Building Disaster Resilience at local level – Philippines & Netherlands Red Cross

23-11-2021

In a disaster-prone country such as the Philippines, building capacity in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) is indispensable. This does not only apply to the national- and city level: local DRR capacity may be just as crucial. The community knows the local situation best and has the shortest response times. 

In Cagayan de Oro City, the Philippines Red Cross is working with 5 barangays (local governments) to train staff and volunteers in DRR. An important step in this is the conduct of a “Vulnerability Capacity Assessment (VCA)”, as explained in this article. Via a series of workshops and trainings, the barangay and its population are mapped in detail, potential threats and disaster risks are identified, and response capabilities are confirmed. The participative approach ensures members gain an in-depth understanding of the risks and mitigating measures available, and identify gaps in necessary equipment or capacity before the disaster strikes. 

The Philippines Red Cross implements this work in partnership with the Netherlands Red Cross, VEI and the Cagayan de Oro Water District as part of the Ridge to Coast, Rain to Tap project.