Sustainable Initiatives Led by Local Experts

“Kaming nasa komunidad ang may responsibilidad na tulungan ang bawat isa kapag may disaster o panganib. Pero minsan wala kami magawa dahil sa kakulangan ng kakayahan at gamit (We, the community members have the responsibility to help each other whenever there is a disaster or threat. But sometime we are constraint in helping due to limited capacity and resources.)”. This is what the community members always say to us during our group discussion hopping. We believe and recognize as a center that communities play a major role in disaster preparedness and response.

Communities are considered frontlines and first receivers of any form of disaster; therefore, there is a need to increase their capacity on resiliency and safety. In this light, COSCA had adopted community-based disaster risk reduction and management (CBDRRM) approach to equip the community with proper knowledge and skills, and to strengthen linkage with other stakeholders. Under the Sustainable Development Goals Localization Project of DLSU, COSCA initially conducted DRRM training needs assessment of the seven (7) partner communities/Barangays in Leveriza, District 5, City of Manila to identity level of priorities. This aimed at the following: a) determine the level of knowledge and awareness of the Barangays/communities; and b) Identify areas of intervention and prioritization. A total of sixty nine (69) respondents with varying positions in the Barangay Council and community members participated in the DRRM training needs assessment. 

We partnered with the Center for Disaster Preparedness, a well-known non-government organization that has been raising capacities of different communities across the Philippines. This partnership will bring forth significant impact to the identified communities in Manila.