WFP And USAID Hold Second National Forum On Disaster Preparedness and Response

Disaster Preparedness and Response (DPR) took centre stage this week as 150 delegates from national government, provincial, city, and municipal local government units (LGUs), academic institutions, and non-government organizations (NGOs) assembled for a national forum organized by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and the United States Agency for International Development’s Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA). This year’s national forum – the second of its kind – focused on the achievements and challenges of DPR practitioners and setting directions for the next year.

United States Supports Disaster Resilience In Benguet

(L-R:) Tublay Mayor Ruben Paoad, US Ambassador Philip S. Goldberg, UN World Food Programme (WFP) Representative and Country Director Praveen Agrawal, and United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Deputy Mission Director Reed Aeschliman visit the women coffee farmers of Tublay, Benguet, who have been assisted by the US Government through WFP for the disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation (DRR/CCA) programme. The US Government has announced an additional US$340,000 assistance to the province of Benguet to further improve disaster resilience in the area.

Photo credit: WFP Philippines/Anthony Chase Lim

RainWatch: Help and Information Links

Just got this information from fellow bloggers with a summary of help and Information links that one can use for reporting incidents and also provide information about flooded areas and evacuation centers in the Metro.

1. Database of Families in need of RESCUE:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/lv?key=0Av4sFm2l8QlGdDBpV21SWmN1R2JLZXdYV0RYY3FmWXc&toomany=true#gid=0 

2. List of Evacuation Centers & Relief Operations in Metro Manila:

http://www.rappler.com/nation/special-coverage/weather-alert/9981-list-evacuation-centers,-relief-operations-in-metro-manila 

Blah Blah Blogs: Trial by Storms

I don't know but sometimes the best wisdom comes out when we are our lowest point. And in today very surreal weather that they say have surpassed Ondoy in terms of damage and coverage has made us very weary and afraid. I am afraid too, not only for my self but also for my family who lives up north, my relatives in Pasig and Quezon City and all my friends from all parts of the Metro who have also experience the same heavy downpour. 

We were very lucky back in Ondoy as we live 4 storeys up in a uphill part of Sampaloc-Sta Mesa. But still it was really gruesome to see the aftermath of the storm. Mud all around, the smell of stench that remained on the street for days and also the sad news of the people who died. As much as we don't want that to happen again, we cannot dictate nature. Earth has been formed with powerful storms and earthquakes which make me realize that what we humans are still at her mercy. To us to survive, we must still do a lot of work.