The Philippines have been hit by 565 natural disasters since 1990 that have claimed the lives of more than 70,000 Filipinos. Millions are left homeless by each extreme weather event, with their livelihoods destroyed and clean water and food in short supply. And the cycle continues – each year an average of 20 typhoons make landfall, leaving affected communities repeatedly grappling with hunger, disease, and chronic poverty.

Not all Filipinos are sharing in the benefits of the country’s economic rise. The Philippines is home to over 14 million indigenous people who are particularly vulnerable to some of the changes that can accompany rapid economic growth. Deforestation and mining, for example, can cause them to lose their homes, food sources, and livelihoods. Insecurity over land tenure can create conflict between indigenous groups, businesses, and government

In 2017, conflict in the city of Marawi in Mindanao caused over 350,000 people to flee their homes, leaving over a thousand dead, with property damages exceeding €300 million. Two years later, some 60,000 people yet to return home, living in transitory centers or in neighboring host communities. Persistent armed conflict between the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), militant groups, clans and inter-ethnic tensions have led to frequent short and long-term population displacement.

Relief international’s teams have been delivering emergency aid in response to natural disasters and conflict in the Philippines for more than 30 years. We work with some of the most vulnerable and hard-to-reach communities to deliver life-saving support such as temporary shelter, clean water, safe sanitation facilities, and hygiene supplies that include soap, washing powder, cooking utilities, sanitary products, and diapers.

We offer emergency medical care for the immediate injuries that result from conflict or natural disasters. We also provide healthcare for the ongoing needs faced by communities whose health facilities have been destroyed. During distribution, we also promote protection messaging, together with health and hygiene awareness information.

In addition to meeting urgent needs, our work empowers Filipinos to protect themselves and their families against future risks. We partner with the government, private sector, and local communities to help build resilience to future disasters through trainings on disaster risk reduction, sustainable agriculture practices, and forest conservation.

We also work with the country’s indigenous populations to help protect the rights and culture of some of the Philippines’ oldest tribes – particularly as they relate to inclusive business policies. Our efforts include improving human rights in business practice in regions such as Mindanao, where an estimated 61% of the population is indigenous.

The recent creation of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) offers an unprecedented opportunity for long lasting peace and security in Mindanao. With regional elections scheduled for 2022, Relief International is supporting the Bangsamoro Transition Authority to open a much-needed doorway for development for over 4 million people in BARMM through enhancing governance and service delivery.

“For a country of 7,000 islands, accessing vulnerable people at any time can be challenging,” says Relief International Country Director Jack Morgan.

“This is particularly tricky during the typhoons that batter the islands each year. Although we have a few days’ notice, we don’t know exactly where they will hit or how strong they will be. They can change direction at a moment’s notice and become more powerful than predicted.

The constant threat of natural disasters makes the Philippines especially fragile. Although the Philippine’s national disaster preparedness system is highly advanced, we are all still at the mercy of 200 mile-per-hour strong winds, unexpected earthquakes and volcanic eruptions on a regular basis.

While Relief International can’t be everywhere, our network of local partners helps us extend our reach to strategic locations. This lets us focus our responses and help more communities in need in the aftermath of these extreme weather events.”