community consultation - chs alliance · the community consultation was conducted to elicit views...

Community Consultation Communicating with Communities at the heart of After Action Review

“Typhoon Haiyan is the most expensive

lesson we’ve learned. We knew we are

living in a highly vulnerable area but

still we allow ourselves to be caught

off guard. It’s expensive because it took

hundreds of casualties and many

properties were destroyed before we

realized the need to be prepared for

any emergencies,” Woman, 67 years

old, Barangay Batang.

Community consultations in the Eastern Samar Province

Twelve (12) of the twenty-three (23) towns of the Eastern Samar province were

considered severely affected by strong winds and storm surges brought by Haiyan

(Yolanda); these include Guiuan, Balangkayan, Hernani, Mercedes, Salcedo, Lawaan,

Balanginga, Quinapondan, Giporlos, General MacArthur, Maydolong and Llorente.

But the impact of Haiyan on all affected

barangays from different municipalities

varies.

As part of the After Action Review (six

months after Haiyan), community

consultation was conducted in six

barangays. These include Batang and

Canciledes (municipality of Hernani), San

Miguel and Poblacion1 (municipality of

Balangiga) and Campoyong and Cogon

(municipality of Guiuan).

The community consultation was conducted to elicit views from those directly affected,

marginalized, vulnerable, less visible and vocal members of the community. These

include women (pregnant and lactating), children, elderly, disabled/sickly, identified

indigenous people/ethnic groups (if available) and those living in geographically

isolated and depressed areas (GIDAs). All participants in the community consultation

represented different ages and various occupational backgrounds.

Tasked to conduct the community consultation was the Communications with

Communities (CwC) Working Group (WG) in Eastern Samar. OCHA was the lead in

collaborating with other UN agencies and INGOs that took part in the focus group

discussions (FGDs) and key informant interviews (KII). These include UNHCR, IOM, Plan

International, Internews and Oxfam. Government agency counterparts that joined the

team were DILG, DSWD, and the PDRRMO.


Two sets of FGDs (same number and representation) were conducted to widen the

avenue for the affected communities to share their views six months after Haiyan. KIIs

were separately carried out for the Barangay Councils and the Barangay Disaster Risk

Reduction and Management Committee (BDRRMC).

Community consultations were conducted in Waray Waray, Filipino and English by

Eastern Samar team. The process was simple and easy to follow, which helped motivate

the affected communities to participate and share their views and experiences. There

were no big challenges in explaining the agenda for the consultation, translations and

lastly in capturing all the views and feedbacks of the affected communities.

The Consultation Process was focused on three components

Coordination (Preparedness and Early Warning)

Response and Service Delivery

Challenges and Recommendations

Highlights on Coordination (Preparedness and Early Warning)

As revealed in the series of FGDs and KIIs, the municipality of Balangia suffered mostly

from wind gusts of 330 kph while municipalities of Guiuan and Hernani both suffered

from strong wind and storm surges.


The results of the community consultation indicated that while all six barangays were

aware of the Republic Act 10121 (Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management

Law), the level of preparedness and response varied accordingly from one barangay to

another.

Moreover, while the devastating impact of Haiyan was recognized, each of the affected

barangays has different levels of preparedness and response capacities. The level of

identified initiatives and resources that were utilized days before and weeks after

Haiyan also varied in each barangay.

Despite lacking concrete preparedness plans, most of the Barangay councils in Guiuan,

Hernani and Balangiga initiated series of door to door awareness campaign.

However, one of the

recurring reactions from the

communities was the limited

understanding of what storm

surge is and its impact. The

link of Early Warning System

(EWS) to Communication

Protocol (CP) and Evacuation

Procedure (EP) was not clear

as well to some Barangay

councils and the affected

communities.

While the issuance of weather advisories and activation of the EWS somehow worked, it

was when people were evacuated (with others refusing to evacuate) that a big problem

occurred.

Evacuation centers (ECs) were identified but not all can sustain the impact of the super-

typhoon. Only few of the ECs remain functional and its status for future emergencies is

uncertain as well. All six barangays have no

contingency plans despite being highly vulnerable

to various natural hazards such as typhoon,

tsunami, storm surge, landslide, forest fire, and

floods.

Affected communities monitored updates of the

typhoon through radio, TV, social media (Twitter

and Facebook) and of course SMS from loved

ones/relatives outside the region.

In some barangays, the BDRRMC was not strictly

“The magnitude of Haiyan will

be the new normal. We will

expect that five or ten years

from now. But the big question

is: are we prepared for that?”

Pregnant woman, 21 years

old, Barangay San Miguel.


activated but officials were aware of the utilization of calamity fund or the Local

Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (LDRRM) fund.

Highlights on Response and Delivery

The Barangay Local Government Units (BLGUs) were consulted by most INGOs, LNGOs

and other organizations about community needs days and weeks after Haiyan.

However, the consultations and assessments done with the affected communities by the

INGOs were limited.

In most affected

barangays, one of

the identified gaps

and challenges

during the

response was that

there was no

prepositioning of

stockpile and other

resources

(emergency kits,

etc.). Some

barangays through

municipal local

government units (MLGUs) were able to provide foods and medicines in the evacuation

centers three days after the typhoon.

It took five to seven days before international aids/services arrived. Affected

communities brought some food and other supplies (clothes) during evacuation but

they were only good for one day.

Not all services were coordinated to the

Barangay councils. It received so many

complaints from affected communities. While

many UN agencies and INGOs were visible days

and weeks after the typhoon, those interviewed

recognized only a number of them. These

include UNHCR, IOM, ICRC, Caritas, ZOA, UNFPA,

UNDP, Oxfam and Plan International. Few

humanitarian agencies or organizations were

able to explain and provide information on what

they are doing and what form of assistance they

“We’re thankful and grateful to

all the aids given to us. We

can’t stop thanking all

organizations and agencies

that helped us and supported us

during the darkest hours of our

lives”, Boy, 15 years old,

Barangay Canciledes.


are giving.

It took two weeks before further assessments on

the needs of the affected communities were

conducted. In terms of access to information and

communication needs, affected communities

complained about over reliance to the Barangay

Councils. No feedback platform was established

and referral pathway services were not clear to the

affected communities.

Delays in accessing relief assistance at the

municipal level (affected communities cannot

directly access relief as they it is distributed

through BLGUs) was also a recurring feedback

among interviewed.

But overall, humanitarian aids and

other immediate services were

received by affected communities

over the last six months. The

evolving needs six months after

that pose new challenge to the

ongoing humanitarian response.

Highlights on Challenges and Recommendations

BLGU should develop emergency stock pre-

positioning strategy as part of utilizing the LDRRM

Fund. There is a need as well to enhance

preparedness plan that will focus on Early Warning

System, Communication Protocol and Evacuation

Procedure.

Most barangay councils recognized the urgency to

come up with a contingency plan that is designed to

cope with the kind of magnitude or impact brought by

Haiyan. Coordination mechanism needs to be

established from the Municipal down to the barangay

“This disaster simply reminds us

that we cannot rely much on the

government and international

donors in terms of preparing us

for another type of disaster. We

need to prepare ourselves, our

family and our community

anytime. We are the first line of

defense here. We need to plan

for our own”, Man, 46 years

old, Barangay Cogon.

“To be honest, all these

consultations annoyed me. My

mother, our neighbors and my

friends keep on saying the same

problems and concerns. Over the

last several months, we were not

given any responses from any

concerned agencies about what

we said. Is that normal?”

Girl, 11 years old, Barangay

Campoyong.


level. Mainstreamed if not institutionalized Cluster approach is also needed. While RA

10121 provides detailed information on the mandates of all DRRMCs and DRRMOs

across the country, it does not include the coordinated cluster system down to the sub-

national level (provincial to municipal to Barangay/local level).

Information, Communication and Accountability platform should also be established

from the Municipal down to the barangay level (preferred communication channel

preferences and feedback platform for affected communities).

Six months after Haiyan the evolving needs of the affected communities are: livelihood

assistance, capacity building on information management and disaster

preparedness, shelter assistance, safe evacuation centers and relocation sites.

“It was hard seeing my mother and my brother preparing all our stuff to evacuate

and doing everything to ensure my safety above all else. I can’t do anything rather

than to pray and follow what they want me to do. Even now in our temporary

shelter, it’s hard for me to go to the nearest toilet without anyone’s assistance.

Man with disability, 32 years old, Barangay Poblacion 1.


Report prepared by: Gil Francis Arevalo, National CwC Officer, OCHA

Eastern Samar Community Consultation Team

1.) OCHA:

Rowena Dacsig, May Munoz, Shenalyn Daiz, Gil Francis Arevalo

2.) UNHCR:

Eduardson Flores, Jalamie Pangalian

3.) IOM:

June Paulette Eclipse, Gina Sabejon, Mariel Sabandal, Regine Badocdoc

4.) Plan International:

Michelle Alvarez, Nestor Lentejas Jr.

5.) Oxfam:

Randy Rimpongan

6.) Internews:

Rica Abueva, Alfred Opana

7.) DILG:

Nina Balbabuena

8.) DSWD:

Gil Rebamontan, Ana Marte, Jinnah Mae Lobrio, Raquel Baleo

9.) PDRRMO: Levi Nicart

community consultation - chs alliance · the community consultation was conducted to elicit views...

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