Barangay Talisay in Daanbantayan, Philippines has experienced repeated and compounding disasters over many years, including Typhoon Yolanda in 2013, Typhoon Ursula in 2019, Typhoon Odette in 2021, and an earthquake and Typhoon Liwan in 2025. This mini-comic, drawn by Lawrence Almaden and based on community research conducted by Monash University in collaboration with local partners, documents the stories, experiences, and ideas of Talisay residents — predominantly women — on how to improve disaster response and recovery. The research aimed to capture community-level knowledge about preparedness, response, and rebuilding, centering the voices of those most directly affected.
The comic book highlights a range of community-identified gaps and solutions. Residents reported that financial assistance after disasters was insufficient to cover repair costs, that distribution sites were too few and too distant, and that evacuation centers lacked adequate comfort and facilities for the elderly and people with disabilities. Communities called for better transparency on how local government funds are allocated, regular disaster preparedness training at the barangay level, and livelihood support and microfinance to aid recovery. Proposed resilience measures included mangrove and tree planting to reduce flooding, seawall reinforcement against storm surges, earthquake-proof schools, and local government subsidies for building materials. Above all, residents expressed a desire to be heard, stating simply: "We have many ideas about what can be done — we just hope they will listen to us."
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