“The typhoons in 2009 and 2010 Pepeng (Parma) and Juan (Megi) were so devastating leaving behind massive destruction amounting to P38.3 billion.” — Shontoug Foundation
8.5 million
people were affected by typhoons in 2009 and 2010
496
lives lost in 2009 and 2010 typhoons
October 2016 End date
September 2017
Issue
The upland indigenous communities of the Cordillera region are highly vulnerable to weather-related hazards. Located in the so-called typhoon belt, such communities are at risk of earthquakes, rainfall-induced landslides and sinkholes.
Coping mechanisms are weak resulting in devastating injury, loss of life and damage to property. There is a lack of risk-reduction through mitigation and preparatory activities before disaster occurs.
This represents a gap in disaster-preparedness. Current practice is for victims to wait until aid reaches them and the first response is usually distribution of relief goods by government agencies.
Project
The project has developed an innovative model called ‘Village-based and Managed DRRM Hub focused on Disaster Preparedness’, which aims to improve disaster-preparedness through inclusivity.
Vulnerable groups such as women, children and senior citizens will be placed at the heart of decision-making, planning and implementation of pre-disaster activities.
Villagers compile a list of their needs, prior to the occurrence of a disaster, which are then met or provided by local government officials, who therefore become accountable to the villagers. This will effect a power-shift in how disasters are managed from government officials to ordinary villagers.
Partner
Shontoug Foundation, originally accredited as the Good Shepherd Social Centre in 1968, is a Christian organisation for the development of indigenous communities. Since 1989 its focus has been reaching out to the marginalised villages of Benguet and Ifugao, evolving and implementing sustainable integrated development models. Today, the Foundation is at the forefront of the promotion of indigenous development models for the communities of the Cordillera region.