Empowering Municipalities, Barangays, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), and People's Organizations through Working Together to Enhance Disaster and Climate Risk Governance (EMPOWER)

29.04.2022

CTR Reference No.

CSO-LA/2019/410-837

Title of the project

Empowering Municipalities, Barangays, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), and People's Organizations through Working Together to Enhance Disaster and Climate Risk Governance (EMPOWER)

Implementing organisations

Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) & Humanity & Inclusion (HI)

Project Location/s

Itogon, Benguet & Pinukpuk, Kalinga

Operational Duration

(start date – end date of activities)

January 2020 to June 2022

Allocated budget

(EU contribution only)

375.0000 EUR

Overall and Specific objectives (simplified – for publication)

Overall objective: To strengthen the resilience of high-risk communities by reinforcing civil society relevance in disaster and climate risk governance

Specific Objectives:

To strengthen inclusive disaster and climate risk governance of local government units through improved Civil Society (CSOs) participation from Itogon and Pinukpuk Municipalities with enhanced policies, structures, and practices that meet local resilience needs

 

To make disaster and climate risk governance  inclusive and accessible as a result of improved transparency and accountability of local government units and enhanced capacity of CSOs to participate in local governance

 

Main target groups

Two (2) Municipalities (Itogon in Benguet Province and Pinukpuk in  Kalinga Province), 32 barangays (9 from Itogon and 23  from Pinukpuk), LGU officials: 50 municipal officials (25 from each municipality), 480 barangay officials (15 from each barangays) will benefit from 1) technical support to enhance DRRM Plans to be more inclusive and relevant with other plans such as LCCAP, CLUP, LDP, etc., 2) improved inclusive warning systems, 3) capacity building on inclusive disaster and climate risk governance and, 4) CSO initiatives that will complement government DRR-CCAM programs; Target group (3): 3,000 households or 15,000 persons will benefit from inclusive household preparedness plans

Main activities (simplified – for publication)

Activity 1.1.1 To conduct module development workshop on inclusive disaster and climate risk governance

Activity 1.1.2 To conduct training of trainers to Pinukpuk and Itogon CSOs on inclusive disaster and climate risk governance

Activity 1.1.3 To conduct coaching to Pinukpuk and Itogon CSOs for reinforcement of skills and learning

Activity 1.2.1 To conduct peer to peer training of CBOs of women and girls, older persons, persons with disabilities, youth, and farmers on inclusive disaster risk and climate risk governance

Activity 1.2.2 To conduct sensitivity, awareness-raising, or orientation on how to interact with persons with disabilities, older persons, women to LGUs

Activity 1.3.1 To conduct training on inclusive disaster and climate risk governance to Municipal and BDRRMC officials and CBOs (barangay level CSOs)

Activity 1.3.2 To conduct training and coaching to women and girls, including women and girls with disabilities

Activity 1.3.3 To conduct awareness-raising activities for LGUs (decision and policymakers)

 

A 1.4.1 To conduct workshops with BDRRMCs and CSOs for DRRM and contingency plan enhancement or development

Activity 1.4.2 To conduct cross-learning visits with LGUs who already practice inclusive disaster and climate risk governance

Activity 1.4.3 To conduct inclusive municipal wide simulation exercises

Activity 1.5.1 To organize policy dialogues in Pinukpuk and Itogon for full disclosure of local DRRM fund expenditure

Activity 1.6.1 To conduct barangay/municipal organizing activities to set up federations of organizations of vulnerable groups

Activity 1.7.1 To set up disaster and climate risk help desks in all barangays 

Activity 1.8.1 To support setting up of a CSO-LGU consultation initiative platform in 2 municipal LGUs, including the development of a sustainability plan

Activities for Outcome 2:

Activity 2.1.1 To support communities (CSOs as lead with BDRRMCs' support) in developing & implementing community projects (community resilience adaptation projects

Activity 2.2.1 To support the most vulnerable households from Itogon and Pinukpuk to develop inclusive household preparedness plans

Activity 2.3.1 To support barangays and CBOs in setting up mobile protection teams

Activity 2.4.1 To support barangays in setting up inclusive early warning systems

Activity 2.4.2 Distribution of inclusive early warning kits

Activity 2.5.1 To support CBOs and barangays in mapping households through gender age, disability disaggregated data

Activity 2.6.1 To support setting up of a CSO Strengthening Bureau

 

 

Sustainability of the Project

Institutional and technical: The sustainability of the action is supported through its strong capacity-building component, which aims at improving existing structures, making them more effective and inclusive of integrating civil society into local governance, while increasing the resilience of the most vulnerable and the community in general.  The project will employ a significant part on training activities for awareness and capacity building for CSOs and LGUs (Barangays) to be accompanied by 1) interventions and projects (CRAs), 2) multi-stakeholder interventions, and 3) advocacy initiatives permitting stakeholders to use acquired knowledge from training and awareness sessions tangibly. 

Creating, supporting, reinforcing multi-stakeholder groups will contribute to sustainability.  This is a sustainable approach for developing cooperation between CSOs and local governments. The reinforcement of these stakeholders working together will strengthen linkages beyond the project period and allow building on each other's strengths and success stories.  The participatory approach the project will adopt will contribute to the ownership of the action and its continuation after completion.

Financial sustainability: The action will be implemented through financially autonomous existing stakeholders, and the project is not supporting any of the major stakeholders' structural costs to maintain their organization.  A significant of the project will include workshops, awareness and advocacy activities, capacity building, material development, production, and dissemination. Eventually, the capacity building for CSOs will lead to increased abilities to advocate for their interests and community needs.  Simultaneously, the government will be sensitized on the respective laws, responsibilities, and obligations vis-à-vis the community.  In addition, the project will hopefully lead to advocating for the local public budget that more comprehensively considers the needs of the community and vulnerable groups, especially in relation to DRR and emergency preparedness.  

Policy level sustainability: The project approach aligned with local and national governmental plans (and laws) on disaster risk reduction will encourage policymakers to acknowledge issues on inclusive development processes and needs to have full community participation in the processes. The project also aims at advocating and influencing national civil society and decision-makers with lessons learned and best practices by the end of the project. CSOs targeted have interests to engage with local authorities and decision-makers to develop and consolidate participatory local governance mechanisms. This will foster a continuation of awareness-raising and advocacy toward authorities for inclusive DRR policies and the monitoring of their implementation in the long term.

Environmental sustainability:  The EMPOWER Project will ensure it will not contribute to environmental degradation. The supplies that the project will be used are eco-friendly; the materials that the action will utilize are reusable and recyclable. Activity supplies that will be used in training are environmentally friendly supplies available to help reduce the project's footprints, such as recycled papers, non-toxic pens and markers, solar USB chargers, staple-free stapler

Target SDGs

Goal 11 of the Sustainable Development Goals -  make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable and Goal 13 – take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

Link to more information on the project (website/Facebook page/etc.)

On ADRA Website:

Briefer with other Projects: https://adra.ph/projects/

July 20, 2020: LGU and CSOs Warmly Welcome EMPOWER Project in Itogon https://adra.ph/lgu-and-csos-warmly-welcome-empower-project-in-itogon/

July 22, 2020: EMPOWER Project reinforces Civil Society’s participation in inclusive disaster and climate risk governance in Itogon https://adra.ph/empower-project-reinforces-civil-societys-participation-in-inclusive-disaster-climate-risk-governance-in-itogon/

Aug 26, 2020 Building Relationships with CSOs https://adra.ph/building-a-relationship-with-csos/

Sept 7, 2020 Women of Change https://adra.ph/women-of-change/

Oct 1, 2020: Empower Project Developed and Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Risk Governance Module https://adra.ph/empower-project-developed-an-inclusive-disaster-risk-reduction-and-climate-risk-governance-module/

March 19, 2021 Babae Ako, Kaya Ko! Celebration of Women’s Month https://adra.ph/babae-ako-kaya-ko/

June 16, 2021 Training on Inclusive Disaster and Climate Risk Governance held at Tuding, Itogon https://adra.ph/training-on-inclusive-disaster-and-climate-risk-governance-held-at-the-itogon-training-center-tuding-itogon/

Sept 27, 2021: Empower Project Enhances BDRRMC Plans : https://adra.ph/empower-project-enhance-bdrrm-plans/

October 26, 2021 His Excellency European Union Ambassador Luc’ Veron Visits Itogon (with Video) https://adra.ph/his-excellency-european-union-ambassador-luc-veron-visits-itogon/

Nov 11, 2021 Nine Barangays of Itogon to Enhance BDRR Plans https://adra.ph/nine-barangays-of-itogon-to-enhance-bdrr-plans/

Feb 24, 2022: Itogon Conducts Operational Exercises https://adra.ph/itogon-conducts-operational-exercises/

 

YOUTUBE (unlisted):

October 22, 2021 Audio Visual Presentation of Project Accomplishments https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rf_1-0ErYG8

 

FACEBOOK Posts:

July 16, 2020 – EMPOWER Project Briefer https://www.facebook.com/ADRAPhilippines/posts/3115375288553588

July 20, 2020 – LGU and CSOs warmly welcome EMPOWER Team https://www.facebook.com/ADRAPhilippines/posts/3126329657458151

July 23, 2020 – EMPOWER Project Inception https://www.facebook.com/ADRAPhilippines/posts/3135289949895455

Sept 24, 2020 – Module Development Workshop https://www.facebook.com/ADRAPhilippines/posts/3323231661101282

August 5, 2020 – Introducing the EMPOWER Project

https://www.facebook.com/Humanity.Inclusion.PH/posts/3641233755905340

Aug 26, 2020 – Meeting with CSOs https://www.facebook.com/ADRAPhilippines/posts/3234236220000827

October 2, 2020 – Module Development Workshop

https://www.facebook.com/Humanity.Inclusion.PH/posts/3832526330109414

October 8, 2020 – ATM (At this moment) CSO Assembly in Itogon for Orientation against COVID 19 https://www.facebook.com/ADRAPhilippines/posts/3366350473456067

October 13, 2020 – EMPOWER Launched in Pinukpuk, Kalinga (shared post from PNA Kalinga) https://www.facebook.com/ADRAPhilippines/posts/3382526351838479  

October 1, 2020 – Quote from Dr. Lope Santos during Module Development https://www.facebook.com/ADRAPhilippines/posts/3345246042233177

December 9, 2020 – Distribution of Inclusive Early Warning Kits and Orientation on how to use the kits

https://www.facebook.com/Humanity.Inclusion.PH/posts/4034414069920638

Jan 24, 2021: Advertisement Post: Third Party Monitoring https://www.facebook.com/ADRAPhilippines/posts/3656426307781814

June 1, 2021: CSO Call for Proposals https://www.facebook.com/ADRAPhilippines/posts/4027224824035292

June 10, 2021 – Peer-to-Peer Training on inclusive disaster and climate Risk governance 

https://www.facebook.com/Humanity.Inclusion.PH/posts/4571824092846297

June 16, 2021: Training on Inclusive Disaster Climate Risk Governance https://www.facebook.com/ADRAPhilippines/posts/4070675949690179

March 10, 2021: Session on Disability, Gender and Age

https://www.facebook.com/Humanity.Inclusion.PH/posts/4275816255780417

March 21, 2021 – Recognizing Women’s Month https://www.facebook.com/ADRAPhilippines/posts/3806597236098053

Sept 22, 2021 –Workshop to Enhance BDRRM Plans https://www.facebook.com/ADRAPhilippines/posts/4361473117277126

October 13, 2021: Highlighting the EMPOWER Project activities in relation to the celebration of International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction 2021

https://www.facebook.com/Humanity.Inclusion.PH/posts/4965929250102444

Feb 25, 2022 – Operational Simulation Exercise https://www.facebook.com/ADRAPhilippines/posts/4888645371226562

Feb 25, 2022 – Quotes from today’s Operational Exercises https://www.facebook.com/ADRAPhilippines/posts/4888631554561277

From External Sources (Media/ ReliefWeb)

July 27, 2020

https://reliefweb.int/report/philippines/eu-funded-civil-society-empowerment-project-launched-itogon- July 27

October 22, 2021

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1157508

December 7, 2020

https://reliefweb.int/report/philippines/adra-hip-distributes-early-warning-kits-pinukpuk-barangays

October 24, 2021

http://baguiomidlandcourier.com.ph/region.asp?mode=archives/2021/october/10-24-2021/reg4-Envoy-stresses-value.txt

October 22, 2021

https://www.facebook.com/vpalangdan/posts/3761270550763872

 

October 22, 2021

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1555444421471762

September 2020

https://humanity-inclusion.org.uk/sn_uploads/federation/country/pdf/202006-PHILIPPINES_Country-Card-EN_4.pdf

October 14, 2020

https://www.manilanews.net/news/266684505/hi-ada-initiates-drr-ccam-project-in-pinukpuk-taps-csos-as-partners

February 24, 2022

view-source: https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=bfpcar%20itogon

Feb. 24, 2022

view-source:https://www.facebook.com/CivilDefenseCordillera/posts/257910396526778

February 24, 2022

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=276939624520585

December 21, 2022

https://www.facebook.com/PIAKalingaInfocen/posts/278684027630015