ORMOC CITY , Philippines — The International Organization for Migration has been closely monitoring and coordinating with the Philippine government in its interventions after the devastating effects of super typhoon Yolanda altered the lives of people in the Visayas region.
The IOM, active in the country since 1975 in responding to emergencies, appealed for US$57.6 million funding, but got only US$23 million. Still, it responded enough to assist the affected areas in the relief and recovery programs.
The IOM started its operations on November 9 last year, or a day after the typhoon struck, and has since then provided to the typhoon victims a total of 63,723 emergency shelter kits and 16,438 recovery shelter kits distributed as follows:
Of emergency kits, 21,172 units went to Roxas City in Capiz; 18,987 to Guiuan town in Eastern Samar; 13,102 to Ormoc City in Leyte; and 10,462 to Tacloban City, also in Leyte.
Of recovery kits, Tacloban City got the most with 8,186 units; Ormoc City had 4,283; Guiuan received 3,466; and Roxas City got 503.
The IOM reported that it has been involved also in camp coordination and camp management, covering 9,360 families, and in communications with communities, using flyers, banners and print and radio programs that reached more than 2.7 million audience in the Yolanda-hit areas.
The IOM has also conducted programs raising awareness on sexual and gender-based violence, including human trafficking, by training close to 4,000 people to help promote the advocacy.
On health services, the IOM conducted 21,795 outpatient consultations; 3,864 vaccinations; 2,265 maternal and child health services; 896 diagnostic works; 633 dental services; 605 medical referrals; and 297 deworming. (FREEMAN)