Group says plight of 200,000 Yolanda survivors might worsen

MANILA, Philippines - The plight of about 200,000 survivors of Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) might worsen if the government’s relocation efforts would not focus on job generation, an international aid group said.

Oxfam said job opportunities and possible income sources were not adequately considered in efforts to help the survivors.

“Up to 200,000 survivors of last November’s deadly Typhoon Haiyan are at risk of worsening poverty because the government plans to relocate them without sufficient consideration as to how they will later earn a living,” the aid group said.

Oxfam, which has been operating in the Philippines since 1978, said earning an income is the top priority for survivors who may be covered by resettlement efforts.

“Yet the government is planning to move 200,000 people away from the coast without integrating job opportunities into its relocation plans. Fisherfolk, laborers and vendors are among the people most affected,” it said.

Oxfam’s findings were based on a survey it conducted in areas deemed potentially “unsafe” by the government and targeted for relocation in Eastern Samar, Leyte and Cebu.

About half of the 453 people surveyed said earning an income through their current or a new job should be the most important consideration for relocation planning.

“The government has committed to the principle of ‘building back better’ but it has yet to prove that through its relocation efforts,” said Justin Morgan, Oxfam country director in the Philippines.

“Relocation is not only about houses, it’s also about jobs, safety, transport. These cannot be afterthoughts,” he added.

Morgan warned families might be forced to choose between safety and putting food on the table if the relocation is not implemented properly.

“Millions of pesos will be spent on relocation. If this process is not done well, everyone loses,” he said.

“The government also risks wasting valuable funds that could really make a difference to the lives of poor people.”

Oxfam said relocation sites in some places are up to 15 kilometers away from the resident’s current homes.

“Several families in Leyte told Oxfam they had decided not to relocate because transport costs were too expensive from their new homes back to the coast where they work,” the group said.

“While many people are afraid to stay near the sea and worry about the safety of their families, they need to be able to earn money.”

Oxfam said only seven percent of people were consulted or informed about the government’s relocation plans.

“Worryingly, 81 percent said they didn’t know their rights around relocation and one in three people said they were accepting relocation because they felt they had no choice. Half of the people said they didn’t know where they were moving to,” the group said.