IDPPAR No. 03, 2022: Displacement due to Severe Tropical Storm Nalgae (Paeng), Issues No. 01 (Datu Blah Sinsuat)
INCIDENT BACKGROUND
On 28 October 2022, Severe Tropical Storm Nalgae, locally known as Paeng, brought havoc in Central Mindanao, particularly but not exclusively Maguindanao Province, Cotabato City, and Special Geographic Areas (SGA) of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). In Maguindanao, Datu Blah Sinsuat (DBS) Municipality, which consists of 13 barangays, is one of the worst affected. All 13 barangays are along the coast and mountains. Thus, STS Nalgae severely affected all 13 barangays. However, the most devastated four barangays include Matuber, Pura, Penansaran, and Tubuan because they have been the catch basin of floods from the upper nearby North Upi Municipality.
In the Municipality of DBS, 2,207 households with around 8,000 individuals were affected by the severe tropical storm. In addition, at least 60 families from Barangay Pura and another 236 households in Brgy. Matuber were displaced from their homes. These families have taken refuge in schools, relatives’ homes, a madrasa, and makeshift temporary shelters. In addition, the Local Government Unit (LGU) recorded ten dead and three missing during the height of the storms. Two of the missing persons, children, have also been found dead on the nearby Bongo Island. Moreover, the STS destroyed two significant roads. One road connects DBS to Datu Odin Sinsuat (DOS) and Cotabato City; another connects DBS to North Upi municipality.
CURRENT SITUATION
On 08 November 2022, the CFSI team conducted a protection monitoring and assessment in DBS Municipality. As a result, the team observed that some evacuees gradually returned to their places of origin. However, families whose houses were destroyed either in the flash flood or landslide are still staying in schools (including a madrasa), in houses built with light materials, or with relatives.
Clearing operations of the local government in roads affected by the landslide have made access between barangays possible, but the road between Matuber and the next municipality remains impassable. Of the main access roads damaged, the one connecting DBS and North Upi is now cleared and passable by a light vehicle. In contrast, the main road connecting DBS to DOS is still unpassable and needs repairing. On another note, in the worst affected barangays, only barangays Matuber, Pura, and Penansaran are accessible for assessment and relief assistance activities through vehicles. In addition, Barangay Tuburan is still inaccessible by vehicle. In addition, there are still existing and active evacuation centers (EC) that cater to many Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), such as Datu Mohammad Sinsuat Integrated Elementary School EC and a nearby Madrasa EC (Arabic school) in Brgy. Poblacion Pura and Datu Sa Biwang Elementary School EC in Brgy. Matuber, which has 236 families.
The IDPs and other affected populations have received relief assistance from the LGU, Office of the Interim Chief Minister, BARMM ministries, including the Ministry of Social Services and Development (MSSD), Ministry of Public Works (MPW), Ministry of Basic, Higher, and Technical Education (MBHTE), Ministry of Health, DSWD 12, Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), Non-Government Organizations (NGOs), private sectors and business institutions, media, and other LGUs.
