Czech Republic helps Aklan, Iloilo get back on their feet after Yolanda

MANILA, Philippines - The wide public support of the Czech citizens and the significant humanitarian assistance extended by the government of the Czech Republic saw a substantial increase in Czech assistance allotted to the needs of victims of super typhoon Yolanda in Eastern Samar, Panay, Negros and Leyte islands. Previous Czech development and aid programs included the islands of Bohol, Mindanao and Luzon as well.

Among the international agencies that extended support for the rehabilitation efforts with a grant from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic is the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) Czech Republic, a humanitarian agency that provides community rehabilitation and risk reduction programs.

Czech support for typhoon Yolanda rehabilitation efforts is evident in two particular municipalities in the Visayan region, namely Makato, Aklan and Ajuy, Iloilo, Panay.

In Makato, Aklan, the ADRA program, which is jointly funded by the Czech Republic, United Kingdom and Norway, addresses the need of communities for more durable housing solutions and sustainable shelter assistance.

Jan Vytopil, counsellor of the Czech Embassy in Manila, recently visited Makato and noted that housing and rebuilding homes are necessary factors for the communities to start anew.

Six barangays of Makato, Aklan – Baybay, Alibagon, Tugas, Calimbajan, Cajilo and Mantiguib – were beneficiaries of the program. A total of 83 new houses were given families whose houses were completely destroyed by the typhoon, and 101 houses were repaired. Aside from repairs and construction materials, the communities also received regular orientation from shelter specialists on structure building as well as shelter kits that can be used for emergency shelter repairs. ADRA in Makato also provides assistance in formulating and implementing barangay disaster risk reduction (DRR) plans. Part of the activities is the provision of early warning system devices as well.

“The aim is to ensure that the most vulnerable people would live in decent conditions. New homes were no longer built in the immediate vicinity of the coast so that they were not again exposed to the dangers of another disaster,” said Jana Škubalová, project coordinator of ADRA Czech Republic.

On the other hand, the ADRA Philippines program in Ajuy, Iloilo, funded by the ADRA Czech Republic, addressed the post-disaster livelihood needs in the municipality. The Boat Repair Assistance Grant project successfully distributed 357 boat repair material kits to fishing households whose boats were damaged by the typhoon. Furthermore, 1,187 fishing kits were distributed to the local fisher folk, while 15 fiberglass boats were granted to selected families.

To enable families in Ajuy to have an alternative means of livelihood while rebuilding their community, ADRA also implemented the Cash for Work program where beneficiaries earned P245 per day while participating in various restoration activities like coastal clean-up, net weaving and mangrove planting. A total of 33 barangays in Ajuy also received disaster risk and reduction training and vital kits that include early warning devices and life-saving equipment in order to strengthen the communities’ resilience against natural disasters.

“Such programs which have received funding from the Czech Republic have significantly contributed to the continuous recovery of Makato and Ajuy from the rubble left in the wake of typhoon Yolanda,” Vytopil said.

“Disaster risk reduction plans jointly implemented by both Czech and Philippine ADRA are a step in the right direction in our goal to build disaster-resilient communities,” he added.

This and other successful Czech projects that were realized in the Philippines in the past year has given confidence to Czech Ambassador to the Philippines Jaroslav Olša Jr. that the government of the Czech Republic will continue to support humanitarian and small development projects that aim to rehabilitate communities affected by natural calamities in the Philippines.

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