Due to its geographical location, the town of Masantol has perennially been the catch basin of the province. In the villages of Nigui and Sapang Kawayan in Masantol, dealing with flooding is already a way of life. Formed mostly by poor fisherfolk families without land to build their houses on, the residents in these areas utilized, and expanded fishpond embankment to build their dwellings. These communities are accessible only by bancas (small boats).
During prolonged flooding, the communities face hardships in finding adequate emergency shelter to evacuate in and sustaining food security. CONCERN (Center for Emergency Aid and Rehabilitation, Inc.), in partnership with AWO International started a project with the aim of putting together safe floating emergency shelters and floating organic vegetable gardens. The project is also organizing community members into GDRRM (Grassroots Disaster Risk Reduction Machineries) to capacitate them into preparing and responding to disasters, as well as for them to advocate to the government for long-term solutions that will address the issues in their communities.
CONCERN, based in San Fernando City, Pampanga, has nearly 28 years of experience in responding to disasters, including some of the biggest disasters that hit the country such as the 1991 Mt. Pinatubo eruption the Real-Infanta-Nakar landslide in 2004, Bohol Earthquake and Typhoon Yolanda in 2013. In its projects, CONCERN works with a broad network of churches, academic institutions and people’s organizations throughout the country.
Title: iM SAFE (Innovative Masantol Shelter Against Flood Emergencies) Project
Implementation areas: Masantol, Philippines
Target Group: Residents of Masantol
Activities:
- Disaster risk reduction
- Food security
Implementation period: 2018-2019
Budget: 47,122 € (2018), 29,405 € (2019)
Donor: Aktion Deutschland Hilft e.V.
Center for Emergency Aid and Rehabilitation, Inc.
Executive Director: Eugenio T. Eurejas
Road 3, St. Jude Village Brgy. San Augustin
San Fernando City, Pampanga, Philippines
Email: concern.inc [at] gmail.com
Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/concern.inc/