The COVID-19 Pandemic brought about multiple challenges that none of us were able to foresee. Aside from the great panic and risk, many people were put in uncomfortable positions when the world seemed to pause and turn quiet. Streets were empty, people lost their jobs, and vulnerable communities were put at an even greater risk. Moreover, one thing that did not stop were various natural calamities such as floods and typhoons, especially in the Philippines.

As an adaptive measure to the logistical limitations brought about by the COVID-19 Pandemic, RILHUB, together with its partners, decided to continue its capacity-building efforts through online and virtual means. Thus, the Resilience Knowledge Exchange Series was launched in June of 2020.

Since then, RILHUB was able to implement a total of eight (8) sessions of the Resilience Knowledge Exchange Series otherwise referred to as RKES.

Although each RKES tackled different topics or subject matter, all sessions aimed to increase the resilience and capacity building of RILHUB communities and partners. To continue learning and the exchange of best practices, organizations and agencies outside RILHUB’s founding organizations were also engaged. Among valued RILHUB collaborations and partnerships in 2020 include the following organizations and agencies:

 

From June of 2020, the RILHUB online community has now grown to over 2,ooo individuals. RILHUB is incredibly grateful to all the organizations, agencies, and communities who became a part of the RILHUB community in one way or the other. This year, we look forward to strengthening existing and forging newer partnerships as we continue striving to become an accessible and engaging platform that advocates for resilience and integrated risk management to build the resilience and capacity-building efforts of its partners and communities.

This companion guide to mainstreaming disaster risk reduction (DRR), climate change adaptation (CCA) and ecosystem management and restoration (EMR) in an integrated way is a product of many years of practice, reflection and learning. In 2012, ACCORD and CARE Nederland published a 3-volume Training on Disaster Preparedness and Contingency Planning manual. One session, on risk reduction planning, briefly touched on mainstreaming DRR, CCA and EMR in development plans. Today, we are transforming our accumulated knowledge on mainstreaming into this companion guide or handbook, with optimism that others will find value in, and learn from our experience.

CARE Nederland introduced to us the project cycle management approach to mainstreaming. The Bureau of Local Government Development of the Department of Interior and Local Government trained us on mainstreaming DRR and CCA in the Rationalized Planning System. For both, their support was crucial in the development of our mainstreaming practice. The local government units (LGUs) that have worked with us in the mainstreaming process are too numerous to acknowledge individually, but Saint Bernard, a municipality of Southern Leyte, and Calabanga in Camarines Sur deserve special mention. Led respectively by mayors Rico Rentuza and Evelyn Yu, Saint Bernard and Calabanga enthusiastically collaborated with us in our earliest attempt at mainstreaming. Equally valuable was our collaboration with the municipalities of Maragusan, Davao de Oro and La Paz, Leyte; the Metro Manila cities of Malabon and Navotas;

 

To view and download the full document, please click here. 

The global pandemic known as the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has affected millions worldwide. Presently in the Philippines, the number of cases continues to increase with 9.90% positivity rate and 1.85% mortality rate. The most vulnerable population is comprised of the elderly, those with comorbidities such as diabetes, hypertension, or those who are immunocompromised such as people living with HIV, as well as frontline workers in health and essential businesses.

Health system capacity has improved but continues to face challenges. The country currently ranks 20th in the John Hopkins case monitoring dashboard in terms of the country with the highest number of COVID-19 cases. The number of new cases remains variable with a recent spike following a 2-week decline. The Department of Health (DOH), however asserts that the health system has made significant progress not only in improving recovery rates and reducing COVID-19 mortality, but also in increasing hospitals’ capacity to serve suspected/ confirmed COVID-19 patients.

Currently, there is some 42.1% occupancy rate in wards, ICU, and isolation bedsfor COVID-19. Critical health facilities are now more equipped to provide better care to patients compared to during the early stages of the pandemic. However, testing and contact tracing capacity needs to be sustained to accurately
reflect the health situation. On September 2, the national government launched its official contact tracing app – staysafe.ph, while Local Government Units (LGU) also initiated individual contact tracing strategies/app in their respective communities.

The Philippine government utilized a public health-centered approach in mitigating the spread of the virus. Medical response includes strengthening health capacity by recruiting additional 20,000 health professionals, improved and expanded research capacity, and improved health care facilities and care protocols. Community quarantines include imposition of curfew, ban on mass gatherings, closures of schools or congregations, work suspension, and modified work arrangements.

COVID-19 has resulted in severe socio-economic consequences. The response to the pandemic transmission has negatively impacted the economy. Since March 2020, more than 3.3 million workers have lost their jobs. Unemployment rate is at 10% as of July 2020 which is double the rate of 5.4% last year of the same month. The loss of livelihood and lack of income opportunities has limited the access of the poorest families to food, water, and health services, and increased their reliance on aid. Some 7.6M reported involuntary hunger due to the crisis.10 School suspension displaced learners, barred access to supplementary feeding, and increased care work for women. Moreover, the affected population articulated increased feelings of anxiety and distress due to the continuing uncertainty of the situation. The pandemic situation shows disproportionate impact of the pandemic to women, children, and the most marginalized sectors of society.

The Philippines remains at risk to disasters and climate change impacts. The country ranks 3rd in the World Risk Report of 2018 and 5th in the Climate Risk Index of 2019.12 Tropical cyclones account for the largest disaster-related loss in the country. Some 20 tropical cyclones occur in the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) per year. At least 6-9 incidents make landfall causing damage to urban and rural communities. Due to climate change, recent historical data in the country show that stronger typhoons are becoming even more frequent. Degraded ecosystems also exacerbate the impacts of the hazard. Moreover, cyclones are often accompanied by concurrent hazards including floods, flashfloods, and landslides. It also interacts with seasonal and climatological changes including monsoon seasons and El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phases. The typhoon season has already started. Typhoon Vongfong made landfall in May 2020. It was the first typhoon to hit the country this year. It affected almost 400,000 individuals and destroyed shelter, livelihoods, and health facilities. Emergency response activities were complicated by the ongoing quarantine measures and social distancing protocols. The experience from Typhoon Vongfong showed the need to integrate minimum health standards to better prepare for similar hazard events.

On 14 June 2020, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) announced the start of the rainy season. The climate outlook shows that that there is more than 50-55% chance of La Nina either late October or November 2020 which may last through the first quarter of 2020. Above normal rainfall incidents can also be expected in the same period, particularly in December. Moreover, a total of 9 to 12 tropical cyclones are expected to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) until the end of the year. The onset of La Nina will cause tropical cyclones to form nearer land, thereby increasing the chance of landfall.

Capacities are stretched, and resources are dwindling. The whole country was placed under State of Calamity since 16 March 2020-12 September 2021.17 The protracted response due to COVID-19 has depleted resources of the government, private sector, and Civil Society Organizations. LGUs affected by the pandemic have already exhausted their Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund- Emergency Response Fund (LDRRMF-ERF) and have realigned their development funds to provide food assistance, conduct awareness-raising activities, and supplement health equipment and services. Medical and government front liners have provided continuous health and social services.

With the advent of the Typhoon season alongside the continuous COVID-19 response, there is a need to revisit plans to better manage risks and increase response capacities. Contingency plans (CP) can be reviewed to update risk assessments, integrate Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) protocols, and improve response arrangements. Other government plans including the DRRM Plans, Annual Investment Plans (AIP), and Comprehensive Development Plans (CDP) may also benefit from the review process.

The Contingency Planning Checklist is an attempt to summarize experiences from the ground into a diagnostic tool that supports the integration of COVID-19 protocols and lessons from the ongoing response into existing Contingency Plans. It is a list of recommendations across multiple sectors that can serve as an entry point in the CP updating process.

 

Read, view, and download the complete document here.

Rationale of the Resilience Knowledge Exchnage Series Session 6 Webinar:

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought pervasive fears and new policies that change our way of life. As local efforts and hopes center on contact tracing and finding a vaccine, little attempts have been undertaken to view the environment in direct relation with COVID-19.

The environment is ultimately interconnected with mankind. Its degradation affects the quality of life of all individuals and living beings on earth. Locally, there has been no significant inquiry into how the environment, especially its degradation, might have influenced the pandemic. Neither is there any grand investigation on how the pandemic has affected the environment in turn. Could certain signs detected from environmental patterns and elements point us to the trends, causes, and cures of the pandemic? This question remains unasked, and therefore, unanswered.

The COVID-19 and the Environment webinar attempts to address this question, as two researchers discuss the impact of environmental degradation on the pandemic, including the current research and proposed projects in monitoring COVID-19. One such research focuses on waterways as early warning systems or a monitoring system for disease detection, especially for COVID-19. The other research centers on hazardous waste for the same purpose.

Though similar proposals have already been implemented internationally, no such research inquiry has been localized yet. Through this research, monitoring will be much more efficient, as specific areas and focus will be detected earlier.

Discussing innovative perspectives and tools offers us an alternative way of assuaging anxieties during this time of crisis. At the same time, it helps widen our understanding to include elements previously thought to be lateral but are actually quite essential: the environment.

The presentation on wastewater-based monitoring for predicting pandemics and outbreaks aims to explain the concept, importance, and potential of the said topic. This presentation was created and presented by Dr. Marilen Parungao Balolong, DRPH, DPAM, Professor and University Scientist at the University of the Philippines Manila. 

To access a soft copy of this material, click here.

The global pandemic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has affected millions worldwide. Presently in the Philippines, there are more than 250,000 cases, with more than 58,000 active cases, and 4,000 dead. The government responded to the crisis using public health measures including travel restrictions, strict community quarantine protocols, work suspension, and promotion of proper hygiene and a strong immune system.

 

Metro Manila is the center of COVID-19 crisis in the Philippines. At least 54% of the total number of cases in the country is found in Metro Manila. The protracted quarantine measures resulted in severe consequences for urban poor communities. This includes economic displacement particularly for daily wage earners and workers in the informal sector, limited access to basic services, and issues with safety and security. Restrictions were also met with difficulties as urban settlements are often densely packed, overcrowded, and often lacking basic facilities, thereby increasing the risk to spread infection.

 

The COVID-19 Philippines Inter-Agency Rapid GenderAssessment (RGA), of which the NCR RGA is a part, was conducted to document stories of women, men, and other vulnerable sectors from urban poor communities in Metro Manila. It is a collaborative study aimed at identifying the different needs, risks, capacities, and coping strategies of women, men, girls, and boys in the COVID-19 crisis. The research design was developed by GBV Sub-cluster member agencies UNFPA, Plan, CARE, and Oxfam.

 

The NCR Rapid Gender Analysis was conducted from 15 April- 27 May 2020 in six cities in Metro Manila. A total of 145 participants from multiple sectors form part of the study. Semi-structured phone interviews were used as the primary data collection method to ensure the safety of both partner organizations and participants.

 

The NCR RGA is structured to surface stories according to eight (8) key areas of inquiry: 1) Gender Roles and Responsibilities, 2) Access to Basic Services, 3) Impact of Interventions, 4) Access to Information and Technology, 5) Coping Strategies and Capacities, 6) Addressing Social Stigma, 7) Protection and SRHR Issues, and 8) Leadership and Participation. The NCR RGA is an inter-agency initiative coordinated by CARE, with participating INGOs Oxfam Pilipinas, Plan International, Asmae; local organizations ACCORD Inc., ChildHope, Kanlungan sa Er-ma Ministry Inc.; and individual volunteers from DFAT.

View and download the full Rapid Gender Analysis Report here.

COVID-19 remains to be an unfamiliar threat that currently has the world in distress. Despite the fact that the Philippines has amassed extensive experience and knowledge on reducing risks and building resilience amidst natural disasters, conflict, changing climate, and degraded ecosystems, communities and local authorities are still not adept in dealing with the risks of the nature and scale of the COVID-19 pandemic which include not only health and economic impacts, but social and environmental impacts as well. 

 

In the Philippines, the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded amidst multiple humanitarian emergencies — compounding negative impacts and exacerbating pre-existing vulnerabilities of crisis-affected individuals particularly those from marginalized sectors. We know that emergencies and responses are not gender-neutral and that different groups of women, men, boys, and girls experience crises differently. The Rapid Gender Assessment (RGA) elevates these gendered experiences, needs, capacities, and coping strategies, to (1) shape and influence the response plans and operational guidelines of LGUs, CSOs, and other humanitarian actors responding to COVID19; and (2) strengthen existing interventions to ensure they are gender-responsive. 

 

This inter-agency RGA surfaces the voices of 145 individuals from the most marginalized communities — urban poor, barangay health workers, persons with disabilities, solo/young parents, the homeless, senior citizens, LGBTQI —  in six cities of Metro Manila. It was conducted within the first three months of enhanced quarantines when NCR was the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic, through phone interviews and online surveys organized by CARE, ACCORD, Plan, Oxfam, ASMAE, ChildHope, and Kanlungan sa Er-ma Ministry, Inc. It is part of a larger national Gender and Inclusion Assessment (GIA) that engaged 27 I/NGOs and 950 respondents across 11 target constituencies in six regions.

Read, view, and download the complete PDF version of the presentation deck here.

To extend the RILHUB’s reach, we launched the Resilience and Knowledge Exchange Series (RKES) last June 2020 – monthly webinars where stakeholders and key decision-makers can share experiences, best practices, lessons learned, ideas, and innovations. 

In this session entitled “Planning for Typhoons During a Pandemic: A Practical Guide”, we held discussions on gaps and challenges of existing Contingency Plans for Typhoons in light of the current pandemic as well as replicable typhoon response practices. We also formulated a practical guide that aims to help communities update their current contingency plans.

A contingency planning checklist was developed from the inputs of more than 600 registrants. The document below was the one used during a special session of the RILHUB Resilience Knowledge Exchange Series for National Disaster Resilience Month. A more detailed and comprehensive checklist will also be uploaded after completion to include additional inputs from attendees and partners.

View and download the full contingency planning checklist here.

COVID-19 cases are continuously rising causing an immediate need to address hospitals’ surge capacity in the country. MOVE UP, PfR, and a Czech-funded urban resilience projects responded to this challenge by translating the Alternative Temporary Shelter  System (an urban resilience strategy addressing the lack of dignified space and shelters for internally displaced families affected by disasters) into CQFs. The CQFs are made to complement the government’s effort to address the increasing need for isolation facilities for cases of COVID-19.

To learn more about Community Quarantine Facilities, view and download the link to the factsheet by clicking on this link.

Date: December 06, 2018

Venue: B Hotel, Scout Rallos St., Barangay Laging Handa, Quezon City, Philippines

About: The Resilience and Innovation Learning Hub (RILHub) Philippines seeks to help vulnerable people and communities in the Philippines, particularly women and girls, to mitigate, adapt to, and recover from different types of shocks and stresses. It will do so by working with a wide range of stakeholders in the Philippines to help create knowledge, build capacities, develop innovative solutions, and be a platform for learning and reflection.
On 06 December, we are proud to officially launch RILHub and two of its associated platforms: the RILHUb website and the RILHUB Talk Series. The website provides access to various useful materials on resilience from RILHub members, while the Talk Series brings together practitioners, researchers, and communities for peer learning, knowledge sharing, and networking.

RILHUB’s first talk focuses on “Gender in Resilience” as the invited speakers will discuss the importance of mainstreaming gender and empowerment in building the resilience of communities.