This instructional video details the steps in preparing, conducting, and evaluating a community drill. This will serve as an important resource for vulnerable communities and their local government units preparing for disasters.

This video is based on the actual Community Flood Evacuation Drill held in June 2014 that was conducted by the Assistance and Cooperation for Community Resilience and Development (ACCORD) in partnership with the Barangay Portero Disaster Risk Reduction Committee and the Malabon City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office through the Partners for Resilience project.

Barangay La Flora in the municipality of Talacogon, Agusan del Sur is fully submerged in water three months out of every year. Farming activities are stalled until after the water subsides, and clean drinking water becomes scarce.

But a lot has changed in La Flora since then. They eventually found a clean water source, and with the aid of a cash-for-work program for indigenous people implemented by the DSWD, the laying of water hoses as part of the water system was completed in 10 days through the efforts of 68 people. Recognizing the link between water quality and the state of their environment, the project implementation also required the creation of a village-protected forest park.

“With the cooperation of various government agencies, NGOs, and the ‘Proud of My Purok’ Project, we were able to implement the whole project. The people became active [participants]. Whenever I call for a meeting or a village assembly, they diligently attend because they want to be informed. Before all this… not many would come,” says Romeo Otacan, La Flora barangay captain,

The projects of CARE and ACCORD in Talacogon covered La Flora, along with San Nicolas, Maharlika, Sabang Gibong, and Buena Gracia.

In 2006, a landslide in Barangay Guinsaugon in Saint Bernard, Southern Leyte killed more than a thousand people. The event underscored the municipality’s vulnerability to multiple hazards and the urgent need to improve preparedness. Thus, prompted Saint Bernard’s creation of an early warning system (EWS) for floods, tsunamis, and landslides.

Through the collaboration of the municipal LGU, government agencies, civil society organizations, and community members, a community-based EWD was instituted. The result was an end-to-end and landscape-wide system that made use of technology (such as gauges for rain and flood levels), a promoted collaboration between stakeholders, and encouraged community participation.

In 2013, Saint Bernard’s community-based local flood EWS was recognized by the UN Sasakawa Award for Disaster Reduction for its innovative approach that combines technology and comprehensive social preparation. It was one of six projects from around the world shortlisted for the award.

Effective and sustainable disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation is almost impossible to achieve without safeguarding the health of ecosystems. And in some cases, the solution to protecting a community from natural hazards lies in nature itself. Mangrove reforestation, for instance, can serve as a small-scale mitigation measure to strengthen community resilience.

Barangay Sabang is one of 11 coastal villages in Calabanga, Camarines Sur prone to storm surges and flooding. But by transforming a vast expanse of abandoned fish ponds into a lush mangrove forest, the community built a shield against hazards. This was done through the collaboration of the local government, national government agencies, civil society organizations, academic institutions, and a dedicated group of volunteers from the community, who planted more than 150,000 mangrove propagules along riverbanks and throughout the coastal areas of Calabanga.

After the rehabilitation of the mangrove forests, residents of Barangay Sabang observe that inland flooding brought by storms have become less intense compared to the ones they used to experience. The mangrove forests also help mitigate saltwater intrusion to nearby agricultural barangays; thus, preventing damage to crops.

A boom in the population of marine species was likewise noticeable, with mud crabs and a variety of fish now calling the roots of the mangroves home. The forests also serve as a sanctuary and breeding ground for freshwater species. These days, villagers say their waters teem with small fish and play host to the occasional butanding (whale shark).

In the remote village of Han-ayan, Lianga, Surigao del Sur, the Lumad continue to face difficulties to their way of life and right to self-determination. These come in the form of armed conflict, everyday discrimination, and a political discourse that perpetuates the marginalization of the Lumad and their culture.

Education that is grounded in local culture offers a way to better their circumstances and strengthen community resilience.

Through schools built by and for the Lumad, children are given a chance to “deepen their knowledge of what it means to live in and for our land of heritage,” says Richard Campos, a volunteer teacher. As such, agriculture serves as the core subject. The students take up soil management in their first year, animal husbandry the next year, followed by organic pesticides, then forestry in their fourth year. The curriculum aims to enrich not just the students as individuals but also the community in general.

This video also features ACCORD’s partnership with high-risk and disaster-affected communities during the “Children of Peace” Project, in partnership with International Organization for Migration, and with support funding from the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO).

In many of CARE and ACCORD’s partner communities, both urban and rural, there are individuals who stand out because they go above and beyond what is asked of them. These are our champions of resilience: people who are driven by their compassion for others, and the recognition that

resilience-building is everyone’s responsibility.

But what inspires them to take the lead in the service of their communities?

“It is my joy to see that people don’t get hurt during calamities, that nobody gets left behind,” says Mariedel Barbin, 52 years old, of Barangay Potrero, Malabon. Barbin is a housewife who was appointed barangay executive officer because of her active participation in disaster risk reduction-related seminars, meetings, and other activities. As the executive officer, she is part of the Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Committee.

Eulalio Orlandez, a community development worker from Barangay La Flora in Talacogon, Agusan del Sur, conducts trainings to bolster his community’s capacity to overcome hazards. He says, “I simply want to help. This is what fuels me.” Talacogon experiences periodical flooding and is underwater four months out of the year, usually from November to March.

In 2013, Haiyan barreled across the Philippines and left destruction and massive loss on its path. Millions of people were affected, particularly poor communities, farmers, older persons, and persons with disabilities — those most vulnerable to extreme events such as Haiyan — and many have yet to fully recover and strengthen resilience.

Barangay Bayabas in the municipality of Dagami, Leyte, was almost flattened by strong winds. Apart from houses and structures, their livelihoods were wiped out as well.

But through humanitarian actions after Haiyan, followed by development projects, Barangay Bayabas was able to bounce back. Collective action played a big role: members of the community came together to form the Bayabas Farmers Association, which today has 64 members and four

different types of farms: communal, group, individual, and an organic learning farm. Members say their products are becoming popular.

Through these collaborative efforts, Barangay Bayabas is a community on its way to achieving a protected, diversified, and strengthened livelihood.

Disability inclusion is key in building truly inclusive and resilient communities. It requires addressing barriers that prevent persons with disabilities from engaging in community life, recognizing that these members can be active partners for meaningful change, and fostering an environment that empowers them to do just that.

In Dagami, Leyte, several locals with disabilities participated in ACCORD’s resilient livelihood program and ended up playing important roles in their communities.

Roger Ubaldo, 45 years old, a stroke survivor, had no other sources of livelihood after Typhoon Haiyan destroyed coconut trees. The different trainings on farming techniques and business management; however, helped him find alternative sources of income and he was eventually chosen to become their group’s sales distributor.

Adelaida Madalena Garsilaso, 50 years old, visually impaired since childhood, did not let her disability stop her from contributing to her community and is now a beloved teacher at Barangay Camono-an’s daycare center.

With their tenacity and strength of spirit, they broke barriers for themselves and helped their villages become more sensitive to the needs of persons with disabilities and their role in resilience building.