Typhoon Rai Response – Philippines

Above: A resident of Cabugao, Bacuag, Surigao del Norte in Mindanao points at a home destroyed by Typhoon Rai. Photo: Save the Children

The Philippines was struck by powerful Typhoon Rai on December 16, 2021. The Category 5 Super Typhoon killed more than 400 people, damaged more than 1.7 million homes, and displaced nearly 200,000, with much of the damage occurring in the Visayas and Mindanao regions.

As of early 2022, large numbers of people remained displaced, with significant need for shelter, food, water, hygiene supplies and other humanitarian essentials. Schooling was significantly disrupted, with 4,000 classrooms destroyed, while many other public and community facilities required repair and rehabilitation. Damage to agricultural crops and businesses negatively impacted on livelihoods, while surges in COVID-19 cases in affected areas complicated the response.

The AHP Response

The Australian Government announced $1 million in support for Australian Humanitarian Partnership NGOs as part of a broader $5 million humanitarian package for the Philippines.

The AHP consortium, led by Save the Children Australia together with CARE Australia and Plan International Australia, delivered life-saving interventions to affected villages in the provinces of Bohol, Negros Occidental and Cebu. Through cash transfers and in-kind distributions, AHP partners addressed the immediate humanitarian needs of affected families, with a particular focus on vulnerable groups.

AHP partners worked closely with local civil society and local government units to deliver the response, while also ensuring programming accounted for the continuing COVID-19 pandemic. The response was delivered in partnership with national offices, as well as two local NGOs, Pambansang Koalisyon ng Kababaihan sa Kanayunan (PKKK) and Bohol Integrated Development Foundation.

The response supported recovery from the disaster through rehabilitation and repair of water supply and sanitation facilities, support for livelihoods and farming, and protection programming.

Response highlights

• 1,358 households (6,738 individuals) received shelter kits to repair damaged residences.

• 3,576 households (16,730 individuals) benefited from WASH support, including the provision of hygiene essentials, access to clean drinking water, and sanitation facilities.

• 1,350 households (6,292 individuals) received food packs to prevent hunger, and discourage households turning to negative coping strategies.

• 1,438 households (7,798 individuals) received conditional cash support to assist them in restarting and sustaining economic activities.

• 1,441 households (4,114 individuals) received technical training on resilient agricultural practices and alternative ways to earn livelihoods, such as organic agriculture production, seaweed farming and processing, and fish processing.

• 12,421 program participants received information on protection and rights through the response.