Oxfam 2nd EFSVL assessment in Daan Bantayan 22.11

Prepared by Steph Roberson 24/11/2013

Daan Bantayan 2nd Emergency Food Security &Vulnerable Livelihoods Assessment visit,

21st -‐ 22nd November 2013

Team: Steph Roberson, Gift Chalaruk, Kelvin Fulgabam

Barangays visited: PayPay, Bakhawan, Bagay, & Tominjao

All communities we spoke to in Daan Bantayan identified shelter as their principal need, and none wanted to receive food.

PayPay

We clarified that farmers and fishermen were the most vulnerable groups, and of these, fishermen were slightly poorer than farmers, but not by much. Both fishermen and farmers are much poorer than teachers, gov workers, OFWs etc. Fishermen and Farmers are split approx 55% -‐ 45% in the barangay.

Later discussions with communities in Bakhawan informed us that they would prefer the BHWs (Barangay Health Workers) collect the data on the community (names for registration etc), as they will be more likely to reach everyone than the councillors and were more trusted, so we also requested the PayPay Barangay captain to use BHWs to collect data where possible.

Barangay Captain – Rodolpho Novel 0916 2723462 (Globe)

Bakhawan

In Bakhawan, 95% of the population lost their houses, and the livelihoods are split into approx 30% fishermen and 70% farmers (according to the Barangay captain) – the community said it is more like 60% farmers-‐40% fishermen.

Here the farmers are identified as significantly poorer than the fishermen. Bakhawan Barangay hall has a generator. The BHWs are already busy collecting information on the affected community in this Barangay. The Barangay captain noted that there was a need for help rebuilding the school as well – so we will pass this on to the cluster.


Farmers -‐ The Barangay Captain told us all of the farmers here are labourers in big sugar cane haciendas in neighbouring Municipalities and earn 70 pesos per day. However the community said only the farmers in Pangadlawan Sitio work on the hacienda in the neighbouring Barangay. The haciendas are owned by a few wealthy families and although the sugar cane harvest was damaged (the fertiliser was washed away) the crop will still be ok (just poorer quality than normal). Sugar cane is planted and harvested twice a year, and the haciendas don’t grow anything else. These farmers do grow a small amount for themselves at home, but only to eat (subsistence farming). They get paid 70 pesos/day for normal farming work, 200 pesos/day for ploughing (but most of the big haciendas have tractors so this type of work is not common), and approx 150 p/day for harvesting.

Most other (non-‐hacienda) farmers don’t own the land, but have small areas of less than 1 hectare. They give approx 1/3 to the landowners and keep the remaining 2/3 to eat/sell. They grow corn as their staple crop, and then other vegetables to sell, such as cassava, bananas, root crops etc. Average income varies – they will get paid to plough other farms at certain times of year (approx 200 pesos a day for ploughing), and depending on the season and harvest might get 100 p/day or less at other times of year. There are several different planting and harvesting seasons throughout the year. Farmers said they need corn seeds and fertiliser, but mostly the issue was shelter, not their farms.

Fishermen – Most fishermen use motorised boats here, and earn an average of 500-‐1000 pesos per day during sardine season (Nov-‐Jan) and 200-‐400 pesos per day in the low season (where they fish for Toloy and Tabaga, Feb-‐Oct). Some fishermen own the boats, others work on them and split the catch, so the average income depends on how many people they split the catch with. The wives come down to the beach in the morning and get paid approx 30-‐40 pesos for helping remove the fish from the nets. There is an active Fishermen’s association, and all of the motorised boats are registered, along with the owners, but not all of the workers on the boats are registered. The fisherman reported some damage to their boats, but we observed a large number of boats were still able to function and fish. This group do not sell their fish locally – a supplier comes from Bogo & Cebu to buy all of their fish in bulk and take to the city.

They usually go to Ricardo’s in Poblacion to buy materials for their boats (see Assessment report 1 for details), -‐ there is also a Ricardo’s in Bogo city, and also DeLeon in Poblacion. There is also a construction materials store in Kawit (in Medelin Municipality). They would use the same materials mentioned in the previous report (Marine Plywood, Epoxy etc), but the fishermen emphasised that fixing their houses is a much bigger priority than fixing the boats. For shelter materials, they would usually go to Deleon in Kawit (for umbrella nails and GI Sheets), or to Poblacion (Longna etc).


Pictured: Motorised fishing boats – removing sardines from the nets in Bakhawan.

Damage to motorised boats in Bakhawan:

WASH – They have access to water from deep wells but the Barangay captain told me the water is not really safe to drink. There is approx 60% open defecation, but this is the same as before the storm. The main health concerns are coughs, colds, fever and cuts/bruises from the storm. So far they haven’t had any incidences of diarrhoea.

General – The community noted that there had been some fighting due to smaller private companies from Cebu doing distributions from the back of trucks – people were pushing and shoving to get to the front, and some people felt jealous that some got food and supplies and other people did not.

Barangay Captain – Bernadito Luche Jnr

Barangay Secretary – Maribel Arreglo


Bagay

Population – 4,220 people, mostly farmers (approx 80% farmers, 20% fishermen).

Fishermen -‐ mostly use motorised boats, and are poorer than the farmers according to the barangay officials. Main damage was to houses and crops (over 90% of houses were destroyed).

Farmers -‐ The main crops are corn, cassava, mango, coconuts, & bananas, but the Barangay Secretary emphasised that the farmers need shelter most.

2 other NGOs have done food distributions there – World Vision and Abutez Foundation, but no-‐one has done anything other than give food. The Barangay Secretary said that of course they would accept our food if we really wanted to give it out, but there was no real need for it there.

People in Bagay buy shelter materials in Poblacion (Longna, GRC Hardware, & HSS Hardware), and the bridge between Bagay and Tominjao has been damaged, but the main road access to Poblacion is fine.

Barangay Secretary – Eileen Gomez – 0919 4030015

Tominjao

1000 HH total -‐ Farmers 80%, Fishermen 20%.

Fishermen -‐ mostly use motorised boats, but these are much bigger boats for deep-‐sea fishing – they go out for 2-‐3 days at a time, and earn approx 1000-‐2000 per catch (every 3 days). The other paddle-‐boat owners earn about 500-‐800 p/day on average. 90% of boats were damaged or destroyed, but 10% are ok and still fishing. For boat materials & shelter materials they go to Poblacion or Bogo City (HSS Hardware, Longna, JRC, Ricardo’s). Access roads to Tominjao are all fine and functioning.

Farmers -‐ similar to in Bakhawan – small farms, less than 1 hectare, but they mostly own the land themselves. They earn similar amounts – 200 p/day for ploughing, less for selling vegetables. Overwhelming need is for shelter, although there was 100% damage to crops – mainly corn, bananas, coconuts, etc.

WASH – they have deep well water but it is not considered clean enough for drinking – they usually boil it first. In Tominjao Proper sitio the toilets are fine, but in most other Sitios the toilets were destroyed, so there is a sanitation need there.

Barangay Captain – Isidro Rodrigo – 0927 4911179


In order to collect clearer data, we have created a form to give out to each Sitio councillor to get detailed info on farmers, fishermen, and vulnerable groups (widows, pregnant, lactating mothers, disabled, senior citizens etc).

Barangay: Paypay Barangay: Bakhawan Barangay: Bagay Barangay: Tominjao

Sitio: Laray Bagacay Dakungdaan Lawomtabay Guinsolongan Mayjo PayPay Proper

Sitio: Nazarette San Vincente Hill Side Pangadlawan Mohon Kalubihan District 1 District 2 District 3

Sitio: Bagay Proper Fatimo Bandilaan East Bandilaan West Alinsuog Guinharapan Libertad Combado

Sitio: Tominjao Proper Cabatuan Lupot Capangdanan East Capangdanan West Balidbid Sakop-‐Tagasa

Surveying damage to corn fields in Daan Bantayan.

Documents

Oxfam 2nd EFSVL assessment in Daan Bantayan 22.11