Philippines

Key findings and conclusions at the national level

• Lack of awareness and education among communities is a key barrier for addressing threats
• Communities perceive floods, typhoons, poverty, and drugs as among the priority risks to look out for in the future which may affect the present generation of children and youth
• There is a gap in information sharing and including communities in resilience building process because of a consistent disparity in perception between community members and their duty-bearers

Surveys undertaken in the Philippines

Our Views from the Frontline surveys in the Philippines were undertaken in 2019.

Who was surveyed?

We surveyed 2,378 random households, 101 civil society organisations and 100 local government representatives.

Risk locations prioritised

We prioritised three risk areas:

• Rizal
• Lanao del Norte
• Misamis Oriental

Communities surveyed

We surveyed people from 18 communities: Barangay Sto. Niño, Municipality of San Mateo, Barangay Banaba, Municipality of San Mateo, Barangay Mapulog, Municipality of Naawan, Barangay Hinaplanon, Iligan City, Barangay Busali, Municipality of Biliran, Barangay Sto. Niño, Municipality of Naval, Barangay Linao East, Tuguegarao City, Barangay Cataggaman Nuevo, Tuguegarao City, Barangay Binanuahan, Municipality of Juban, Barangay Tughan, Municipality of Juban.

Our impact

Activities undertaken in response to community-level findings and conclusions

Recycling

A community recycling programme that encourages community members to pick up discarded tetra packages from food and drink items, every Friday afternoon. The grassroots organisation provided vans where communities could deposit their collections.

Livelihoods diversification

A community sewing area was designated and a sewing machine purchased that allows people to make and sell accessorises such as bags from the collected tetra packs. A grassroots organisation, Buklao Tao, provided training for community members on how to use the sewing machine and provided space in their shop to sell the products. The Department for Trade and Industries encouraged a couple of small-scale industries in the area to hire women with previous drug dependencies to further diversity livelihoods.

River cleaning

The grassroots organisation has provided tools such as nets and brooms and the community volunteered their time to dredge the river every Friday. The government has put up signs to reinforce the implementation of the Philippine law that outlines that the area is a wildlife protection area and that littering is prohibited.

Impact of activities

• These activities have helped to reduce the impact of floods due to clearing of waterways
• Women are able to improve their livelihoods and have multiple sources of income

Our project partners in the Philippines

Our Views from the Frontline programme is implemented by GNDR member organisations and partners in the country.

National coordinating organisation

• Center for Disaster Preparedness

Partner organisations

• Buklod Tao, Inc.
• Ecosystems Work for Essential Benefits
• Eastern Visayas State University – Learning Institute for Environment Center
• Philippine Red Cross – Cagayan Chapter
• Sorsogon Integrated Health Services Foundation, Incorporated