Community Based Adaptation and Resilience Against Disasters (CBARAD) in the City of Iloilo
This project effected community-level adaptation and resiliency schemes in the City of Iloilo in the Philippines and increased the awareness levels of citizens in order to create self-sustaining communities.
Description
This project, implemented in two phases over five years, aimed to increase the capacities of citizens and allow the City Government of Iloilo in the Philippines to develop self-sustaining communities that can prevent, prepare, and respond to disasters, along with the creation of a systematic operation for the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (CDRRMC). This project helped build capacity of the City of Iloilo’s disaster management strategies by providing tools and programs for citizens to learn how to help themselves in times of disaster.
CBARAD placed heavy focus on inclusiveness of the vulnerable sector throughout the entire project, from the planning stage, to the implementation stage, and beyond. These vulnerable groups, including children, people with disabilities, and the elderly, were included in order to prepare all sectors for disasters and further make the community resilient.
Another key element of this project is the impact to city legislation and disaster preparedness plans. The project helped develop eight ordinances and resolutions in city legislation and a number of localized initiatives such as hazard maps, evacuation maps and protocols, disaster education programs for schools, the profiling of vulnerable groups, development of the CDRRMC and Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Committee (BDRRMC), and establishment of an early warning system, among others.
In addition, CBARAD helped to formally establish the City of Iloilo’s disaster management campaign, KABALAKA. This campaign, backed by legislation created in the project scheme, includes the establishment of the KABALAKA disaster education learning center where people can learn about ways to prevent and mitigate disasters. Furthermore, KABALAKA has produced child DRR education camps for primary and secondary school children throughout Iloilo.
Did the Sendai Framework change or contribute to changes in your activities/organization? If so, how?
The Sendai Framework helped set the guiding principles for this project, establishing the two-fold approach of community-based education and capacity-building initiatives, and the top-down capacity building institutional approach with the Government of Iloilo.
What led you to make this commitment/initiative?
What was your position before making this Voluntary Commitment / prior to the Sendai Framework?
The initiative was established after a formal request by the City of Iloilo for assistance with strengthening city resilience against disasters, particularly those caused by floods. Prior to the Sendai Framework, CYO (CityNet Yokohama Project Office) adhered to the guidelines set out by the Hyogo Framework for Action.
Deliverables and Progress report
Deliverables
Deliverables are the end-products of the initiative/commitment, which can include issuance of publications or knowledge products, outcomes of workshops, training programs, videos, links, photographs, etc.
Three technical advisory visits were held (for example, see pages 10, 15, and 16 of the Completion Report), during which experts from Yokohama were dispatched to Iloilo to lead programs and seminars on DRR items such as: evacuation drills; evacuation shelter management; creek profiling; river basin mapping; disaster education and drills for children; and more. See the full Completion Report in the link below
As part of CBARAD ,Iloilo City strengthened their disaster preparedness plan, introducing quarterly disaster drills.
An ordinance amending sec 3, 5, 6 of Regulation Ordinance No. 2014-262, which further strengthened the Iloilo City Risk Reduction Management Council.
An ordinance requiring the posting of emergency hotlines in all establishments, government offices and venues for events in
Iloilo City.
An ordinance requiring both public and private business establishments, offices, agencies, schools, and hospitals in the City of Iloilo to conduct emergency drills among the tenants, occupants, students, and employees therein and providing penalty for violations thereof and for other purposes.
An ordinance establishing the water efficiency, protection, and conservation council of Iloilo City.
Eight KABALAKA Camps were held over the duration of the project, which brought together students and teachers from schools around Iloilo to participate in DRR education activities.
This facility provides citizens of Iloilo to learn about the disasters they are at risk of and about how they can prepare themselves for them. This interactive DRR learning center offers an opportunity for citizens to be engaged in self-help and mutual help efforts on disaster preparedness and learn about the City of Iloilo's official disaster preparedness plans.
Over the course of 5 years, various facilitators and trainers were trained to work on specific DRR areas including the vulnerable sector and the education sector (for example, see pages 9, 12, 19, and 20 of the Completion Report). The city councilors and officials from various departments were also trained and oriented on developing DRR centered policies as well as integrating sustainable programs. See the full Completion Report in the link below.
Porgress report
The project was completed in March 2017 with concrete outcomes as indicated in the deliverables.
However, many of the activities are now run under the city government's initiatives including the DRR education activities at schools. While the COVID-19 pandemic is having an impact on organizing school-based activities, it is expected to resume once schools start operating normally. This also includes the DRR learning center which were being hosted by different universities in the city.
The project helped initiate a practice of inclusive and participatory planning for DRR programs and activities including response. Residents in the communities, private sector, academic sector and the city government now work closely to exchange opinions for planning and implementation of the necessary activities.
Among the active participants in the program are the People With Disabilities (PWD) who are now core members of the DRRM planning. Ownership of the DRR activities now are realized by many participating sectors and has enhanced the overall resiliency of the city.
Organizations and focal points
Implementing Organization(s)
Focal points
Partners
