On the one-month anniversary since Super Typhoon (ST) Odette (international name: Rai) made landfall in the Philippines, cause-oriented groups in typhoon-hit Cebu slammed the Philippine government’s “lack of urgency” in providing government aid or “ayuda” to the victims.

In a statement sent to media on January 16, BAYAN-Central Visayas said that the areas they visited for their relief operations had yet to receive government aid. They also said that many areas remain in blackout and have intermittent signal.

“Many lives have been lost, thousands more continue to suffer, and yet there is no urgency in the calamity response of our leaders,” the group wrote.

As of January 1, 2022, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) has tallied 407 deaths, at least 82 missing, and 1,147 injured from the impact of the typhoon. Central Visayas records the most number of deaths at 220.

BAYAN-Central Visayas, together with multi-sectoral network Alibyo Cebu-Ayuda Network and the United Church of Christ in the Philippines-West Visayas Jurisdictional Area (UCCP-WVJA), have been conducting relief operations across Cebu since December 17, one day after the typhoon made landfall in Carcar City, Cebu.

In their statement, Alibyo Cebu also presented that despite the national government’s announcement of P5,000 cash aid for affected families on December 28, “reports from community investigations and relief efforts of Alibyo Cebu-Ayuda Network show that communities are yet to receive ‘ayuda’ from the government.”

The Cebu-based relief network also said that there is “no clear plan for rehabilitation and recovery for typhoon-affected communities, particularly low-income sectors.”

Alibyo Cebu-Ayuda Network also announced that they distributed nearly 5,000 relief packs to affected communities, but they added that there remains a need for a more comprehensive and more urgent response from the government.

Both groups demanded that government aid and assistance should be distributed to typhoon victims immediately.

ST Odette first made landfall on December 16, 2021 in Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte. It proceeded to make landfall in the following areas: Cagdianao, Dinagat Islands; Liloan, Southern Leyte; Padre Burgos, Southern Leyte; President Carlos P. Garcia, Bohol; Bien Unido, Bohol; and Carcar City, Cebu. On December 17, it made its 8th landfall in La Libertad, Negros Oriental, and the 9th in Roxas, Palawan.

Maximum sustained winds of 195km/h and gustiness of 260km/h were felt across the typhoon-hit areas, causing extensive damage.