January 21, 2014 – The Management Committee of Mindanao Humanitarian Network Against Disasters (MiHANDs) convened for the Disaster Risk Reduction Framework Review and Planning Workshop on January 17-18, 2014 at Sumpay Mindanao Training Center, Iligan City. Divided into two parts, the activity sought to achieve the operational definition of MiHANDs, guiding principles for its member organizations, and one-year planning for the network. Mr. Buboy, Berlan, the Executive Director of Ranaw Disaster Response and Rehabilitation Assistance Center (RDRRAC), Inc., was the facilitator for the entire activity.
The first part of the activity dealt with the framework of the network with regard to its concept about disaster, emergency, victims, development work, and humanitarian work. This was achieved through a workshop where each participant came up with a definition of these terms in a meta-card. This process was deemed essential because it shaped the nature of MiHANDs and likewise reshaped the conduct of its disaster responses. Conveners found it very necessary to know the direction of the organization in order to gain more focus on the interventions. MiHANDs was formed not only as a concrete response for Yolanda survivors but for the future interventions as well. In moments like these, the poor and the marginalized sectors were the ones who are much affected and it is just essential that we exist for this purpose.
The activity also provided a venue in mapping out the different expertise and competencies of its partner organizations, which are of much help not only for emergencies but also for the recovery and rehabilitation phase. Different organizations within the network showed exemplary skills in documentation, organizing, researches, human rights, peace building, alternative health, and gender works that are necessary in the first phase of the network’s efforts. Likewise, competencies in alternative energy, community-based resource management, sustainable agriculture, and livelihood are offered by partner organizations in the recovery period.
Planning took place during the second day of the activity. Particularly discussed on the planning were the detailed activities for the survivors in Ormoc, Leyte. The committee agreed to send some MiHANDs members for the initial tasks in communicating with the local government officials and profiling. It has also decided to send the relief and distribution, documentation, health, and psychosocial teams comes the second week of February 2014.
MiHANDs commitment to assist disaster-affected areas never tatters. What is in store for the Yolanda survivors is definitely one thing to be excited about.
Mi-HANDs