A mother’s loss, a community’s strength
How emergency preparedness and response training helped a family turn grief into hope
For Rosemie Malumpil, there is no greater pain than losing her children and never seeing them again.
In July 2024, a flash flood destroyed Rosemie’s home in Balabagan, Lanao del Sur.
"Nagluluto ako ng hapunan namin noon. Hindi pa ako natapos nang biglang pumasok ang tubig at inanod kaming lahat,” [“I was cooking dinner when it happened. I didn’t even get to finish before the water rushed in and swept everything away,”] Rosemie recalls.
But more devastating than losing the house and her family’s belongings was the loss of her two young children, aged two and three.
“Nang pinasok kami ng tubig, ang unang ginawa ng asawa ko ay i-salba ang aming pinakabatang anak na noon ay dalawang linggong gulang pa lamang. Nang bumalik ang asawa ko para isalba ang aming ibang anak, wala na silang lahat.” [“When the water pushed its way into our home, my husband’s first instinct was to save our youngest, our two-week-old baby. When my husband came back for our other children, they were gone.”]
Their eldest child survived and is now six years old. She was found by the local rescue team the morning after the flash flood. The other two children are still missing to this day.
Among the responders was Norhana Totodan, the officer-in-charge of the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office.
Just two months before the rescue operation, Norhana had completed a five-day Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) training facilitated by UNICEF, with funding from the European Union. The training covered communication, evacuation protocols, emergency response, hazard mapping and the creation of family emergency kits with essential supplies.
“Kahit na may agam-agam, alam ko na kakayanin ko dahil sa training,” [“Even though I felt nervous, I felt prepared because of the training,”] says Norhana. “Pinaalalahanan ako gaano kaimportante ang maging alert at ready sa lahat ng pagkakataon.” [“It reminded me how vital it is to stay alert and ready at all times.”]
The municipal team was supported by the provincial response team, led by Lindy Macawadib, chief of the Operations and Warning Division of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office.
Lindy, who also participated in the EPR training session, shared that the module on establishing an Incident Command Post (ICP) was fundamental to their effective response, including the rescue of Rosemie and her eldest child. An ICP serves as an on-scene central location for decision-making, planning and resource allocation during an emergency.
“Because I completed the training before the flood, I knew how to set up an ICP right away,” Lindy says. “Setting up a local ICP helped us organise relief distribution and establish an evacuation centre for the affected families efficiently.”
Seven days of searching yielded no bodies of the two missing children, and Norhana was tasked with delivering the news to Rosemie.
“Bilang isang ina rin, iyon ang pinakamahirap na kailangan kong gawin,” [“As a mother, it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do,”] Norhana shares. “Nagsimula palang akong magsalita, humagulgol na siya.” [“Just when I began to speak, she broke down crying.”]
Norhana’s job could have ended here. But because of her commitment to her community, she remained in close contact with Rosemie and her daughter. She witnessed their journey as they rebuilt their home and livelihood. She helped them become more familiar with measures to prepare for natural hazards, such as knowledge of local risks and communication protocols, which she learned during her EPR training.
Norhana continues to check in, especially on Nhor Baillah, who still shows signs of trauma. Rosemie says that loud winds make her daughter anxious, and she often reacts with fear, unable to understand what she is feeling.
Still, Rosemie sees hope. She found comfort in her daughter’s Moving-Up Ceremony nearly a year after the flood—a reminder of everything she still has.
“Nasa akin pa rin ang lahat,” [I already have everything,”] Rosemie says. “Nandito pa rin ang aking pamilya.” [“I still have my family.”]
ABOUT THE EUROPEAN UNION-UNICEF PROJECT
With funding from the European Union, UNICEF is working with key agencies and ministries in the BARMM to strengthen community resilience, increase coverage of essential services, and promote child-friendly family and community behaviours in the provinces of Lanao del Sur, Lanao del Norte and Bukidnon. The project supports maternal, neonatal, child and adolescent health, nutrition, water, and sanitation services; early childhood education and basic education services; child protection/social welfare systems; and child-friendly provincial and municipal planning and investment for children’s rights and reduced disaster risks. The latter helps ensure that LGUs and community members can respond efficiently to emergencies, ultimately safeguarding the lives and futures of children and adolescents in one of the country’s most climate- and conflict-affected regions. This project is part of the European Union’s long-term support to building lasting peace and promoting inclusive development in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
