Two young Eastern Samarnons’ encounter with Indonesian President, Queen

By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
October 26, 2012

TACLOBAN CITY  –  Two children from Eastern Samar had the rare chance of discussing disaster risk reduction and climate change with the Indonesian President and Queen in Yogyakarta, Indonesia during the 5th Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Yogya Expo Center on October 23-25 at Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

The two children, Mark, 14-years old from Oras, Eastern Samar and Thania, 16 years old from Llorente, Eastern Samar were among the 18 children representatives from Indonesia, Cambodia, Philippines, Japan who attended the Conference and the Side Event on Children’s Participation in Safe school and Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) on October 24.

Mark presented the Child-centred Disaster Risk Reduction activities he actively engaged in at their town with the help of Plan International, a development organization with programs for children.

The young Mark is the leader of the so called “texter clan.” He maximizes the use of text messaging in sending disaster-related information and typhoon updates to his friends.

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono asked Mark about his personal experiences during disasters and the activities undertaken by the community to increase their resilience.

Mark also underscored that disaster is aggravating the problem related to trafficking to the affected areas. He handed the president a copy of the Children’s Charter for Disaster Risk Reduction.

The sharing took place after the President graced the formal opening of the Conference on October 23, at a booth set up by Plan International and other international NGOs.

At the Side Event on Children’s Participation in Safe school and Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) on October 24, Mark emphasized to Margareta Walstrom, head of the Geneva-based United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR), the principle of child protection in schools and that education must not be interrupted as a result of disasters.

“The important message I am hearing from you today is that you are ready to participate not just in planning disaster risk reduction activity but also in implementation and you have many concrete ideas. I thank you all for your contribution,” Wahlstrom said.

Meanwhile, Thania, Mark and the other 16 other children from the Asia-Pacific countries who attended the conference were very happy to meet the Queen of Yogyakarta Gusti Kanjeng Ratu Hemas.

“It’s important to change information and share knowledge among children and between children and adults so we as adult will continuously listen to and respect children’s voice in DRR,” GKR Hemas told the children.

Thania shared her experiences as a child leader to the Queen. Thania is actively involved in facilitating children’ sessions in the barangays on DRR and climate change concepts.

“Children have the capacity and potential to adapt with their environment, to learn faster about information technology and to manage information and use it for their benefit to be more resilient in coping with disaster,” GKR Hemas added.

Mark and Thania successfully blended with other Asian child leaders in order to get the attention of the conference delegates who were composed of ministers, government officials and representatives from the Asia-Pacific region.

The young Eastern Samarnons had an advantage as they are the only children participants who can speak English, Plan’s Sandee Saavedra and Baltz Tribunalo disclosed.

The Children’s Charter on DRR they handed to the guests is a five-point action agenda for DRR for children by children, and has been developed through consultations with more than 600 children in 21 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

These five actions points are: Schools must be safe and education must not be interrupted; Child protection must be a priority before, during and after a disaster; Children have the right to participate and to access the information they need; Community infrastructure must be safe, and relief and reconstruction must help reduce future risk; and that Disaster risk reduction much reach the most vulnerable.

As of this writing, the children are still in Indonesia, Mr. Tootch dela Cruz of Plan Philippines in the Visayas, informed.

The travel of the children to Indonesia was made possible by Plan Philippines in the Visayas under the stewardship of Mr. Rodel Bontuyan. Plan is a development organization with programs for children and with programs being implemented in Eastern Samar.

With funding from Plan USA and technical support from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, Plan helped build the Llorente Training Centre in Llorente, Eastern Samar (where Thania came from) in 2006. The vocational and technical training centre is especially helpful to young people without a college education as it provides them with opportunities to acquire skills for gainful employment. To date, 300 students have graduated from the center.

Continuous rains for 4 days almost submerged the villages on the riverside in the districts of Oras in Eastern Samar (where Mark came from). The floods destroyed all the standing crops in the affected areas. Government estimates showed that the cost of damage was at least US$100,000, representing 220 hectares of rice fields.

Rampaging floodwaters also intruded into water wells and destroyed irrigation canals. Affected families sought temporary shelter in schools, churches and undamaged houses in elevated areas.