THE Czech Republic’s humanitarian aid with Build Change and its nonprofit partners to improve the local capacity of shelter response programs following Typhoon Ompong (international code name Mangkhut) successfully concluded on September 30.
The P7-million project that started in December 2018 also worked directly with local communities to strengthen or rebuild storm-damaged houses due to Ompong, which struck the Philippines in September 2018. The howler was responsible for at least 127 fatalities and $627 million worth of property damage, making it the fourth-costliest Philippine typhoon of all time.
Build Change worked in Cagayan and Benguet provinces on a shelter-repair program to help 700 households and 200 builders. In Kalinga and Apayao, the focus of Build Change’s assistance was on quality new construction.
Overall, the project resulted in more than 800 safer buildings, 4,000 safer people, at least 250 new jobs, and 1,017 people directly trained in resilient building techniques.
One of the additional project outcomes was the creation of a mobile application by Build Change for the Google Play store, Tibay Balay. It helps homeowners in the Philippines to self-assess their homes and determine the way to fix them before the next disaster strikes. The application was unveiled at an event on September 5, attended by the Czech Embassy in Manila’s Deputy Head of Mission Jana Peterková.
Training for resiliency
ACCORDING to Ambassador Jana Šedivá, “The frequency of typhoons and other disasters in the Philippines requires that homeowners, their communities, and the nonprofits that support them be all trained in resilient building. This project has rebuilt affected communities and taught construction techniques that will prevent unnecessary loss of lives and property in the future.”
Build Change Country Director for the Philippines Kate Landry agrees: “With the creation of the new mobile app Tibay Balay, any homeowner can quickly assess their house and understand what needs to be done to keep their family and property safe. It is our hope that these homeowners who lost so much [with Mangkhut] can restart their lives, knowing their homes are safe.”
Foreign humanitarian assistance is an integral part of the Czech Republic’s foreign policy. It aims to prevent injuries and loss of lives, alleviate suffering and to restore basic living conditions of people after an emergency, as well as mitigate long-lasting consequences of emergencies while preventing their occurrences and negative consequences.
Living, learning in safety
IN past years, the Czech Republic Embassy has also provided humanitarian assistance, especially to those greatly affected by Typhoon Nina (international code name Nock-ten) in the Bicol region in 2016, and previously, by Supertyphoon Yolanda (international code name Haiyan) in Eastern Samar in 2014.
Meanwhile, Build Change prevents loss of lives and properties in earthquakes and windstorms. Because of its efforts to strengthen buildings in the past 15 years, 332,000 people are now living and learning in safer homes and schools.
Now in 18 countries, Build Change’s primary focus has expanded from post-disaster prevention to combat the crisis of substandard housing that, according to the World Bank, will impact an estimated 3 billion people by 2030.
Image credits: Build Change , Tibay Balay app home screen