Much-Needed Shelter

Of all the fishers’ needs, why has WWF-Philippines decided to bring them tarpaulins? For the fishers and their families, each length of tarpaulin goes a long way toward helping them get through the day.

“We here in Bicol are grateful for the help that’s been extended toward our tuna fishing communities here in Lagonoy Gulf. Rolly devastated almost all of the 112 tuna fishing villages we work with. This aid may seem small, but it means a lot for our fishers to have a roof to rest under at the end of the day,” said WWF-Philippines Sustainable Tuna Partnerships Project Manager Joann Binondo.

More than being roofing material for them to repair their homes with, each strip of tarpaulin can be removed and taken out to sea or into the fields as fishers tend to their livelihoods. Should the heat of the day prove too much, or should inclement weather strike them while out at sea or in the fields, fishers can take cover under their tarpaulin as they wait for better weather.

Meant to serve as temporary aid, these tarpaulin roofs serve as relief for fishers and their families as they save up for sturdier materials which they will use to rebuild their homes. In times of inclement weather, they can also fold up their tarpaulin roofs and secure their belongings underneath, to keep their belongings safe from being further damaged.

“We just need a roof over our heads. With a roof over our heads, we can start to rebuild again,” said Tito Consuelo, a fisherman from the municipality of Tiwi, Albay. A seaside community and the site where supertyphoon Goni made landfall on the Bicol mainland, Tiwi suffered severe damage, with most of the residences losing their roofs during the recent storms.