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Philippines Perspectives #1

UNDP's recovery efforts six months after Typhoon Haiyan

Por United Nations Development Programme

07 de May de 2014

Locally known as Yolanda, Typhoon Haiyan made landfall on 8 November in the Philippines’ Eastern Samar province. With record winds and sea surges, the storm caused massive damage and casualties in 9 regions of the Philippines, affecting almost 15 million people and displacing 4 million.

Hernani in Eastern Samar province faces directly into the open water of the Pacifc Ocean. The Typhoon utterly destroyed this small municipality when it slammed into the coast.

Not one building escaped the winds and storm surge that knocked buildings off their concrete foundations and bent steel rebar like paper clips. Almost all livelihoods in Hernani come from coconut production and fishing; both industries were wiped out in one morning.

Providing food for the almost 1,000 families affected in Hernani became a top priority in the emergency. But now, six months since the disaster, residents are again relying on their crops to eat.

UNDP has funded communal gardens in two villages supporting 30 families in each village.

In San Isido village, seedlings catch the rays through the damaged roof prior to plantation.

Tending to the communal vegetable garden is a community commitment. Everyone pitches in.

Lydia Collarga says they harvest every three days. “With this garden, we have something to look forward to.”

Part of the benefits of the UNDP-supported communal garden includes the leftovers. After each family takes what they need for their tables, the leftovers are sold in the town. Shirley Consultado, 42, sells her vegetables on the streets of San Isido.

Residents of San Isido, Hernani, buy the left over crops from the communal garden. According to humanitarian food security groups, 5.6 million Haiyan survivors are in need of food assistance (as of April 2014), but schemes like the communal garden can lessen the risk of insecurity.