Ondoy and Pepeng losses next only to Aceh tsunami

The government should fast-track the rebuilding of rural livelihoods – before the year ends as much as possible – to avoid production declines, income losses and increased spending during the dry season in the aftermath of tropical cyclones Ondoy and Pepeng, the worst natural disaster in the region since the East Asian tsunami of 2005, a post-disaster assessment report said. Damages and losses from Ondoy and Pepeng (International names Ketsana and Parma, respectively) reached $4.38 billion – equivalent to 2.7 percent of total economic output. While financing needs are large, “the cost of doing nothing would be larger still," according to the report which was released Wednesday. The report estimates the total cost of recovery and reconstruction of Luzon, which includes Metro Manila, at $ 4.42 billion over the short to medium term (2009 to 2012). It said larger investments, particularly in flood control and housing, may need to be considered in the longer term. The storms hit regions of the country that account for almost two-thirds of the gross domestic product, including the National Capital Region, which accounts for more than a third of total economic output. The report, prepared by several development organizations from the public and private sectors, stressed the need for rapid action in repairing irrigation systems and clearing plantations of gravel, silt and sand while providing farmers with seeds and fertilizer to ensure that there is enough food for everyone in the coming year. The government should also pay close attention to flood management and disaster risk reduction, while increasing the participation of local governments in the recovery and reconstruction program and in coming up with measures to mitigate disaster risks. “While Ondoy’s flooding could not have been prevented, its extensive impact was preventable. Similarly, the damage wrought by Pepeng could have been mitigated," the study, prepared by the United Nations and World Bank, among others, pointed out. Lessons from Sao Paulo Preventing such impacts in the future, it added, requires closer attention to areas such as land use planning, housing, water management, environmental protection and disaster risk mitigation. Policymakers should address the congestion of Metro Manila, the proliferation of slums, the heavily polluted environment in urban areas, and the weak performance of agribusiness in rural areas. The study called for a transparent, accountable and result-based recovery and reconstruction program. It also cited the need to engage local communities in decision-making, implementation and monitoring to lower the risk of fund misuse. The report noted that the vast majority of damage to housing was concentrated in the informal sector, which serves mainly low-income families. The Philippines, it added, can learn much from neighboring Singapore and Sao Paulo in Brazil, which have successfully addressed the issue of slums through more intensive use of urban land. “Given the cost of land in metropolitan Manila and the need to keep people close to their sources of livelihoods, spreading upwards in more compact settlements is a logical solution," it said. Productive sectors worst hit Much of the damage costs, or about $3.22 billion, was sustained by productive sectors such as agriculture, industry, commerce and tourism. Losses and damages suffered by so-called social sectors such as housing, education, cultural heritage and health reached $919 million. Losses and damage to infrastructure – including electricity, water and sanitation, flood control, drainage and dam management, transport and telecommunications – reached $237.3 million, while local governments lost $7.1 million. As of November 23, the official death toll from the twin natural disasters have reached 956 persons, with 736 injured and 84 still missing. Most of the deaths caused by Ondoy were due to drowning, while deaths from Pepeng were mostly due to landslides, especially in the Cordillera Administrative Region. Data showed that more than 9.3 million people – about 20 percent of an estimated population of 43.2 million living in affected regions – were severely affected. The post-disaster needs assessment report was prepared by the government, multi-sectoral groups, development partners Asian Development Bank, European Commission, United Nations and the World Bank Group. - Cheryl Arcibal, GMANews.TV