Disaster and livelihood response

ILO and DOLE provide emergency employment after Typhoon Melor

The International Labour Organization and the Department of Labor and Employment provided immediate assistance to the local governments and the vulnerable workers affected by Typhoon Melor (Nona) to help the communities quickly rebuild their lives and livelihoods through the emergency employment programme.

News | 13 January 2016
The International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) provided immediate livelihood support to vulnerable workers and their families affected by Typhoon Melor, locally known as Nona, in the hardest hit areas in Region IV-B (MIMAROPA) through the emergency employment programme.

(See also: DOLE-ILO partnership on emergency employment for 2,300 workers in Oriental Mindoro and Romblon and DOLE and ILO to do emergency employment for 4,000 workers in MIMAROPA and Region 8)

Strong winds destroyed homes and lifelines along the path of Typhoon Melor.
The timely implementation of the emergency employment programme accelerated critical public work activities that were completely short-handed at the early stage of relief support as well as restoration and rehabilitation of the lifelines. At the same time, the programme enabled vulnerable households, which lost their means of livelihood, to survive the critical period through wages and social protection benefits, thus minimizing dependency on relief aid and contributing to the self-recovery of the locals.


Typhoon Melor first made landfall on 14 December 2015 in the Philippines, bringing intense rains and damaging winds to central and northern parts of the country. The typhoon left 42 dead, displaced more than 280,000 people and severely impacted infrastructure and livelihoods of those along the typhoon path. On 18 December, the Philippine Government declared a State of National Calamity to hasten recovery, relief and rehabilitation efforts of the government and the private sector, including international humanitarian assistance.

Immediately after the typhoon hit the country, DOLE and ILO conducted a joint rapid livelihood impact assessment in some of the affected areas in Region IV-B (MIMAROPA), particularly municipalities in Oriental Mindoro and Romblon. The typhoon was initially projected to have minimal impact. However, the assessment showed that the impact was magnified due to vulnerability of the population along the typhoon path, including high poverty incidence rate and poor adaptive capacities, combined with the deviation from forecast of the course and timing of the typhoon.

Some houses were completely shuttered, but people have nowhere else to go when the evacuation centres were also damaged.
A week after the typhoon, many communities remained inaccessible due to road blockages and had not received any kind of assistance. Significant number of houses as well as small enterprises were damaged, including those completely shuttered. Since the designated evacuation centers, such as schools, were also destroyed, residents were seen dwelling in improvised shelters, exposing them to further risks. Significant economic loss is also expected as a huge percentage of coconut, banana and other high value crops have been lost or damaged, which are the prime source of income for most of the municipalities. The extensive damage to livelihoods, especially in the agriculture and service industries, left numerous workers in the region jobless or suspended from work. The local population was concerned of how to sustain their livelihood for the next 5-6 years until the new perennial crops can be harvested.

Through a joint funding and in-kind assistance arrangement, ILO and DOLE have been able to provide more than 2,300 families with immediate income and facilitate restoration of vital infrastructure and public facilities through emergency employment in Oriental Mindoro and Romblon. Timing was also critical as families needed immediate income for the holiday season and to sustain their day-to-day living, but their means of livelihood were largely lost.
Emergency Employment Programme in action – people affected in the island municipality of Concepcion, Romblon work together to facilitate clearing of debris and restoration of power lines in their communities.
Affected workers who participated in the emergency employment programme were able to receive immediate access to cash for their valuable work to help their own communities. In line with the national legislations, workers were provided with minimum wage, social protection coverage (including Social Security System, Philippine Health Insurance and accident insurance), personal protective equipment, and quick training on occupational safety and health. Through DOLE’s counterpart funding, the emergency employment programme continues in early 2016 in the same region and will also cover other affected areas in the country.

For further information please contact:

Mr Hideki Kagohashi
Enterprise Development Specialist
ILO Country Office for the Philippines
Tel. No.:+63 2 580 9900
Email

Ms Gwyneth Anne Palmos
Senior Programme Assistant
ILO Country Office for the Philippines
Tel. No.:+63 2 580 9900
Email