab- Lihuk, Inc.

Nissan Terrano- Sumpay Mindanao, Inc. (SMI)

Mitsubishi Strada-Convergence of NGOs and POs of Zamboanga del Sur for Agrarian Reform and Rural Development (CONZARRD)

Mercedes Benz van- Paglingkawas, Inc.

Mitsubishi Strada- Tri-People Organization against Disasters (TRIPOD)

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Disaster response volunteers manage stress

25 DEC. Iligan City- With the overwhelming demand of the sorting, recording, packing and distributing of relief goods as well as gathering and validating data, volunteers of the Ranaw Disaster Response and Rehabilitation Assistance Center (RDRRAC) undergo alternative ways of relieving stress.

The Health, Medical and Psychosocial Committee of RDRRAC eased the stressof the volunteers through ear and body acupuncture, acupressure and therapeutic massage registered by Mr. Felix Camacho, a licensed acupuncturist of the Integrative Medicine for the Alternative Healthcare Systems (INAM).

“It is important that the energy of the body is sustained for its proper functioning thus the committee was set up to address concerns of stress, tension, hypertension and other sicknesses through its alternative health system for the volunteers who work long and stressful hours during relief operations. We will also facilitate stress debriefing to the survivors of typhoon Sendong who for now are still being given medicines for common sicknesses such as colds, fever, flu, diarrhea among others as this is their immediate need.”, committee Chair Maribel Sajol and ear acupuncture specialist certified by the National Detoxification Association (NADA)-Philippines shared.

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Time Line of RDRRAC Daily Operation from December 22-23, 2011

Time Activity

22-Dec-11

7:00 AM Additional volunteers arrived. They were given orientation about their particular tasks.

8:00 AM The team assigned to collect and to validate the data of the affected families and individuals inside and outside evacuation centers. This was seen crucial especially in delivering accurate relief goods and services to the communities and camps affected by the deluge. This team was later split into three.

Meanwhile, the heads of the different committee convened to discuss the action points each committee will undertake.

8:30 AM Relief Distribution Team started to pack and sort out the relief goods.

Finance, Logistics, and Transportation Procurement Team canvassed and purchase goods that are to be included in the relief package. This team made sure that RDRRAC would comply to the sphere of standards as far as relief goods are concerned.

Documentation and Communication Team continued to word process the data they received from the camps and barangays. They also received some updated data of affected families and individuals from the City Social Welfare and Development.

The three teams assigned to verify and collect data proceeded to their assigned areas.

9:00 AM New set of enthusiastic volunteers poured in the Relief Goods Headquarter to help the team sort and pack the goods.

10:00 AM Documentation and Communication Team received calls from people who inquire for their missing families, friends, and relatives. Some institutions also asked from RDRRAC’s preliminary lists and data of families and individuals affected by the typhoon and its deluge.

This team also continued to update RDRRAC’s blog.

4:00 PM The three teams finished to verify and to collect the data from the field.

6:30 PM Documentation and Communication were through processing and updating the data gathered from the field.

8:00 PM Water Containers from Save the Children arrived to RDRRAC’s Relief Goods Headquarter.

9:00 PM Volunteers stayed awake the whole night to guard the relief goods.

23-Dec-11

Time Activity

7:00 AM Volunteers arrived to RDRRAC Office to prepare for the distribution of relief goods to the affected communities in Barangay Palao, Iligan City.

8:00 AM Mr. Elias Salazar, the Project Coordinator of Plan International visited RDRRAC to discuss with Ms. Adona Orquillas, the Executive Director of RDRRAC, matters purporting to the further generation of relief goods and resources.

9:30 AM Relief Distribution Team loaded and transported the relief goods to different communities.

11:05 AM Donations from the organizations and individuals from Municipality of Parang, Maguindanao (IRA511, St. Martin de Porres Parish, Easter Joy School, Inc, PRO-ARMM, Mt. Carmel Parish, and Rev. Fr. Major Joselito Borja) arrived at the Relief Goods Head Quarters.

Relief Distribution Team started to sort out and pack the goods.

1:30 PM While some were busy sorting out the donations that just came in, others from Relief Distribution Team started to load and transport relief goods and distributed them to evacuees in Mangga Elementary School.

2:17 PM GLOBE Telecom arrived at RDRRAC to hand in boxes of medicines for the victims of Typhoon Sendong.

2:20 PM Donations from Amerol Family from Malabang Lanao Del Sur came in.

5:25 PM Donations from CONZARRD and KASAMMA KA from Pagadian City poured in the Relief Goods Headquarter. They also committed their human resources and elf to RDDRAC.

6:30 PM Committee Heads Meeting

9:00 Another set of volunteers stayed awake the whole night to guard over the relief goods and donations.

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