How many people still live without adequate shelter post-Haiyan?

An important but often overlooked part of the ongoing Haiyan reporting is the internal displacement that the typhoon, which left thousands of people dead in its wake, also caused among the Philippines’ already vulnerable populations. While the Philippine government and humanitarian organizations have attempted to capture the accurate displacement situation, information gaps hinder their efforts. A new report from the Internal Displacement Monitoring Center and the International Organization for Migration shows the extent of Haiyan-induced internal displacement and details the challenges that continue to encumber the monitoring of those who fled from their homes to escape Haiyan’s wrath. Depending on how organizations gather their data, between 14.1 million and 16.1 million people were affected by the typhoon — the higher number represents the total population of the 14 most affected provinces. IDMC and IOM used 14.1 million in their report, including 4.1 million people who were displaced by Haiyan. Much of the displacement — which, depending on a humanitarian organization’s estimates, numbered between 4 million and 4.4 million — was concentrated in western and eastern Visayas. Housing damage was also used as an indicator of displacement. More than six months after Haiyan made landfall, at least 2 million people are still living in flimsy shelter. The Philippine government reported that more than 1 million homes were damaged, with around half of them completely uninhabitable. Based on this figure, the homes of around two-thirds of IDPs were destroyed, according to the report. Meanwhile, around 200,000 people are “in limbo,” as IDMC communications officer Julia Blocher put it, as they await further information on whether they will be allowed to return to their homes, which could be classified as “no-dwelling zones” by the Philippine government. Despite the availability of these figures, several information gaps obscure the real displacement situation. For one, there is a need for a comprehensive disaggregation of data. The report notes that figures classified by gender, age and vulnerable groups are lacking, and only rough estimates based on general demographic statistics can be made. There is also very little information on internally displaced people in host family situations. Those who may have stayed in private rented accommodations may also be missing from the overall displacement portrait painted by available figures, according to the report. “As seen in other disasters, most displaced people find temporary shelter on their own initiative among the wider population, where they are more difficult to monitor than IDPs in collective shelter sites managed by the government and other humanitarian organizations. It is not known how many of the people who fled beyond the Haiyan-hit areas to urban hubs like Manila are still displaced there and what their situation is,” Michelle Yonetani, senior adviser on disasters at IDMC and co-author of the report, told Devex. “Also largely invisible are the relatives and friends of displaced people who continue to play a critical support role and may already [be] struggling themselves.” These limitations point to the greater need for more effective information sharing between the Philippines’ national and regional levels and among local government units and humanitarian organizations. Numbers from different sources can be difficult to compare and interpret as there is a lack of clarity on the definitions and methods used for data collection and reporting. “Knowing that the road to a durable solution with be a long one for many IDPs, coordinated and sustained monitoring of their situations by the government will be critical to their protection — especially once international attention moves on elsewhere,” Yonetani said. “Humanitarian and development actors must work together to ensure the baton isn't dropped as the recovery process moves forward.” The role of IDPs themselves in working toward “durable solutions” must not be overlooked. IDMC emphasizes that IDPs have to be part of the decisions about managing their return or finding suitable areas that would address their needs. The Philippines seems to be on this track. Last year, the Philippine Congress passed a bill that aims to protect the rights of IDPs. Citing objections to certain provisions he deemed questionable, President Benigno Aquino III vetoed the bill. But if the bill is revised and becomes law, the Philippines will be the first country in the Asia-Pacific region to have a comprehensive legislation for IDPs. Interested in development in the Asia-Pacific region? Join some of the biggest movers and shakers in the region at the first-ever Devex Partnerships & Career Forum in Manila. Here’s how you can participate.