MANILA, Philippines — The International Organization for Migration and the United Nations Agency for International Development on Monday provided over 1,000 transitional shelters to Leyte residents who lost their homes to cyclones Odette and Agaton.
The shelters aim to support families in Abuyog and Baybay City whose places of origin have been declared unsafe to return to and are likely to be in long-term displacement.
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Noting that more than 2,300 households continue to be displaced as a result of the two cyclones, IOM chief of mission to the Philippines Tristan Burnett said there is a strong need for “a collective and continuous effort in identifying and promoting durable solutions to displacement, including sustainable reintegration, local integration, and relocation.”
Odette (international name: Rai) was the strongest typhoon that pounded the Philippines in 2021, bringing torrential rains, violent winds, and landslides. Eastern Visayas and Caraga were among the areas severely affected by Odette.
Agaton (international name: Megi) was a tropical storm that struck the central Philippines in April 2022. Some of the areas affected by Agaton were also hit by Odette and were only starting to recover.
The IOM and the USAID also provided shelter repair kits, cash assistance, and training on proper construction techniques to 10,000 families. Around 33,000 people were reached with hygiene promotion activities, and 6,880 government officials, community leaders, and families were given mental health and psychosocial support. — Gaea Katreena Cabico