Preparedness Archives - Page 3 of 5

This Manual was originally published in Filipino in 2009, bearing the title Pagsasanay sa Disaster Preparedness at Contingency Planning. The publication in Filipino was intentional. The targeted users of the manual were high-risk communities and local authorities in the Philippines. Moreover, the choice made by CARE and the Corporate Network for Disaster Response to propagate the community-based approach to disaster risk reduction dictated that the manual be published in Filipino.

Much has transpired since the manual’s publication in 2009. The manual was a product of the Strengthening Assets and Capacities of Communities and Local Governments for Resilience to Disasters (ACCORD) project. Two follow-up community-based disaster risk reduction projects have since been completed, also supported by the European Commission Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection department (ECHO). A five-year community-based disaster risk reduction programme was also started in 2011, with funding from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of The Netherlands. These projects have served to enrich the content of the training manual.

Aside from the foregoing explicit DRR projects, other projects implemented by CARE and partners CNDR, Cordillera Disaster Response and Development Services (CorDisRDS), Agri-Aqua Development Coalition (AADC) and Assistance and Cooperation for Community Resilience and Development (ACCORD Inc.) have used Pagsasanay sa Disaster Preparedness at Contingency Planning. Five emergency response projects since Ketsana (Ondoy) and a food security and livelihood project funded by the EuropeAid have used the manual as a means for mainstreaming DRR in emergency response. This experience likewise contributed to the enrichment of Pagsasanay.

Over three years of practical experience later, frameworks, approaches and concepts have clarified and evolved. Tools and learning methodologies have vastly improved. These developments required that Pagsasanay be updated. An updated Pagsasanay would feature the addition of sessions on climate change adaptation and ecosystem management and restoration. This is in recognition of present realities – that disasters are becoming more frequent and more destructive because of climate change and environmental degradation. These aspects were not present in the original manual. Other additions are the sessions on relevant DRR and CCA laws and the organization of functional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils (DRRMCs). There were two push factors for these inclusions. One is the passage of the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act and the Climate Change Act.

The second factor is closely linked to the first: village, municipal and school authorities wanted to know more about the new laws and are requesting assistance for them to be able to comply with the provisions of the laws. So then why an English edition? Early on, there was already a demand for an English edition from those who do not read and speak Filipino. The lack of an English edition prevented the dissemination of the manual on a wider scale, within the Philippines and beyond.

Training on Disaster Preparedness and Contingency Planning is the response to the oft-received request for an English translation of the manual. Updating of the original manual in Filipino, and its translation and publication in English are a fulfilment of the obligation of CARE and partners to share what has been developed from experience and collaboration amongst high-risk communities and local authorities.

View and download the first module here.

Training on Disaster Preparedness and Contingency Planning is the response to the oft-received request for an English translation of the manual. Updating of the original manual in Filipino, and its translation and publication in English are a fulfillment of the obligation of CARE and partners to share what has been developed from experience and collaboration amongst high-risk communities and local authorities.

View and download the first module here.

The climate outlook for June-August 2020 was based on PAGASA Climate Forum. This contains the compiled relevant climate information for INCREASE areas and are sent to each specific municipality. This can be used as a guide to plan out activities including food production so climate-related risks are reduced. This is updated every quarter.

Below you may find a gallery of photos detailing the climate outlook for the said period. There are also area-specific versions of the material. You may click on each photo to enlarge it or access the download link.

Originally Written: October 2, 2014

By Sindhy Obias

Teaching is undoubtedly hard work. But for teachers in a small school that is flooded for at least three months in a year, the challenges are even more complex.

Such are the circumstances of the elementary and high school teachers in Barangay Maharlika, one of the river barangays of Talacogon in Agusan del Sur province. Talacogon is part of the Agusan marsh, which serves as the catch basin of the Agusan-Davao plain in Eastern Mindanao. With its geographic location, communities along Agusan River like Barangay Maharlika experience slow-onset and prolonged flooding during the months of December until March.

Maharlika Elementary School and its adjacent Maharlika High School have both five teachers, covering 204 and 58 elementary and high school students, respectively.

Travel to schools from the municipality’s Poblacion, around 25 kilometres away, normally takes two hours. Travel is by hired habal-habal (motorcycle) going to a small wharf in Barangay La Flora, and from there, a one hour and 30 minutes boat ride. During flooding season, Agusan River swells and transforms La Flora and other barangays along the river into a huge lake.

Mrs. Bennel Joy Vistal, the Head Teacher of Maharlika Elementary School said that teachers went through a lot of adjustments when they were assigned in the school. To be away from their family, to fit in the community’s language and culture, and work with insufficient school budget, were some of the struggles they had to deal with at the start.

Ma’am Joy (seated, first from right) and her co-teachers during the Disaster Preparedness Training for the school teachers in Talacogon.

But the most challenging part of their job, according to Ma’am Joy, comes during the flooding and typhoon season. For one, teachers like her who do not know how to swim are afraid of the water and have to be extra careful. Ma’am Joy recalls that, despite being at the community for almost nine years, her knees would shake after riding a small canoe – the usual mode of transportation available. There was an instance when a boat capsized and a fellow teacher nearly drowned, had it not been for community residents who rescued her in time.

Annually, for three months, land in the barangay is practically out of sight. Flood water, usually rising up to 20 feet high, would inundate the classrooms and turn the whole school grounds into a huge lake. Typhoon Agaton, which was experienced early this year, brought more rains than the previous years and caused the flood to rise up to 30 feet high. Frequent flooding would leave damages to school buildings, fixtures like chairs and tables, and learning materials.

Despite these difficulties, the teachers are happy with the strong ties and good relationships they have with the community and their students. Respect, trust, and solidarity are some of the values that the school teachers, students, and parents share as one community. The parents helped construct the floating cottages to house the teachers who are not residents at the barangay but would stay during the flooding season. Those who have houses that are big enough willingly offer to accommodate the children and use their houses as temporary classrooms.

Conducting the classes in floating houses would require teachers’ creativity, according to Ma’am Joy. They need to keep in mind that a floating house with too many children inside may capsize. This would mean less movement and classroom activities for have to be limited to story-telling and “desk work.” However, there are no desks and chairs, the students would all sit on the floor designated by their teachers.

It also helped that the schools and the community are part of the DRR Program of CARE Nederland and its partners ACCORD and AADC – the Scale Up, Build Up Project which concluded last year, and the Partners for Resilience Project which is being implemented until next year. Ma’am Joy shared that the lessons they learned from capacity-building activities contributed to their heightened awareness on the risks that they are facing and provided them clear directions in addressing these risks. These learnings are important and timely for them, now that the hazards are becoming more extreme and more frequent. Through the discussions and workshops on integrating disaster risk reduction in their School and Community Improvement Plan, they were able to identify the measures to improve their conditions. The floating cottages for teachers were, in fact, conceived during one of their planning workshops. Floating cottages were made stronger to withstand strong winds during typhoons. They also realized that school investments for development like putting up structures should be well-planned, with the main consideration on the situation of the community. They have built a concrete fence in the past, only to be damaged by frequent flooding and typhoon. They now plan to use bamboos for the fence instead.

Communicating the risks and influencing the community to deal with the concerns related to disaster risk reduction, ecosystem management and restoration, and climate change adaptation are also some of the roles that the teachers are taking on. Classroom discussions now include lessons on DRR, EMR, and CCA to bring these concepts into the consciousness of the young students.

The schools plan to have mobile boats for the students. They are also thinking to have more “dormitory-type” cottages to house the children who are coming from far-flung areas in the barangay. Planting bamboos with the community is also one of the activities that the schools want to do.

Although the municipality of Talacogon plans to relocate the residents in the future, the community and the school have to go with the flow of rising waters whenever the Agusan River swells.

View and download a PDF version of this article here.

(Lifted from the book “Safe, Resilient Communities: The ACCORD Model”, published by Accord Inc., 2011)

In 2007, eight women – mostly mothers – assembled in the ACCORD office that fateful June morning for the first-ever training for community facilitators in Saint Bernard. It was unforgettable. Of the 25 individuals invited, only eight showed up.

They all looked a bit unsure and quiet after realizing there were only eight of them. Most of those who backed-out had issues regarding honorarium which they claimed was a customary practice of other NGOs but which was not the case for ACCORD. When the project staff decided to push through with the training, despite the majority backing out, the remaining eight stayed throughout the 5-day training. They were all women – a grandmother, two teachers, a church worker, a barangay nutrition volunteer, a daycare worker, a community member, and a college student. Seven were mothers who stuck it out till the last day. Four years later, of the eight, six stayed on and are still active in varying levels. The other two are still around but not as active. Of the six, two stood out to become more than what was expected of them.

Anna was one of them, 46 years old, mother of five and a daycare worker for 20 years. She was one of the more ebullient trainees-CFs. She would giggle every time she mispronounced some words and was so unsure of herself during her first practice-teaching experience.

Today, Anna can discuss almost all of the sessions of the different training modules of ACCORD. She has gained confidence by using good examples from the community’s experience to clearly explain DRR concepts. She has also helped translate to Bisaya the session plans. Now, her name is synonymous to “DRR expert” in her barangay.

She’s not all that, she has also gone places. Anna is part of the training team in Saint Bernard who would go out of their way to conduct DRR trainings in the island of Limasawa. Through her and other CFs, Saint Bernard has replicated the ACCORD project within its municipality. The same is true with other municipalities which requested assistance for DRR.

In June this year, she attended a Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-UNICEF regional training in Bacolod. The training focused on RA 10121 or the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010, climate change adaptation, supervising and managing children affected by disasters. In that conference, she was regarded as a DRR community advocate and a resource person on community-based DRR. Among other daycare workers in the whole province of Southern Leyte and in her community, she was the one asked to help the DSWD in re-echoing the conference on DRR.

She strongly believes that the ACCORD project needs to expand other barangays and other municipalities because people need help to reduce their vulnerabilities against frequent hazards. She knows of neighbouring municipalities who know nothing of DRR but also want to learn. When she was informed that the project can no longer be extended, she took the challenge of taking the task of replicating and sharing the ACCORD experience.

She said she has learned so much from her involvement with the project, and the experience has changed her as a person. Because she has gained so much knowledge and experience from the project, she feels it is also her obligation to share this through trainings which she believes can change lives for the better.

Ronnie, mother of two and former barangay nutrition volunteer, was also one of those who stayed. Though known as the silent one, she exuded the strength of a woman one can rely on. She demonstrated how much she is willing to contribute for a cause. She was one of four barangay nutrition volunteers, with all four sharing the P450/month honorarium for the position of nutrition specialist. But she was replaced as a nutrition volunteer in December 2010 by their Barangay Captain allegedly due to political differences.

During her first practice-teaching, she stood in front like a block of ice-cold and stiff. She could not stop crying during the first training, as she remembered the deadly Guinsaugon landslide which she fears might happen again anytime.

From then on, Ronnie has learned so much by helping conduct training in different barangays. She said that knowing about the situation has helped her overcome her fears, realizing that the community can do something to reduce its vulnerabilities.

Today she thinks that being a CF has made her somewhat of a community organizer. She has taken it upon herself to continuously be of service to her kababaryos by explaining and helping them understand what she has learned about DRR. She feels the need for them to understand DRR and so has helped in translating the training modules to Bisaya.

Ronnie looks at herself as a community educator. She willingly and tirelessly shares everything that she has learned from the project through the conduct of training courses in their municipality, going as far as the municipality of Limasawa.

Ronnie and Anna, and many more of their kind in the different project areas, are among those who have selflessly devoted time and effort to be part of the journey to change the lives of other equally poor people in vulnerable communities. Ronnie is happy that she can serve her community through DRR; earlier, she thought she had to be a nutrition volunteer to be able to serve. She sums up the idea of what they as CFs have become by saying they have served as ‘tulay’ or bridges of the project to their communities. Now it’s time to help build more bridges so that other communities like Limasawa can become more resilient.

View and download a PDF version of this article here.

Ilang Tala Hinggil sa Modyul

Sa pagtatapos ng tatlong (3) modyul at sa pagkabuo ng contingency plan (CP) ng komunidad, ang mga sumusunod ang karaniwang tanong ng lahat:

Bakit mayroon pang modyul: “Gabay sa Pagsasagawa ng
isang Community drill” na daraanan gayong sinasabi na
ang pinaka-layunin ng mga pagsasanay ay ang pagbubuo
ng contingency plan at nakamit na ang layuning ito
pagkatapos ng modyul: “Pagbubuo ng Contingency Plan”?
Kung may Contingency plan na ang komunidad, kaya na ba nitong harapin ang susunod na darating na panganib?
Ano kaya ang mga problemang maaaring kaharapin pagdating ng panahong may disaster?

Pagkatapos ng modyul: “Pagbubuo ng Contingency Plan,” dapat may nabuo at nakasulat nang contingency plan ang komunidad. Hindi nga lamang ito matatawag na isa nang mahusay na contingency plan na maaasahan sa panahon ng disaster sapagkat hindi pa ito dumaan sa pagsubok. Ang pagsusubok sa ilang bahagi ng contingency plan ay ginagawa sa pamamagitan ng isang community drill. At sa pagsasagawa lamang ng isang community drill malalaman kung epektibo ang nabuong contingency plan para sa kanilang komunidad.

Ang modyul na ito tungkol sa “Gabay sa Pagsasagawa ng isang Community drill” ang huling bahagi ng serye ng mga modyul ng Disaster Preparedness at Contingency Planning na ibinabahagi sa komunidad upang makabuo sila ng isang epektibong contingency plan. Dahil dito, may mga bahagi ng contingency plan na tinitiyak na makasanayan ng komunidad upang maging epektibo ang pagsasagawa nito sa aktwal na sitwasyon. Kabilang sa mga bahagi ng contingency plan na dapat kinakabisa ng komunidad ay ang early warning system (EWS) at plano ng paglikas o evacuation plan.

Ang modyul na ito ang makatutulong sa gagawing pagsubok ng komunidad sa kanilang CP sa pamamagitan ng isang community drill.

Ang kondukta sa modyul na ito ay hindi katulad sa dalawang naunang modyul. May pagkakahawig ito sa ikatlong modyul na workshop ang pangunahing pamamaraan ng pagsasanay. Dito, ang kondukta ng drill ang mismong porma ng training at ang pagkatuto ay sinusukat mula sa resulta ng pagtatasa sa isinagawang community drill. Ang pagiging matagumpay ng isang community drill ay nakasalalay hindi lamang sa mga nag-oorganisa nito at sa mga miyembro ng BDCC kundi maging sa buong komunidad. Sa aktwal, malaki ang papel na gagampanan ng buong komunidad sa ikatatagumpay ng aktibidad na ito. Sa kabuuan, ang pagsuporta o di-pagsuporta ng sinuman sa nabanggit (nag-oorganisa ng drill, BDCC, at buong komunidad) ay mangangahulugan ng epektibo o di-epektibong pagsasagawa ng community drill.

Mahalagang tandaan natin na ang aktwal na community drill ay idinaraos sa loob lamang ng dalawa (2) hanggang tatlong (3) oras. Bagamat maikli lang ang pagsasagawa ng aktwal na drill, ang paghahanda naman upang maidaos ito ay hakbang-hakbang na gagawin sa loob ng halos dalawang buwan. Nahahati sa tatlong bahagi ang buong modyul na ito:
1. Paghahanda para sa community drill;
2. Pagsubok sa kakayahang tumugon sa disaster; at
3. Mga gawain pagkatapos ng community drill.

View, read, and download the fourth module here.

Ilang Tala Hinggil sa Modyul

Ang modyul na ito ay pagsasalin ng mga napag-aralan mula sa naunang modyul ng Disaster Preparedness. Kaiba sa naunang modyul ng Disaster Preparedness, and modyul na ito ay gabay sa aktwal na pagbubuo ng isang contingency plan. Pagkatapos ng modyul na ito, ang mga kalahok ay may mabubuo nang contingency plan.

Ang serye ng mga pagsasanay ay naglalayong makabuo ng isang contingency plan na angkop sa pangangailangan at kakayahan ng mga taga-komunidad. Ang contingency plan ay isang planong ang layunin ay siguraduhin ang kahandaan at kakayahan ng komunidad upang maagap na makapagsagawa ng mga hakbang-pangkaligtasan bilang paghahanda sa panganib, at makapag-organisa at magsagawa ng epektibo at napapanahong tulong sa panahon ng disaster.

Mula sa mga kaalaman tungkol sa mga konsepto at mga terminolohiya ng DRR, at sa kasanayang kakailanganin upang mailarawan ang aktwal
na mga hazard at epekto nito sa komunidad, bubuuin sa ikatlong modyul ang mga aksyong kailangang gawin at ipatupad upang maging handa ang komunidad sa disaster. Ang mga workshop sa modyul ng contingency planning ay lalahukan ng mga susing tao sa komunidad kabilang ang mga miyembro ng BDCC, ilang guro, mga kinatawan ng iba’t ibang sektor gaya ng kabataan, kababaihan, senior citizen, at iba pang mga may kasanayan o kakayahang makatulong sa pagbuo ng CP. Sa mga workshop dito sa modyul ng contingency planning pagsasama-samahin at paguugnayugnayin ang mga resulta ng mga workshop sa dalawang naunang modyul. Babalik-aralan at patototohanan ang mga naunang resulta ng mga workshop at magbubuo ng mga aktwal na hakbang at alituntunin upang maisalin ang plano sa aktwal na pagpapapababa ng risk ng komunidad. Ito ang aktwal na paglalapat ng mga plano sa kalagayan ng komunidad na may kaakibat na aktwal na aksyon at pagpapakilos sa BDCC.

Tandaan natin na ang mga susunod na sesyon ay iba sa nakagawian sa naunang mga modyul. Ang mga sumusunod na session plan ay magsisilbing gabay lamang sa pagdaraos nang magkakasunod na pulong ng mga susing tao ng komunidad upang makalap at masinop nila ang lahat na impormasyon na kailangan upang mabuo ang contingency plan. Ang nakasaad na tagal ng sesyon ay pagtantya lamang sa tagal ng idaraos ng mga pulong. Mas mainam kung ang lahat ng kalahok sa pulong ay makapaglalaan ng sapat na panahon upang matapos ang mga naitakdang gawain para sa araw na iyon nang walang pagmamadali.

View, read, and download the third module here.

Ilang Tala Hinggil sa Modyul

Ang modyul na ito ay binubuo ng mga sesyon na tutulong sa pagpapahusay ng kasanayan ng mga kalahok upang maging handa sa mga panganib na nakaamba sa kanilang mga komunidad. Sa modyul na ito, ang mga konsepto at mga pamamaraan tungkol sa gawaing pagbawas ng risk ay gagamitin ng mga kalahok upang maisagawa, sa pamamagitan pangunahin ng mga workshop at mga pagsasanay, ang mga kasanayan sa paghahanda tulad ng community risk assessment, early warning system, evacuation planning, contingency planning, at iba pa. Pagkatapos ng modyul na ito, ang mga kalahok ay magkakaroon na ng ilang mahahalagang bahagi ng isang barangay contingency plan (kung sila ay mga taga-barangay) o municipal contingency plan (kung ang mga kalahok sa pagsasanay ay mga taga-Municipal Disaster Coordinating Council).

Ang mga kasanayan na matututunan sa modyul na ito ay tutulong upang maging mataas ang antas ng kahandaan ng mga kalahok, at makatugon sila nang mas mahusay sa mga pangangailangan sa panahon ng disaster. Inaasahan ding batay sa mga pagsasanay at workshop, lalong makikilalang mga kalahok ang mga disaster na maaaring mangyari sa kanilang komunidad at mabibigyan sila ng batayan upang makapagdesisyon kung anong uri ng tugon ang kaya nilang isagawa sa oras ng disaster.

Bago mag-umpisa ang training sa modyul na ito, ipaliliwanag ng tagapagpadaloy na sa loob ng tatlong araw na training ay magkakaroon ng isang earthquake drill. Hindi sasabihin kung kailan ito gagawin. Kailangang maghanda ang mga kalahok at ituturo ng tagapagpadaloy kung ano ang mga dapat nilang gawin kapag kunwaring lumilindol na.

View, read, and download the second module here.

Pambungad

Sa gawaing disaster risk reduction (DRR) o pagbabawas ng risk ng disaster sa mga komunidad, nilalayong mapababa ang bulnerabilidad ng mga mamamayan at mapataas ang kanilang kapasidad sa paghahanda at pagharap sa mga negatibong epekto na dulot ng mga panganib o hazard.

Kadalasan, ang mga lugar na paulit-ulit na tinatamaan ng mga hazard ay mga mahihirap na komunidad. Hirap ang mga komunidad na ito na bumangon pagkatapos masalanta ng sunud-sunod na disaster na kumikitil ng buhay at sumasalanta ng kabuhayan.

Maraming bayan at munisipyo sa Pilipinas ang hindi ligtas sa paulitulit na pananalanta ng mga disaster tulad ng bagyo, baha, landslide at lindol. Ito ay dahil sa ang lokasyon ng bansang Pilipinas ay nasa tabi ng malawak na Pacific Ocean kung saan namumuo ang napakaraming bagyo. Dagdag pa rito, ang ating bansa ay nakapaloob sa tinatawag na Pacific Ring of Fire kung saan matatagpuan ang mga aktibong bulkan at mga earthquake fault na nagdudulot nang malalakas na lindol at tsunami. Dahil sa bulnerableng kalagayan, malaki ang pangangailangang maihanda ang mga mamamayan sa mga pagkakataong nangyayari ang mga hazard upang mabawasan ang mga pinsalang dulot ng mga ito. Malaki ang pangangailangang mapalakas ang mga kapasidad ng mga mamamayan upang mabawasan ang mga risk ng disaster at mapabilis ang kanilang pagbangon mula sa pagkakasalanta.

Ano ang Proyektong ACCORD?

Ang Proyektong ACCORD o “Strengthening Assets and Capacities of Communities and Local Governments for Resilience to Disasters” ay naglalayong palakasin ang mga kapasidad ng mga komunidad na bawasan ang risk ng mga disaster. Ipinatutupad ang proyektong ito sa 16 na barangay at 20 paaralan sa mga munisipyo ng Dingalan sa Aurora, Calabanga sa Camarines Sur at St. Bernard sa Southern Leyte. Pagsasanay sa Disaster Preparedness at Contingency Planning.

Ang proyekto ay sinusuportahan ng European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid Department (ECHO) at ng Corporate Network for Disaster Response
(CNDR).

Ang tatlong munisipyong sakop ng proyekto ay matatagpuan sa eastern seaboard ng bansa na madalas daanan ng mga bagyong nagmumula sa Pacific. Ang mga lugar na ito ay hindi lang minsang nakaranas ng mga matitinding landslide, baha, bagyo at lindol. At katulad ng karamihan ng mga bayan sa Pilipinas, ang mga bayang nabanggit ay mahihirap at kulang sa kakayahang magsagawa ng mga hakbang upang mabawasan ang mga risk at makabangon pagkatapos masalanta ng disaster.

Sa layunin ng ACCORD PROJECT na mapalakas ang kakayahan ng mga mamamayan sa mga bayang ito, kinilalang isang natatanging paraan ang gawaing community training. Batay sa karanasan ng proyekto, napatunayang ang community training ay isa sa mga epektibong pamamaraan upang palakasin ang kapasidad ng mga komunidad na madalas masalanta ng mga disaster.

Ang pagbibigay ng tamang kaalaman sa pamamagitan ng wastong pagsasagawa ng mga training sa mga barangay at munisipyo, partikular sa mga miyembro ng barangay disaster coordinating council (BDCC) at municipal disaster coordinating council (MDCC), mga guro at estudyante sa mga paaralan, at sa karamihan ng miyembro ng komunidad, ay naging daan upang sila ay ma-organisa bilang disaster-resilient communities o mga komunidad na may kakayahang umangkop sa kalagayan at mabilis na makabawi mula sa pinsalang dulot ng disaster.

Hindi naging madali para sa proyekto ang pagbibigay ng mga training sa mga barangay. Nariyan ang kahirapan sa pagsalin ng mga salitang Inggles sa salitang nauunawaan ng mga taga-komunidad, ang kahirapan sa pagpapaintindi sa ilang terminong siyentipiko (scientific term), ang kahirapan sa pagkakaroon ng libreng panahon ng mga kalahok, at marami pang ibang problema kaugnay sa maayos na pagdaraos ng training.

Nguni’t dahil sa ang community-based training ang ubod ng ACCORD PROJECT, naging malikhain ang proyekto sa paggampan ng gawaing ito. Isang natukoy na paraan upang matugunan ang mga suliranin ay ang Community-Based Disaster Risk Management pagkakaroon ng mga Community Facilitator (CF). Ang mga CF ay binubuo ng mga miyembro at lider ng komunidad na may interes, kakayahan, at panahon upang dumalo sa iba’t ibang mga training tungkol sa pagbabawas ng risk ng disaster o disaster risk reduction (DRR). Sila ang naging katuwang ng proyekto sa iba’t ibang gawain kabilang na ang pagmomobilisa ng mga kasamahan sa komunidad para sa drill o para sa pagpapatupad ng small-scale mitigation project. Partikular sa pagsasagawa ng community training, ang mga CF ang tumutulong sa pag-aangkop ng mga kurso sa sitwasyon ng komunidad. Kinalaunan ay tumulong na rin sila sa pagdaos ng mga training o kaya’y kasama na bilang miyembro ng training team. Mula sa karanasan nila, nakukuha ang ilang mga mahahalagang termino at mga halimbawang nauunawaan ng lahat ng taga-barangay. Sila ang naging ugnay at katuwang ng mga staff ng ACCORD PROJECT upang mapahusay at mapadali ang pagsasagawa ng mga training sa barangay.

Naging bahagi ng ACCORD PROJECT ang pagkakaroon ng serye ng mga capacity-building activity para sa mga BDCC, MDCC at CF. Nakita rin ang malaking pangangailangan para sa pagkakaroon ng mga instructional at reference material upang lalong mapadali para sa mga mga piling miyembro ng mga DCC, at mga CF ang pagbibigay ng training. Kaugnay nito, naglabas ang ACCORD PROJECT ng mga instructional material katulad ng mga flipchart, photo set at mga poster na ibinahagi sa mga komunidad na sakop nito. Sa pamamagitan ng mga instructional material na ito, mas madaling maipaaabot ang mahahalagang mensahe sa mga estudyante, mamamayan at mga opisyal ng barangay at munisipyo.

Maganda ang iniluwal na resulta ng labinlimang buwang proyektong ito. Sa mga munisipyo ng St. Bernard at Calabanga, naging aktibo ang lokal na pamahalaan hindi lamang sa pagbuo ng kanilang contingency plan kundi pati na rin sa pagkokonsidera sa DRR bilang bahagi ng kanilang taunang pagpaplano. Naging aktibo rin ang karamihan ng barangay sa tatlong munisipyo sa pagbuo ng kani-kanilang mga contingency plan at paglahok sa ilang mga small-scale mitigation project tulad ng pagtatanim ng mga bakawan at mga punong-kahoy, at pagtatayo ng mga gabion.

Sa mga pakikipanayam sa mga miyembro ng komunidad, nalaman ng proyekto na marami ang may pananaw na naging mapagpasya (crucial) ang pagkatuto nila mula sa serye ng mga training. Noon, inisip nilang Pagsasanay sa Disaster Preparedness at Contingency Planning pananakot lamang ang itinuturo sa mga training at walang inihahaing mga posibleng hakbang upang makaangkop ang komunidad kung kaya’t magiging kanya-kanya lamang ang kanilang pagtugon sa mga hazard. Sa pagsasara ng proyekto, dahil na rin sa paglahok nila sa mga training, naging positibo na ang kanilang pananaw dahil ang mga kaalamang naibahagi sa kanila ay nakapawi ng takot at nakatulong upang malaman nila ang mga hakbang na dapat nilang gawin bilang paghahanda sa pagdating ng mga mapaminsalang disaster — hindi lamang bilang mga indibidwal kundi bilang isang komunidad.

Bakit may Training Manual?

Sadyang bahagi ng layunin ng ACCORD PROJECT ang pagpapahusay ng kakayahan ng mga BDCC, MDCC at CF sa pagbibigay ng training upang maihanda sila sa kanilang tungkulin. Inaasahang ipagpapatuloy ng mga BDCC, MDCC at CF ang pagbibigay ng training at pagbabahagi ng mga mahahalagang kaalaman sa mga kababayan nila at maging sa mga katabing barangay. Sa ganitong paraan matitiyak na maipagpapatuloy nila ang sinimulan ng proyekto.

Ito ang naging layunin sa paglalabas ng Training Manual na ito: ang makatulong na mapadali at mapagaan ang pagdaraos ng mga gawaing DRRtraining bilang isang paraan sa pagpapalakas ng kapasidad ng mga bulnerableng komunidad upang matugunan ang kanilang sariling kalagayan at mga pangangailangan.

Tinutugunan nito ang pangangailangan para sa isang gabay sa pagbibigay ng community-based DRR training kung saan ang isa sa mahahalagang layunin ay ang makabuo ng contingency plan. Gabay ito upang makabuo ng disenyo para sa balak na isagawang training. Kumpleto ang mga modyul at mga session plan na isinulat ayon sa lohikal na pagkakasunud-sunod nito. Ito ay isang simpleng gabay na madaling sundan at maaaring ilapat sa mga pangangailangan ng ibang mga barangay at mga organisasyong DRR, kung kinakailangan.

Ang mga nilalamang modyul at session plan ay dumaan sa mahabang proseso ng pananaliksik at pagkukumpara sa mga modyul ng ibang organisasyon, pagbubuo ng sariling modyul ayon sa pangangailangan Community-Based Disaster Risk Management ng proyekto, pilot testing, at pagpipirmi ng nilalaman. Sa pagsasagawa ng sunud-sunod na training sa lahat ng barangay na sakop ng ACCORD PROJECT, idinadaan ang bawat isa sa pagtatasa upang mapulot ang mga aral mula sa mga ito. Ang mga aral na ito ay ginamit upang lalong pagyamanin ang mga modyul na nilalaman ng manual na ito.

Ang manual ay isang sanggunian (reference material) para sa lahat ng nagbibigay ng DRR training. Madali itong gamitin bilang sanggunian ng mga nagbibigay ng DRR training dahil simple ang pagsalin at pagbuo ng mga kahulugan ng mga terminong syentipiko na ginamit dito. May paglalarawan din sa mga konsepto at salitang mahirap maintindihan ng karaniwang tao. Ang mga pakahulugan ng mga salita at mga halimbawa ay batay sa iba’t ibang libro, pananaliksik, at mga kasulatang mapagkakatiwalaan at wasto tulad ng mga inilimbag ng Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Service Administration (PAGASA), Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), at iba pa. Binabanggit din sa bawat session plan ang mga pinagsangguniang materyal upang mabalikan at mapag-aralang mabuti ng sinumang nais pang palawigin ang kanyang kaalaman tungkol sa mga paksang tinatalakay rito.

Isa rin itong sourcebook o pagmumulan ng mga datos, mga halimbawa, ehersisyo, at pamamaraan na pawang mahalaga upang madaling makapagsagawa ng mga DRR training.

Sa kabuuan, isa itong dokumento ng karanasan ng proyektong ACCORD at ng mga mamamayang gumampan sa kanilang mga tungkulin upang mapalakas ang kanilang kakayahang harapin ang mga epekto ng disaster.

Saklolo!
Ang manual na ito ay hindi lamang para sa mga CF kundi para sa lahat ng nagsasagawa ng proyektong DRR sa mga komunidad. Ang manual na ito ay may mga katangiang madaling unawain, simple ang pagkasulat at pangkaraniwan ang mga halimbawang ginamit.

Bagamat para sa lahat ang manual na ito, pangunahing nakalaan pa rin ito para sa mga CF, BDCC at MDCC na magpapatuloy ng gawaing training sa kanilang lugar, mayroon mang proyektong ACCORD o wala. Pagsasanay sa Disaster Preparedness at Contingency Planning Sa pagtatapos ng proyekto, ang manual ang magsisilbing takbuhan ng mga miyembro ng BDCC, MDCC, at mga CF sa pagbibigay ng mga training sa komunidad. Ang manual na ito ay makatutulong sa mga problemang maaaring kaharapin sa pagdaraos ng training sa komunidad.

View, read, and download the first module here.

This document is a compilation of various inputs to the Sunset Review of Republic Act 10121 or the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction Management Act of 2010.

The Partners for Resilience (PfR) Alliance has been working since 2011 to reduce the impact of natural hazards on vulnerable people in nine countries globally by the Netherlands Red Cross, CARE Nederland, Cordaid, Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre and Wetlands International, and our many local partners.

In the Philippines, PfR is being implemented by the Philippine Red Cross, Assistance Cooperation for Community Resilience and Development (ACCORD), Afri-Aqua DEvelopment Coalition (AADC), Cordillera Disaster Response and Development Services (CorDisRDS), and Corporate Network for Disaster Response (CNDR) in at least 44 barangays across 8 municipalities and 2 cities; in 4 provinces; in 3 regions. Technical support is also being provided by the IIRR, Wetlands International, and the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre.

The PfR approach, methodology, and tools are being applied by implementing partners in other programming initiatives including relief and recovery projects in Yolanda-affected areas and disaster risk reduction initiatives in other high-risk areas in the country.

We are one with the national government and with all our partner communities and LGUs in advancing the national and local DRRM strategy. We are prepared to assist the governing agencies in developing the most appropriate strategy for the country. Together with all those who work for national and community-level resilience, including the community members themselves, we aim that this review will establish the long-term strategy for an integrated DRR in the Philippines.

Successes of RA 10121

It helped strengthen the country’s DRRM system and provide a national DRRM framework and institutionalize the national DRRM plan

It has guided the country’s paradigm shift from being reactive towards proactive approaches and strategies in addressing disaster and climate risks

It had spurred local government units to better prepare for emergencies and steered them towards a course that equitably gives importance to response, rehabilitation and recovery, preparedness, and mitigation and prevention.

Read more about key propositions, specific recommendations, and suggested texts in the complete document.

View and download the full document here.