YOUNG PIONEER DISASTER RESPONSE

NEWSLETTERDecember 2014

Eastern Samar Rapid Response Plan

Typhoon Ruby made landfall in Eastern Samar on December 6, 2014, causing massive destruction. As of Saturday, December 20, 2014, official numbers report that 4.1 million people have been affected with 100,264 people remaining in evacuation centers, 18 dead and 916 injured. 42,466 houses completely destroyed and 248,204 houses partially damaged nation wide, while the assessment of Eastern Samar alone shows 40,333 complete-ly destroyed houses, and 206,074 houses partially destroyed. These numbers continue to climb daily as damage assessments are completed in remote areas. Young Pioneer Disaster Response (YPDR) has deployed an emergency response team to provide relief and assistance to the people of Eastern Samar. Prior to Ty-phoon Ruby, we had been working in Eastern Samar for four months, building houses for families stuck in bunkhouses since Typhoon Yolanda devastated the area last year.

We have deployed a twelve-person Emergency Response Team that has re-established our existing basecamp in Maydolong, Eastern Samar and set up our warehouse and logistics chain to support other organizations who will follow. We are conducting rapid needs assessments from Maydolong to Dolores in Eastern Samar in coordination with UN OCHA. The team, which came equipped with two trucks full of relief goods and emergency supplies, has already begun building houses in the region as a continuation of our Eastern Samar Housing Program in partner-ship with Rapid Crushing.

YPDR’s Emergency Response Plan over the next two weeks is simple:

• Provide emergency medicine and relief goods to those in need

• Scale up and expand our existing housing projects.

We need your support in order to help the people of Eastern Sa-mar. We are seeking immediate donations for the affected pop-ulation, in this season of giving, please support these operations via our website.

You can follow our response live on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, and Flickr. You can also donate directly to YPDR via our Filipino or US-based accounts. YPDR is a registered 501(c)(3) in the United States and all US donations are tax deductible.

About YPDRYPDR is a Philippines-based Disaster Response organization based in the Philippines specializing in rapidly building safe and typhoon-resistant houses. Together with partners Polish Humanitarian Action and Rapid Crushing, YPDR has built 919 homes for families affected by Typhoon Yolanda one year ago.

Philippines AccountYoung Pioneer Disaster Response, Inc.Account number: 143 057 3089Swift code: PNBMPHMMTODBank: Philippine National Bank (PNB) Branch 143 – Bantayan

US AccountYPDR America Inc.Account Number: 573 659 161Routing Number (ABA): 021 100 361Swift Code: CHASUS33Bank: JP Morgan Chase Bank NA (802)Westport Main Street Branch 468 Westport,Connecticut 06880 USARef: [Donor Name]

A house that folded in on itself during Typhoon Ruby

Before and after Ruby - can you see the difference..?

From Bantayan to Maydolong

Let us introduce Erlinda, one of the beneficiaries enjoying her new home.

Erlinda grew up in Eastern Samar, and was living with her fam-ily of 11 in a house in Barangay 6 in Maydolong the morning Yolanda hit. Erlinda, her son and a few other members of the family left their home in Barangay 6 when the storm arrived, staying in a evacuation centre. When the storm surge made it’s entry, the ones who stayed behind were washed away together with the house.

Before the storm Erlinda just barely managed to support her family by selling fish at the market, but that has become harder

as the storm and unsustainable fishing practices have contributed to reduced fish stock.

YPDR built Erlinda and her son a brand new Phase 3 home in November, completing construction just two weeks before Typhoon Ruby!

On Friday, December 12, 2014, we went by her house to see how she was doing after Typhoon Ruby. Her home is in fantastic con-dition, but Erlinda wasn’t home. She was at the market selling fish, like she would be on any normal day.

Leaving Cebu early Thursday morning, a big truck and a SUV, both loaded to the brim with equipment headed to the YPDR base camp in Maydolong, Eastern Samar. The ride was long. With roads and bridges damaged by Typhoon Ruby, the trip took several hours longer then normal.

The team arrived to a pitch black city at 3 am, giving them a chance to sleep for a few hours before their morning meeting with members from the CRS (Catholic Relief Services), giving

them an update on the situation in the region. After the meeting was over it was time to head out to do damage assessments of both the homes built by YPDR after Typhoon Yolanda and other buildings in the area.

We are happy to tell you that all the houses built by YPDR and sponsored by Rapid Crushing in Eastern Samar withstood the storm. A slow-moving, powerful typhoon will put the best of buildings to the test, and our buildings passed with flying colors!

Before Typhoon Ruby After Typhoon Ruby

Erlinda in her new home, a Phase 3 YPDR structure

Damage assessment of Eastern Samar 13th of December

Since the teams arrival in Eastern Samar we have been out in towns and far off villages creating our own assessment of the situation. While some areas have been assest by other organi-sations, some areas –specialy the ones the ones that are hard or imposible to reach by vehicles – have had no prior contact with NGO’s. These are the areas we focus on, these are the areas that we want to make sure get the help and support they need.

Girl in the remains of her home

Common sight by the rivers Antonio and YPDR’s own Abdul in the remains of their family home

One of the many homes demolished by Typhoon Ruby

Damage assessment of Bayobay, Eastern Samar 14th of December

With 100 out of 122 homes completely destroyed during Typhoon Ruby, this little village is extremely vulnerable to the unpredictable weather. This is why we have decided to ”adopt” Bayobay, focusing our initial efforts on rebuilding the homes of its inhabitants.

Homes destroyed during Typhoon Ruby

One of the children effected by Ruby

Two out of what used to be a three structure home

Damage assessment of Balacdas, Eastern Samar 15th of December

On the way to a little town called Balacdas, located in one of the most remote areas of the region, the YPDR team passed one destroyed home after another, making it overwhelmingly clear that this is – above all – a Shelter Crisis.

Upon arrival the team was taken to see the school, or rather, what used to be the school. Two out of four buildings were completely destroyed. In many cities the school and the town hall are used as evacuation centres during typhoons. YPDR would like to rebuild these two buildings for the children to regain a sense of normalcy in their lives, and for future storm shelter.

Man walking through the rubble of what used to be his home

The state of a high school in the area

The remains of the two school buildings in Balacdas

Relief distribution in Bayobay, Eastern Samar 16th of December

The children with their new shoes and food packs

A little girl and her great grandmother with one of the food packs

Gladys and Joyce handing out food supplies

Two little boys proudly showcasing their new shoes

Enrique Zobel Foundation

Thank you for your support!

www.ypdr.org

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