When the rain started pouring hard on May 14th, 76-year-old Lambaino from Barangay Dabenayan did not think much of it. “We saw the clouds and thought it would rain,” she said. “But we didn’t expect it would be that strong. Before we knew it, the flood was inside our house.”
Since then, more than 230,000 individuals across Maguindanao del Sur have been affected by massive flooding, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC). The floods have submerged over 100 barangays (small districts) across the province. The municipalities of Ampatuan, Datu Piang, and Mamasapano have officially declared a state of calamity as floodwaters continue to rise and disrupt daily life.
More than 1,000 families in Mamasapano were initially displaced to evacuation centers. Some have been able to return, but they have returned to ruins. People are relying on small loans and borrowed goods from local stores to get by.
Based on our initial rapid assessments, some communities have only received limited aid since the flooding began, and illnesses such as fever, diarrhea, and skin infections are spreading. There is a growing need for:
- Food
- Clean water
- Sanitation and hygiene kits
- Medicine
- Mental health support
Action Against Hunger is rapidly responding to these needs, delivering emergency aid through the ACCESS project, with funding support from EU Humanitarian Aid. In Mamasapano, we are reaching at least 552 families with water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) kits and basic food pack, including 22 pounds of rice per household as an effort to complement the local government’s ongoing initiatives.
Families from Barangay Dabenayan, Mamasapano affected by the flood receive WASH kits and food aid consisting of basic food supplies.
Lambaino’s family depends on farming for their daily survival, but the recent floods have destroyed their crops. They lost rice, vegetables, and newly planted fields. “Now we’re borrowing rice from stores along the highway just to eat,” she said, waiting for the floodwaters to subside so she can return to farming.
Recovery will take time, but through the collective efforts of the ACCESS consortium and with the support of EU Humanitarian Aid, affected families like Lambaino’s receive the urgent assistance they need to cope during these hard times. Action Against Hunger is continuously coordinating with local stakeholders and partners to respond to this emergency and identify remaining gaps in access to clean water, food, and safety.
The ACCESS consortium, funded by the EU Humanitarian Aid, is comprise of five international and nine national and local organizations, including CARE, Action Against Hunger, Save the Children, Humanity and Inclusion, Assistance and Cooperation for Community Resilience and Development (ACCORD), Pambansang Koalisyon ng Kababaihan sa Kanayunan (PKKK), Community Organizers Multiversity (COM), Mindanao Organization for Social and Economic Progress (MOSEP), Integrated Mindanaoans Association for Natives (IMAN), Notre Dame of Jolo College Community Extension Services and Peace Center (NDJC), Nagdilaab Foundation, and Leading Individuals to Flourish and Thrive (LIFT).
