Inside stories on climate compatible development

January 2015

Key messages Understanding and addressing risks ●● Dialogues among neighbouring local government units as of flooding in the city: The case of facilitated by the Partners for Resilience (PfR) programme can Potrero, Metro be used to address disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate City is in , the National Capital Region of the change adaptation holistically, . It is part of a sub-region called CAMANAVA (composed of especially for transboundary the cities of , MAlabon, and VAlenzuela) located in the concerns such as river basin northern part of Metro and situated in the estuary of several river management. deltas. Malabon is one of the most densely populated cities in the country ●● The involvement of various and its low-lying, flat terrain makes it prone to frequent flooding, especially levels of government – from during high tides, heavy rains and when river and dams overflow. The four national to subnational and cities in CAMANAVA are commonly affected by interconnected rivers, one even including village leaders of which is the . – will yield more positive results. Participation of multiple The river system used to be navigable and fishing was the major livelihood stakeholders with varying activity in the area. The river used to be wider, deeper, had better quality exposure to and understanding water and was a regular source of different species of fish, which were an of particular issues, such as important food source for local residents. Also, trees and crops like palay flooding, can generate action. (rice) and vegetables used to be grown along the riverbanks. However, ●● Climate and weather forecasts these agricultural plots have been replaced by industrial yards, which and other related information also became home to thousands of informal settlers who built makeshift issued by the national dwellings without legal claim to the land. meteorological agency should be customised and localised for In recent years, floods have worsened, occurring more frequently and better understanding, access reaching levels of several feet deep. Most affected are families in the Front cover photo: ACCORD | Editing, design and layout: Green Ink (www.greenink.co.uk) Front cover photo: and use by communities. communities that are along or near the riverbanks. The river has become narrower and shallower over the years, and its capacity to hold water has decreased. With more frequent, intense rains, the riverbanks flood regularly and flooding reaches farther into low-lying and densely populated areas of the city.

Authors: Malabon City is known for its frequent (Ondoy) struck in Merdi Jean D. Arcilla, Partners for flooding. Television footage has often 2009, residents of the Potrero barangay1 Resilience Project, Assistance and shown the city with above-ankle flood in Malabon were startled when the Cooperation for Community Resilience water due to high tides – even when skies water rose much faster than usual, and Development Inc. (ACCORD Inc.); Donna Mitzi Lagdameo, Red Cross/ are clear. During typhoon seasons the eventually reaching the second floor of Red Crescent Climate Centre situation worsens considerably. When some homes. Over 6,000 families were

CDKN has a growing portfolio of work in states, provinces, cities and . It is committed to capturing the lessons learned, and to better understanding what makes low-carbon and climate-resilient development efforts work well at the subnational level. CDKN and ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability have set up a joint learning programme to distil and share these lessons with others. This Inside Story is one output of the learning programme. For more in the series, visit www.cdkn.org/cdkn_series/inside-story that take into account risk reduction ain or shine, there are Implementing the PfR programme in Malabon City measures. The project also held floods in Malabon. training sessions on ways to integrate R – Local saying In Potrero barangay, the PfR programme these plans into communities’ overall focused on raising awareness and development plans, and ensure that building capacity among people and climate- and ecosystem-smart risk are institutions to identify the real causes part of the main agenda. affected, some of whom were trapped of flooding, while examining how inside buildings, and needed rescue best these can be addressed before PfR initiated discussions between the support and emergency provisions. implementing steps to do so. local government unit and the Philippine Three years later, in August 2012, Atmospheric Geophysical and the same communities again suffered Customised approaches to Astronomical Services Administration flooding due to heavy monsoon rains understanding risk (PAGASA), the national meteorological that lasted for several days.2 Finding out how best people can office. This was not only to make sure understand risk in an urban setting – its that official scientific findings were Of Malabon’s 21 barangays, the largest causes, impact over time and mitigation directly shared with the population but and most flood-affected is Potrero.3 – was among the essential components also, more importantly, to start building Sections of the barangay lie along of PfR. By conducting parallel and a working partnership with them that the Tullahan River, which stretches customised initiatives with target will last beyond the project’s lifetime. from to Valenzuela City. groups of people, risk perceptions were During these exchanges, PAGASA Several industries such as paper and addressed. For most of the community showed evidence that rains have dye factories are also located along the members, film showings, (a cell become more intense in recent years river. Run-off starting from the La Mesa within a barangay) meetings, and other and that projections for the next 20–50 Dam upstream in Quezon City, the forms of public awareness activities years indicate heavier rains during wet frequent occurrence of high tides and were conducted. These activities months and an increased occurrence of the heavily silted and clogged Tullahan captured the attention of the youth as extreme weather events. River further contribute to the frequent well as different gender and sector floods in the area. groups; their participation contributed Understanding that early to their increased level of awareness of warning is more than just In 2011, the Partners for Resilience (PfR)4 the different risk factors, warnings and, warnings programme started to use an integrated more importantly, what actions they can PfR aimed to change people’s mindsets and holistic resilience building approach take as individuals, families and as a about the warnings issued by PAGASA, to disaster risk reduction (DRR), climate community. In addition, flood risk maps emphasising that there is more to change adaptation, and ecosystem that show specific high-risk areas have early warning than typhoon signals management and restoration. Its main been printed on large-format tarpaulins and rainfall level colour codes. Using objective is to help people understand and posted at strategic locations to PfR’s enhanced risk assessment tools how things work and how best they can serve as daily reminders of the risk and for climate adaptation and ecosystem address their levels of vulnerability. It need for action. management and restoration – does this using tools that clearly explain community members could view early the connection between and importance For the local chief executives, on the warning in a new way. They were better of: geographical landscapes; climate other hand, PfR conducted capacity- able to place hazards in the context of information across different timescales; building activities on community-based historical scientific data about forecasts and how best to act before, during disaster risk management and disaster and projections; identify the most at-risk and after a disaster in order to reduce preparedness, along with workshops areas; and develop ‘no-regrets’ actions people’s risk. on ways to improve contingency plans based on thresholds and forecast-

2 based DRR activities and information. need to adapt this information to the Currently there are eight early warning With the new understanding, barangay local context for better understanding devices installed to observe the amount officials, other local leaders and some – and, ultimately, stronger community of rainfall in the Tullahan River area. residents shifted their mindsets away responses to warnings. The local Four of these automatically feed into the from a passive acceptance of flooding government committed resources from PAGASA hydrometeorology centre, and as a normal occurrence in Potrero their local disaster risk reduction and their data can be readily accessed by and started identifying action points to management fund as well as personnel Potrero. However, the other four were change this norm. Localised warnings to this task. They ensured that PAGASA installed by the Advanced Science and were developed for different areas to provided simpler, clearer and more Technology Institute (ASTI), which like generate the most appropriate actions context-specific warning information PAGASA, is also a bureau within the at specific times. PfR also placed to help community members respond Department of Science and Technology. the evacuation plan under review to more proactively to the warnings instead Potrero formally requested access to allow representatives from all high risk of simply reacting to the disaster. ASTI’s rain gauge data and is now able areas of the barangay – community to access and record the information. organisations‘ leaders and some Enhanced early warning With these, the reference points for the residents – to participate in planning systems through the application level of flood water rise in these high- and draw up improved procedures. of climate information and risk locations should provide more Other factors that can mitigate flooding, environmental approaches detailed and precise information that such as solid waste management Improving the Potrero early warning will help guide the community’s actions and other activities will need to be system (EWS) meant taking into in the future. addressed through coordinated efforts consideration the source of the flood in other programmes beyond PfR’s waters and the capacity of the Tullahan In September 2013, PfR led a remit and budget, such as replanting River to absorb them. In the case of consultation among local government patches of thriving mangroves within heavy rains, the source is often overflow units to facilitate the process of the city and along the nearby coast; from the La Mesa Dam or run-off from harmonising the early warning system forest enrichment in the upstream area; the river where it begins in Quezon City. (EWS) of the communities in the and clearing of waterways. The river passes through Caloocan, Tullahan River Basin: meaning proper Malabon and Navotas picking up more coordination of the five cities regarding Localising early warning run off as it goes and exits at Manila the EWS for floods and a common set information and systems Bay. High tide in the bay slows down of protocols. The units agreed to share One of the advantages of living in the water flow, causing it to back up and information and make efforts to improve the city is that people have access to increases flooding upstream. the EWS across the river basin. A field diverse sources of information and survey of the river basin has been initiatives coming from a variety of This approach requires data on the completed. It provides an overview of groups, donors and even government amount of rainfall, the resulting rise the river basin’s geographical coverage, and private-sector partners. Weather in water levels, and the timing of an understanding of the EWS’s current forecast and warning information are the tides. Monitoring water levels is status, and other points of action for provided through all forms of media: especially important in flood-prone various stakeholders, including possible television, radio, social media, mobile areas of the barangay. Taken together mitigation measures. phones, etc. Often, these sources over a period of time, the data can be tend to bombard people with too much used to establish the lead time to warn The process of completing the information, causing confusion. Through residents to move out of harm’s way. requirements for an improved EWS is the partnership between PfR and the Over the long term, this information can ongoing and is expected to be functional Barangay Local Government (BLG), help the community with their urban by 2015. The information being the local government unit identified the development plans. collected and recorded will become

3 4 more useful when linked with the actual weather and climate information, more related risks, once they do, future level of flood waters in different flood- applicable tasks and functions of the interventions can be easily woven into prone sections of Potrero during past, BDRRMC, and stronger participation of the programme. What is important is present and future flooding episodes in community-based organisations. The their acceptance of climate-related the area. The objective is to establish barangay is geared towards sustaining risks, the things they can do to prepare the thresholds that will become the this development and has conducted its for possible emergency events, what barangay’s basis for issuing localised flood evacuation drill. mitigation actions can be taken and how alerts and warning advisories to the they can participate in these different most at-risk households. Coupled with Social capital efforts. sufficient public awareness efforts, PfR invested much time and funding and these households should better many staff to ensure that the programme understand warning information and be contributed to better relationships Enabling factors able to act upon it more quickly. among the different groups in the community: barangay officials and staff, Openness of local chief Addressing problems holistically different local organisations, teachers, executives and systematically youth and others. Resilience-building As with any risk reduction project, To address the risk of flooding and its in the urban setting cannot be simply one of the keys to success is the effects more broadly, the Barangay about activities and outputs. PfR helped willingness of local chief executives Disaster Risk Reduction and local communities connect with local and community leaders to recognise Management Committee (BDRRMC) authorities and brought more services and deal with the situation. Paradigm prepared contingency and risk to Potrero. For example, PfR facilitated shifts are difficult to bring about, reduction plans. Because of the river’s the services of PAGASA, which is now especially in an urban setting where present condition and the presence providing technical assistance to the there are so many competing priorities. of settlements along its banks, floods barangay for the improvement of their Even if the community has shown a do not subside quickly. Sometimes, flood EWS. PAGASA conducted training high level of resilience and adaptive flooding occurs despite a lack of rain on the Community Based Early Warning capacity as it continues to experience in the locality because of intense rain System. They were also able to access flooding year in and year out, the in areas upstream. Although residents one rain gauge from the Department of local leaders still see that they should have access to forecast information and Science and Technology. invest in resilience building. Instead of warning, the information is often not becoming complacent, the PfR project issued quickly enough to give people Most of the residents came to this local leaders sat down and learned how enough time to evacuate. historically flood-prone area as a result to deal with the problem systematically of economic pressures and find it difficult and holistically. The BDRRMC was organised even to move away. But with more concerted before PfR started working with Potrero. efforts, they are now more confident Access to information, news and PfR supported the Committee through that their communities are capable and funds the review and refinement of its structure, committed to deal with challenges such When people have access to three including each task and function. PfR as flooding. Community engagement, things – information, news and funds also helped the communities integrate socialisations and partnerships are – they have more options and thus their experiences into their respective crucial – even in urban areas. Even with can make better decisions. These plans, focusing especially on their the preoccupations and faster pace of three elements are more accessible to response to the most severe floods. city life, residents are interested in people in urban areas such as Malabon The contingency plan was improved building a better community. Although it because they live at the centre of the by including a better assessment of may take a long time before communities country’s governance operations and the risk situation, increased access to and their leaders understand climate- business districts in Metro Manila.

4 These populations also have greater National policies and guidelines Sharing information across access to broadcast and social media; The existence of national policies on political boundaries during flooding events, constituents DRR, climate change adaptation and In tightly squeezed areas like can often compare their situation with even environmental concerns served Metro Manila, where cities’ political others in adjacent areas, and this as enabling factors for the programme’s boundaries are small landmarks or enables them to demand improved success, both in rural and urban areas, streets, encouraging local leaders risk governance from their leaders. but much more so for those in cities. to sit down and discuss issues was This demonstrates how people in These were the very policies on which challenging. It was not until the floods urban areas are empowered once they the programme anchored itself and it started becoming more pronounced comprehend the risks and the setting emphasised to the local government and PfR came into the picture that within which events are taking place, units the need to follow and apply these Local Government Units and their allowing them to identify and address them. Such national-level policies respective started to discuss problems more directly. Also, with donor reinforced the importance of DRR, their respective EWS strategies and groups situated within or just outside climate adaptation, and ecosystem how best to deal with the problem. The these neighbourhoods, accessing funds management and restoration and the ongoing process allows for challenges to further support the city’s DRR and need for immediate action in the minds to be addressed. PfR participation climate change adaptation programmes of local populations. has provided a venue for these is easier, as donors can immediately stakeholders to share information about see the impacts of their funding. This their separate efforts and agree on the opens doors to better risk-informed Challenges common ground to be covered. It is decision-making and management from advantageous that PAGASA carries out government leaders, private sector Resilience in the city is about flood mitigation through a river basin groups and community members. survival of the fittest approach and encourages stakeholders For the most vulnerable groups in the to adopt this as well. Partnerships city (informal settler communities) there The strong relationships among the is a strong and urgent need to think members of the PfR programme; seriously about, learn and act to reduce Implications for decision- the Potrero barangay council and its environmental and climate-induced makers and practitioners committees; national government and risks and disasters. Such knowledge line agencies; and even partnerships can provide the formula for how best to Improved risk understanding with contiguous Local Government survive in the city and not lose the limited One of the most observable positive Units within the same river basin amount of resources – not to mention changes this project saw was in the contributed to the successes of this work opportunities. Competition is attitude of local officials, especially at project. The community recognised the stiff among cities, which aim to build the barangay level. Now, they are able contributions of PfR and other partners up their resources and sharpen their to identify specific activities they once and made maximum use of the benefits competitive edge. Nonetheless, cities thought were lacking but realised were for its services and risk reduction efforts. need to work together especially if they important factors to address flooding In return, it brought into the partnership share a common risk and common problems in the city. The increased its renewed capacities, resources, a ecosystems. Also, since disasters have level of understanding helped officials willingness for continued learning and direct impacts on Local Government who had grown accustomed to even enthusiasm to share their lessons Units’ development gains, progress is flooding since childhood to overcome learned with other communities. directly affected for local governments their complacent attitudes and even that do not implement DRR actions. indifference. Now, these leaders have

5 become more proactive in the way they Endnotes 3 Community Risk Assessment of Barangay Potrero. analyse the situation and find ways to 1 A barangay is the smallest administrative 4 PfR is a collaboration of CARE address the problem. division in the Philippines and is the Netherlands, Cordaid, the Netherlands Filipino term for a village. The word Red Cross, the Red Cross/Red Crescent barangay originated from , a kind Climate Centre, Wetlands International Holistic and integrated approach of boat used by a group of Austronesian and 30 civil society partners in the global peoples when they migrated to the to resilience building South and is using the integrated DRR– Philippines. Municipalities and cities are climate change adaptation–ecosystem Applying climate science and ecosystem composed of barangays, and they may management and restoration approach be further subdivided into smaller areas management and restoration in DRR to build resilient communities. In the called purok (zone), and , which is Philippines, the PfR alliance is working activities to an urban area is possible. a territorial enclave inside a barangay, in northern , northern especially in rural areas. As of September But it needs: a proper mindset; inclusive and Metro Manila. In Metro Manila, one 30, 2012, there were a total of 42,028 of the urban areas where PfR has been and transformative partnerships with barangays throughout the Philippines. operating since 2011 is Malabon City. key stakeholders from different tiers of (Wikipedia) 2 The information was gathered during the governance; political leadership; and the community risk assessment for Barangay effective use of science. In collabora- Potrero and subsequent discussions with participants. ACCORD facilitated the risk tion with stakeholders, PfR continues to assessment. The risk assessment is part stimulate an atmosphere that encourages of the community’s contingency plan, drafted in 2013. these key factors. Front cover photo: ACCORD | Editing, design and layout: Green Ink (www.greenink.co.uk) Front cover photo:

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