Situation Overview

On December 16th, 2021 Super Typhoon Rai (locally called Odette) slammed into the Philippines with sustained maximum winds of 195 and gusts up to 260 km/hr. A total of 9 landfalls left significant devastation with the most severely implicated areas being the coastal communities of Surigao del Norte, Dinagat Islands, Southern Leyte, Bohol, and Cebu.

While much progress has been made, and response turns to early recovery, many people are still left in complete devastation without stable shelter, access to preventative, curative and emergency care, adequate food supplies and protection.

Hospitals and infirmaries are starting to improve in functionality, but many are still struggling to manage critical and lifesaving obstetric services. Birthing facilities, Barangay (Community) Health Stations, and Rural Health Units (RHU) which are traditional sites for women to access sexual and reproductive health and obstetric care services are mostly non-functional in hard-hit areas, making it challenging for women and girls to access family planning and other services.

At three months many families have returned home but a significant number are still living in the evacuation centers awaiting secure housing. As a measure against future damage, the government has established no build zones which discourages families from returning to the site of their original homes. The conditions in the evacuation centres and no build zone exacerbate the typhoon survivors' exposure to protection risks.

GBV Sub-Clusters are activated in both Southern Leyte and Caraga. However, frontline workers and local health care providers continue to need capacity building for addressing protection concerns and mechanisms. GBV referral pathways exist across all levels of government but are not yet standardized. Ensuring that these mechanisms are compliant with minimum health standards should be a priority and health care providers require additional training for clinical management of rape.

There is a heightened need for mental health and psychosocial support not only for typhoon survivors but also for those responding to typhoon Odette in the field. There is a need for increased coordination and a standardized framework for delivering MHPSS to enable the community to recover and regain a sense of normalcy