Raising DRR Champions for Resilient PH

Ivy Marian Panganiban

The impact of disasters adversely undermines any development intervention being implemented by civil society organizations (CSOs). Thus, it has become a necessity for development organizations to mainstream disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) and climate change adaptation (CCA) in their interventions. In its Strategic Plan for 2013-2017, CODE-NGO identified DRR-CCA as key emerging concerns, for which it needs to build its knowledge and understanding as a network. A key result in the Strategic Plan calls for CODE-NGO to pursue capacity building for its member networks in integrating key emerging concerns, i.e. DRR-CCA, in their programs and projects.  

In its second year of implementation, Advancing CSO Engagement in DRR-CCA (ACED2) Project continues to raise a cadre of DRRM Champions within the CODE-NGO member networks that will mainstream DRR-CCA in the networks’ development work and also advocate for its inclusion in the local development planning process. An example of which is the current engagement of many CODE-NGO members at the regional, provincial and municipal levels in the bottom-up budgeting (BUB) or grassroots participatory budgeting (GPB). These engagements are seen as a platform by which our organizations can influence local government units (LGUs) to mainstream DRR-CCA in their local plans and budgets. 

In order to equip these champions to conduct and facilitate community-based disaster risk assessment, disaster contingency planning, emergency response and post-disaster needs assessment, planning for recovery and rehabilitation and train others to do the same, the ACED2 Project conducted a 5-day training last October 6-10, 2014 at the  Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City. This training was attended by 48 DRR Champions: 24 are representatives of CODE-NGO’s 12 Member-Networks (MNs), additional 8 CSO representatives from the Yolanda-affected regions and 16 representatives from MNs/CODE-NGO’s Participatory Governance Projects – Bottom Up Budgeting (BUB 383), Citizens’ Monitoring of LGU Performance (CML), Decentralized Governance (DG) and Sustained Participatory Local Governance (SPLG) – especially those who have expressed need for DRRM training, and to share lessons and practices on mainstreaming CSO agenda into government planning and budgeting processes. The DRR Champions underwent 4 modules, namely: (1) DRRM-CCA 101: Review of Concepts and Laws, (2) Framework for Mainstreaming DRRM-CCA in Government Processes (National and Local), (3) Conducting Disaster Needs Assessment (4) Coordination during Emergencies.

In Module 1: DRRM-CCA 101, the participants familiarized themselves with the basic concepts in DRR-CCA through an interactive game facilitated by Aldwin Jamora of World Vision, a participant of ACED Year 1 training. This session was succeeded by a review of the DRRM Law presented by the CODE-NGO Deputy Executive Director Roselle Rasay. The discussion that ensued focused on the role of the CSOs in the implementation of the DRRM Law and the use of the DRRM Funds. As the government review the provisions of the DRRM Law by 2015, CODE-NGO’s ‘DRRM Champions’  committed to participate in the review process and discussions, especially at the local levels and provide recommendations for an enhanced DRRM Law, which will be submitted to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) by next year.

On the second day, national government agencies were invited to talk about Module 2: Framework for Mainstreaming DRRM-CCA in Government Processes (National, Local). Ms. Helena Gaddi, Chief of the Oversight Implementation Division of the Climate Change Commission (CCC), said that it is very important to consciously integrate climate change concepts in government projects. She added that to ensure CCA is incorporated in the projects and the allocations made for these CCA-related projects and activities are properly accounted for, CCA with the help of World Bank implement Climate Change Expenditure Tagging (CCETG). In the local level, DRR-CCA is also being mainstreamed in the development plans. Ms. Angela Mamuyac of the DILG-Bureau of Local Government Development emphasized the significance of using hazard maps, climate change projections and other disaster risk assessment in addressing the vulnerabilities of the local communities. She said that the CSOs can help in validating the scientifically-generated maps and other assessments, in addition to being partners of the government in the planning process.

Member organizations of CODE-NGO took the limelight as they share how they are able to mainstream DRRM in their engagement with their respective local government. Ms. Agnes Bolanos of Agri-Aqua Development Coalition (AADC) in Mindanao shared how they were able to help the LGUs in making their contingency plans and now, their DRRM plans. She said that it was very hard for them to push their DRR advocacy because Mindanao has not experienced disasters before. After the typhoons Pablo and Sendong, the LGU themselves started approaching them for technical assistance in establishing their DRR plans.

Spurred by the ACED Year 1 training, Caritas-Diocese of Libmanan applied what they have learned in three project municipalities: Caima, Bahao and Salvacion in Camarines Sur. Mr. Allan Osea shared that they made hazards and vulnerability maps with the participation of the community residents and local leaders. Recognizing the importance of these initiatives, local leaders wanted to replicate the training in all the barangays of the municipality. He said that because of Typhoon Glenda, they were able to pressure the local government to pass the DRR Budget and include this in the Annual Budget of one municipality. He said that when people understand the risks involved, it became a good leverage for them so that the LGU will feel the pressure of allocating money for DRR projects.

For Module 3: Conducting Needs Assessment, participants heard from government representatives how they conduct damage and needs assessments (DANA) and how the results of the DANA were used as input for planning.  Ms. Shereen Lucas, Training Officer of the Office of Civil Defense said that the DANA considers two important factors – over-all impact of damage and identification of short term interventions to initiate recovery.  When it was first done after typhoon Sendong, DANA included infrastructure, social and cross-sectoral assessments.  During Pablo, they added areas of resettlement, livelihood and social assessments, she said. Assistant Secretary Gina dela Cruz, of the Office of Presidential Assistant for Recovery and Rehabilitation (OPARR) enumerated the different Cluster Plans in the Comprehensive Recovery and Rehabilitation Plan (CRRP) for the Yolanda-affected communities. The plan was based on LGU’s plans, involving private sector and development partners and using baseline data from PDNA, RAY, NGAs and LGUs. Through role play, participants practiced first-hand how to conduct a community damage and needs assessment (CDANA), a tool adapted by the ACED Project from various assessment tools.

For Module 4: Coordination during Emergencies, Mr. Gil Arevalo of the United Nations Office of Coordination for Humanitarian Affairs (UN-OCHA Philippines) shared how the UN agencies respond to emergencies by establishing clusters, which the Philippine government also adopted in their response efforts to typhoon Yolanda. He said that UN agencies recognized the crucial role being played by local CSOs in the aftermath of the typhoon. He said that this fact was overlooked in the emergency response because they thought that for Yolanda – being a Level 3 typhoon- the local government and communities would be crippled, which was not the case here in the Philippines.

Mr. Zak Yuson of Rappler shared how social media can be maximized during disasters. With the tagline “communication saves lives”, he showed the participants how rescue operations were effectively done with the help of Twitter and Facebook. He also shared how a group of concerned Filipinos were able to pool funds for the Yolanda emergency response, and how information on the survivors of Yolanda were made available using social media.

ACED Year 1 training participant Mr. Ermon Fernandez of the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) facilitated a game where the participants listed down the important things to consider in the various phases of emergency response: procurement of goods, warehousing and repacking, transportation, distribution, and documentation. This session became an avenue to tap into the experiences of the participants, who were responders of past disasters – e.g. typhoons Pablo, Sendong, Ondoy, Yolanda and Glenda – and consolidate what they have learned in setting up an efficient and effective emergency response center.

Apart from it being a very insightful week for the DRR Champions, they were also able to generate the network’s advocacy agenda for DRR-CCA. On the local level, the networks agreed to (1) start mapping their members’ and partners’ current capacities on  DRR-CCA, (2) continue capacity-building for members, (3) build partnerships with the local government and other CSOs, and (4) push for the establishment of functional local disaster risk reduction and management (LDRRM) Offices. The national level advocacies include (1) review of the DRRM Law, (2) review and upgrading of the Seal of Good Local Governance-Seal of Disaster Preparedness, (3) equitable access to the DRRM Fund and People’s Survival Fund and (4) reform procurement policies in times of disaster. Common to both local and national level is the push for transparency and accountability in the use of DRRM Funds and maximizing spaces in government structures and processes such as DRRM Councils, Grassroots Participatory Budgeting and the Local Special Bodies.

Another major output of the training is the initial discussion on strengthening regional CSO networks as CSO-led DRR Coordination Hubs which can effectively coordinate CSO emergency response during disasters, while advocating for responsive DRRM-CCA initiatives and facilitating learning exchange on DRRM-CCA during “peace” times. The participants agreed upon the partnership principles and roles of the CODE-NGO, regional networks and local organizations.

The road to a resilient Philippines is still a long, difficult and winding one but CODE-NGO is counting on its active and dedicated DRR Champions to pave the way and push for the mainstreaming of DRR-CCA, not only in their organization’s development work but also in the government’s plans and budget.

Ivy Marian Panganiban is the Advocacy Officer of the Advancing CSO Engagement in DRRM-CCA Year 2 (ACED) Project of CODE-NGO.