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Author: Tanya Mariano

ACCESS gets ₱76 million from EU for Mindanao flood aid

  • Tanya Mariano
  • Disaster Response, Featured Stories, Latest News & Stories, Press Release

The funding will help bring food, clean water, sanitation facilities, and protection assistance to the hardest-hit, least-served, most remote communities 

Manila, Philippines, 19 August 2024 – The ACCESS consortium – made up of five international and nine local organizations implementing the ACCESS Project – has secured ₱76 million (€1.2 million) in funding from the European Union (EU) to deliver timely, appropriate, life-saving aid to communities in Cotabato, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte and del Sur, and Sultan Kudarat who were affected by the July 2024 flooding and landslides.  

Said Ansherina Talavera, Humanitarian and Peacebuilding Coordinator of consortium lead CARE Philippines: “As humanitarian workers, we’re committed to addressing human suffering wherever it is found, with a particular focus on the most vulnerable. This funding from the European Union helps us support the hardest-hit communities, who are not only dealing with the aftermath of floods and landslides but are also facing the ongoing challenges of conflict and climate change.” 

Existing organizational presence enabled quick response 

The consortium had been on the ground when floods and landslides hit the region, allowing it to immediately assess the situation, identify urgent needs, and deliver initial relief. This established presence in Mindanao and across the Philippines is made possible by the ACCESS-initiated Equitable Partnership Alliance – a non-formal network of local, national, and international non-government organizations committed to delivering quality humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding programs in the country. 

The funding will help ACCESS provide food assistance, clean water, sanitation facilities, hygiene promotion, and essential services protecting the rights and ensuring the safety and wellbeing of affected families. As with all its emergency response efforts, the consortium will target the hardest hit, least served, difficult-to-reach areas, prioritizing low-income households for whom recovery may be challenging, and including older persons, pregnant and lactating women, persons with disability, female-headed households, and households from indigenous groups. 

From El Nino to floods and landslides 

The massive flooding and landslides – the result of the interaction of multiple, successive weather systems, including the southwest monsoon – came just as families were recovering from the impacts of El Nino. Many had also been grappling with the protracted, decades-long conflict across Mindanao.  

Urgent needs

Among affected and displaced individuals, the consortium found high levels of food insecurity; significant losses in incomes and livelihood assets; poor water supply, sanitation, and hygiene conditions; extensive damages to belongings and the loss of important civil documents; heightened risks of sexual violence and exploitation against women and children; and a need for mental health and psychosocial support. 

Said Talavera, “ACCESS is focused on providing urgent aid and helping families rebuild their lives with resilience and dignity.” 

Photos: © ACCORD Inc., Action Against Hunger Philippines, Save the Children Philippines, Humanity & Inclusion Philippines | 2024

About ACCESS 

ACCESS (Assisting the Most Vulnerable Communities and Schools Affected by Complex Emergencies in Accessing Quality and Timely Humanitarian and Disaster Preparedness Services) is a multi-year, multi-sectoral project funded by the European Union Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO). The ACCESS Mindanao flood emergency response will be implemented by consortium members ACCORD, Action Against Hunger Philippines, CARE Philippines, Community Organizers Multiversity, Humanity & Inclusion Philippines, Mindanao Organization for Social and Economic Progress, and Save the Children Philippines, together with Oxfam Pilipinas and United Youth of the Philippines-Women. 

Talaandig Tribe’s 20-Year Journey to Peace 

  • Tanya Mariano
  • Blog, Featured Stories, Latest News & Stories, Peacebuilding

For twenty years, a deep rift split this indigenous community in the Philippines. What started as a territorial dispute in 2000 evolved into an intense conflict over resources, ideologies, and leadership, eventually spiraling into violence, displacement, and the loss of many lives. It also prevented the formation of a unified council needed to secure the tribe’s land rights. With climate change and environmental degradation potentially making scarce resources even scarcer, further escalation seemed almost inevitable. 

But now, two decades later, both sides are taking crucial steps toward reconciliation. 

NCIP and BRIDGE Project help clear a path to peace 

The Talaandig, the smallest indigenous group in the Philippines’ Caraga Region in Mindanao, is a dwindling tribe with fewer than 2,000 families. The conflict forced some to flee deep into the forests, limiting their access to education and basic services mostly available in the lowlands. Many of its youth also struggle to maintain their traditional way of life and cultural identity due to discrimination and limited opportunities for learning and livelihood.  

For years, the tribe tried to settle the dispute, but insufficient resources and the periodic recurrence of violence made it challenging.  

With facilitation from the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) and support from the European Commission-funded BRIDGE project, members of the Talaandig tribe recently gathered for a peace dialogue. The goal was to bridge the long-standing divide by openly and respectfully talking about misunderstandings and grievances, committing to preventing future conflicts, and (re)uniting in their claim over their shared ancestral domain. This included establishing clear land boundaries and facilitating the creation of the Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT) to strengthen their legal claim. 

This landmark event opened a new chapter for the tribe. “From now on, there will be no more bloodshed,” declared one tribal chieftain. 

“We can’t ignore the hurt this conflict has caused our families and the damage it’s done to our relationships, but I truly believe that, by starting this dialogue today, we can begin to heal,” said another tribal leader. 

The peace dialogue 

While the dialogue itself took place within a day, most participants spent one day traveling to the venue and another day returning home. For some, because they lived in such remote, “last mile” areas, the journey to the venue involved two days of walking barefoot. Yet, for something that had been out of reach for two decades and for which they spent years preparing, it seemed a reasonable price to pay.

The event began with a traditional Talaandig ceremony invoking peace and unity, led by the tribe’s elders. Two datus, or tribal chieftains, from the conflicting parties presented their perspectives, detailing the origins and consequences of the territorial dispute. Elders, women, and youth from both sides shared insights and recounted their genealogy, the conflict’s history, and its impact on their community. 

The group that remained in the original settlement in the lowlands spoke of their community’s milestones, including having two college graduates who are now teachers, and said they hoped these could serve as an inspiration to others and a testament to what the Talaandig can achieve given the opportunity. 

Mediators also played a key role, helping pave the way for a peace agreement by using the appropriate mediation processes. Mediators included the Municipal Tribal Chieftain Datu Raul Minglana, Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative (IPMR) of San Luis Bae Ederlina Precioso, NCIP Regional Director Ordonio P. Rocero, and NCIP Lawyer Atty. Fritzie Lynne Sumando. BRIDGE project staff, and personnel from the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office, served as secretariat and witnesses to the dialogue. 

The DepEd teachers also conducted a learner mapping to assess the educational needs of the community, especially in alternative learning systems. 

The peace dialogue was a critical first step for the Talaandig Tribe to claim their ancestral domain. | Photo: CARE Philippines

Talaandig women’s voices 

Women were instrumental in the peace process by documenting the dialogue and providing significant information to complete the tribe’s history. They also lent the discussion a nurturing and caring lens, helping participants see possible ways to heal past wounds. The event underscored the importance of inclusive participation, involving women in reconciliation and decision-making.  

Resolution and future steps 

To close the dialogue, the datus exchanged metal bracelets to symbolize their commitment to peace. They reached a tentative agreement on land boundaries and the establishment of the CADT, and all parties pledged to maintain the peace and prevent future conflicts. They also agreed to support each other’s aspirations for a dignified life by educating their children and ensuring equitable access to their ancestral land’s resources. 

From humanitarian response to peacebuilding 

The dialogue partially illustrates what working within the humanitarian, development, and peace nexus looks like, and how humanitarian and peacebuilding initiatives can build upon each other’s gains. In Mindanao, ACCORD, CARE, and partners implement two projects intentionally designed to complement each other: ACCESS, which addresses urgent humanitarian needs, and BRIDGE, which focuses on peacebuilding. 

Months before the dialogue, a group from the tribe – who had been experiencing chronic violence, threats, and harassment for years – was given food, shelter, WASH (water supply, sanitation, and hygiene promotion), health, and civil registration assistance by the EU Humanitarian Aid-funded ACCESS Project.  Seeing an opportunity to ask for help and give his people a better future, the group’s leader sought the project’s help in organizing a discussion with the other Talaandig groups. Through BRIDGE, the team from ACCORD supported NCIP in setting up the much-needed talk. 

With the NCIP’s partnership with BRIDGE, initial aid from ACCESS, and the Talaandig Tribe’s commitment to peace, cultural preservation, and self-determination, this decades-long conflict may finally be coming to a close. 

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ACCESS is a multi-year, multi-sectoral project funded by the European Union Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) and implemented by consortium members ACCORD, Action Against Hunger Philippines, CARE Philippines, Community Organizers Multiversity, Humanity & Inclusion Philippines, and Save the Children Philippines. 

The “Civil Society, Women and Youth Promoting Culture of Peace in Mindanao” (BRIDGE) Project is funded by the European Commission and implemented by ACCORD Incorporated, CARE Philippines, Community Organizers Multiversity, and Oxfam Pilipinas

The harsh realities of El Niño for farmers, vulnerable groups

Land is life. Nobody understands this better than a farmer. And when wells dry up and fields crack under scorching heat, they are also the most directly affected.

Across the country, the drought and dry spells El Nino brought have impacted food security, water supply, health, education, and infrastructure, causing widespread economic and social repercussions, and exacerbating existing vulnerabilities.

Affected populations dealing with the effects of the phenomenon and, at the same time, bracing for the impact of La Nina, are also still recovering from recent hazards, including Typhoon Doksuri, which hit northern Philippine provinces in July 2023, and the widespread flooding in Eastern Visayas in November 2023. In Mindanao, communities are reeling from the flooding, landslides, and earthquakes in early 2024 while facing sporadic displacements due to chronic conflict.

The agriculture sector, particularly farmers and fisherfolk of already limited means, has been hit the hardest. 

According to the Department of Agriculture, losses total PHP 9.50 billion (EUR 151 million), affecting 163,694 hectares of farmland across 12 regions, with 47,828 hectares (29.22%) beyond recovery. The ACCESS project estimates that 5.5 million people in drought-affected provinces are engaged in farming and fishing, with 1.6 million living below the poverty line. 

El Nino’s widespread impacts

In areas monitored by the ACCESS consortium and member organizations of the Humanitarian Partnerships Platform (HPP), we are seeing a host of negative impacts:

  • Agriculture

Because of insufficient rainfall and water shortages, there have been extensive crop failures and delays in planting affecting corn, rice, vegetables, and other high-value crops. There are reports of deaths among livestock, and poultry and fishery are also affected. This not only reduces the incomes of households dependent on agriculture for livelihood but may also intensify overall food insecurity.

  • Economic and social impacts 

Drastic income reductions have forced farmers and fisherfolk to go increasingly into debt and borrow money from informal lenders with high interest rates. Some move to more urbanized areas to look for alternative work, and others have resorted to selling their livestock. People are eating less, with upland farmers reducing meals from three to just one daily. 

  • Water, sanitation, and hygiene

There is a severe shortage of water for domestic and agricultural uses. Where it’s still available, the price has been increasing. In some areas, there is intermittent supply; in others, people travel to other towns to fetch water.

  • Health

There are reports of dehydration, diarrhea, skin diseases, respiratory issues, and other heat-related illnesses. 

  • Education 

Schools have had to suspend classes or adjust their schedules to avoid the extreme heat.

Women and girls, persons with disabilities, and older persons face heightened risks

These conditions place certain groups in danger. Women bear a disproportionate burden, managing both care duties and livelihood activities to make up for incomes lost, often sacrificing their own needs. For instance, some eat last to make sure their children and husbands have enough food. 

Increased stress levels, the loss of work, scarce resources, and the disruption of daily life can aggravate existing tensions within households and contribute to often-unreported cases of gender based violence (GBV). Women and children also face higher risks of physical and sexual harm when tasked to secure food and water by traveling farther than usual. 

Persons with disabilities and older persons who have limited mobility now have an even harder time accessing food, water, and basic social services. Women with disabilities, in particular, are doubly affected: decreased household incomes may prevent them from meeting dietary, medical, and rehabilitation needs as their families prioritize food and other essentials. They are also five times more likely to experience GBV, including domestic violence, due to perceptions that they cannot report incidents or will not be believed. Additionally, reporting systems are often inaccessible. 

Building drought resilience, preparing for La Nina

ACCESS and HPP partners have conducted needs assessments, a rapid gender analysis, and initial response activities in drought-affected areas in Northern and Southern Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Food is emerging as the most pressing need, and livelihood assistance—seeds, farm inputs, water irrigation facilities, and tools—are essential for recovery.

Even as El Nino’s effects may extend into August in some provinces, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomic Services Administration (PAGASA) expects La Nina to set in between June and August and about 13 to 16 more cyclones to arrive this year. These may compound the negative impacts on vulnerable populations. Humanitarian aid must thus take these forecasts into consideration. 

And while emergency response addresses people’s most urgent needs, to more effectively build resilience to drought, longer-term solutions, including those focusing on ecosystem restoration, climate change adaptation, and disaster risk reduction, are vital.

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ACCESS is a multi-year, multi-sectoral project funded by the European Union Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) and implemented by consortium members ACCORD, Action Against Hunger Philippines, CARE Philippines, CO Multiversity, Humanity & Inclusion – Philippines, and Save the Children Philippines. 

The Humanitarian Partnership Platform is a network of 13 local organizations plus CARE as convenor, enabling rapid, scalable, and coordinated disaster response, emphasizing flexible funding and gender sensitivity, and leveraging local expertise and resources.

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