Bukluran 3.0

Ang Pahayang Palihan ng Kahandaan ng Banaba Disaster Risk Reduction Project

January - June 2011

Volume I, Issue III

BT acquires lot for its livelihood and evac center

BANABA, SAN MATEO - After four months of scouting for a piece of land to obtain for its evacuation, livelihood and emergency operation center, Buklod Tao through the help of Center for Disaster Preparedness and funding from Christian Aid, finally secures an 827-sqr. meter lot from the De Dios Family on March 30, 2011.

The land is situated at Lot 24 in Maine St. of Greenland Executive Village here.

Currently occupying a borrowed land, Buklod Tao maintains its gazebo which serves as their main as-

NEW HOME: Greeneries surround BT’s new home. It will be the new site for BT’s livelihood center.

sembly point and where the operations of its livelihood programs are mainly carried out. The land is owned by Ka Noli Abinales’ younger brother.

The need for an on-site medium rise evacuation and livelihood center was even more emphasized after the community’s exSee last page

Brgy Banaba Map in The first time Buklod Tao participated in the production of a three-dimensional map was in 2003. The objective then was to show to San Mateo constituents the current and proposed land use of our municipality. The group of students visiting our community together with JC Gaillard in 2007 saw this map and we heard initial suggestions to try a new approach already done in Pampanga.

It is a map showing the resources of an area.

Early in 2009 JC and this

3D ? ?

writer met again at the UP Department of Geography prompted by one environmental issue (establishment of a landfill in the area of Mt. Mataba) in San Mateo, and BIRD’S EYE VIEW: A portion of the P3DM map collectively created by the again, inside LGU and people of Brgy. Banaba. the office of to produce a participatory the Center for Disaster Prethree dimensional map reparedness, the suggestion surfaced. for Buklod Tao with technical assistance of JC’s group See page 6

Para sa inyong mga komento, reklamo, suhestiyon at rekomendasyon ukol sa proyektong ito [Banaba Disaster Risk Reduction Project], maaring kontakin si Ms. Mayfourth sa mga ss. na numero: 0919.821.7823; 926.6996.

Historical : Buklod Tao Fact:

has gone one full circle By: Ka Noli A. Abinales Pentecost Sunday and Philippine Independence Day, 12 June 2011

The Beginning Assisted by its approved Embassy Small Grants Project of the Royal Netherlands Embassy (Manila), this budding peoples’ organization based in Sitio Dona Pepeng, Brgy. Banaba, San Mateo, Rizal (Philippines) on 22 June 1997, conducted its own ‘self-mentoring’ on what was then popularly known as ‘Disaster Management’.

Our textbook : Bagyo, Baha, Lindol, atbp. Disaster Manual of the Citizens Disaster Response Center (CDRC).

Our objective : To orient, organize and eventually equip the three organized groups of some 32 member-training participants for our “grassroots disaster response mechanism” (GDRM). Our training facilitator: Ka Noli A. Abinales, Buklod Tao Founder-President, who, in 1992 and in 1995, was participant (in two separate occasions) during the three-day live-in seminar-workshop on Disaster Management under the aegis of the Social Action Center of the Diocese See page 3

Trailblazer

2 ni Ka Noli Abinales

Sistemang Maagang Babala Ang Republic Act 10121, batas na kilala sa pamagat na “The Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010�, nilagdaan ni dating Pangulong Gloria MacapagalArroyo upang maging batas noong 27 ng Mayo 2010 at ang Implementing Rules and Regulation nito (IRR) na naaprubahan naman nitong Sept. 2010 ay kapwa nagbibigay ng depinisyon sa sistemang maagang babala (Early Ako po si Pablo C Taon III. Nakatira sa Balante (Lubak), Banaba.

Isinilang nookng ika-12 ng Hunyo 1970.

Ako po ay may dalawang anak na sina Vincent Paul at Criscilia; at ang aking maybahay ay si Evelyn.

Sa kasalukuyan po ay isa po akong aktibong miyembro at Board of Trustee ng Buklod Tao Inc. Ako rin po ang tagapangasiwa sa isa sa mga proyekto ng aming organisasyon na kung tawagin po namin ay Urban Container Garden o UCG.

Nais ko pong ibahagi sa inyo ang aming naging Team-Building experience na ginanap po sa Brgy. Talumpok, Silangan, Batangas.

Isang napaka-gandang lugar po at tahimik ang lugar na dinatnan namin. Maraming puno at napaka-ayos na lugar; at magagalang ang mga

Warning System).

Ito nga raw ay ng kalipunanng mga kakayahan/kapasidado upang magkaroon ng ipapakalat na napapanahong mga impormasyon nang sa gayon ang mga indibidwal, komunidad at samahang lantad sa bantang panganib ay makapaghahanda at makakakilos nang ganap na may sapat na panahon. Dagdag pa nga sa pinapaksa nating R.A. at IRR, ang tinaguri-

ang pampamayanang sistema sa maagang babala ay nagtataglay ng apat na elemento: (1) kaalaman ng mga risgo; (2) pagsubaybay, pag-analisa, at pagtaya sa bantang panganib; (3) komunikasyon o pagpapalaganap ng mga alerto at babala; at (4) lokal na kapasidad upang tumugon sa mga tinatanggap na babala.

Noong taong 2005, may pinalabas na Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) na nagsasaprayoridad ng mga aksyon, at

a n g pangalawa dito ay angpagkilala, pagtatasa, pagbabantay ng mga risgo sa kalamidad, at pagpapaunlad ng maagang babala.

Sampung taon bago ang HFA (Hyogo Perfecture, bansang Hapon), noong 1995, pinag-aralan na sa Social Action Center ng Diyosesis ng Antipolo, sa tatlong araw na live-in seminar/work-

See page 6

Mga PagkakaTaon ni Pablo Taon sumalubong sa amin. Sampu ng aking mga kasama at mula po sa Center for Disaster Preparedness o CDP. Sina Mam Mayfourth, Ate Love at si Michael. Samasama po kaming nagplano at nagbahagian ng aming mga sarili.

Sinimulan po naming sa pagkilala at pagpunta sa bawat isa, isinulat namin sa isang papel ang mga positibo at negativong pagtingin namin sa aming mga sarili at sa bawat isa. Tinawid namin ang tali na kailangan ay hindi sasayad ang anumang parte ng katawan.

Dahil po sa aming pagtutulungan at pagkakaisa ay madali po namin itong natawid at maayos. Pinagusapan din po din ang aming magiging partisipasyon sa CBDRRM training at bumuo ng mga pangarap ng Buklod Tao ang bawat isa

sa amin, at para sa aming komyunidad. Tulong-tulong rin po kami na nag-ensayo sa wastong paggamit ng mga life vest, megaphone, throw bag at iba pang mga tools na gamit ng bawat teams ng DRR ng Buklod Tao. Sa dalawang araw po namin doon sa Brgy. Talumpok ay naging masaya kami.

Sobrang busog po kami sa mga inihain sa amin. Maging

ang mga isipan ay nabusog sa mga karagdagang kaalaman mula sa bawat isa sa amin at lalo na po sa CDP, kay Mam Mayfourth.

Sadyang napaka-inam po talaga sa isang organisasyon na mayroong team building. Para bang nakasakay kayo sa isang Bangka at tulong-tulong sa pagsagwan at tahakin ang isang landas tungo sa nais marating na pinapangarap.

Editorial

Board Editor-in-Chief / Lay Out Artist

Michael Vincent Mercado Associate Editor-in-Chief

Noli Abinales Managing Editor

Mayfourth Luneta

3

World Water Day

“Paying Visit to Mother Nature”

By Drissa Sogodogo (Maly national, West Africa).

Hi! My Name is Drissa Sogodogo and I am a member of Buklod Tao in Banaba, San Mateo, Rizal.

We joined a water parade (fluvial parade) organized by Greenpeace Southeast Asia to prevent water pollution. I choose this title because water represent 74% of this earth and our body.

To see a river in a bus passing through a bridge is far different from someone who travel on a boat on the same river. In this materialistic world, nature had been compressed and tortured in order to produce things necessary for selfish needs of modern man. Living in such kind of world, we cannot perceive the agony of Mother Nature.

This happened to me when we were travelling in a boat from Marikina to Pasig.

I sense there is a message for each one of us. Unfortunately the language used in that message is one from the very beginning of time which include a loving heart for the environment.

How could I understand this message since I come from a world of competition. That is why I choose this title because I look like someone visiting his mother in a hospital lacking everything.

So,dear brothers and sisters, we have a long way to go to find an immediate cure for our Mother Nature and this one needs to put order and love in our way of life.

Together, this is how we can bring harmony in this world, creating a good ‘give and take’ action with with our environment.

Historical Fact...

Assessment and Planning (COPRAP) 2006, also, the Children and Youth Movement to Offset Vulnerabilities and for Empowerment (MOVE) 2007-2008, inception years of Buklod ng Kabataan; Child-led Research on the Impacts of Climate Change to children and community with CDP and Save the Children (2010), with Buklod ng Kabataan as the main project actors; and numerous outside of community seminars, workshops, fora and symposia.

The Full Circle In May and June 2011, Buklod Tao, enabled by its Christian Aid-approved Banaba DisasterRisk Reduction Project (BDRRP), and, in tandem with the Center for Disaster Preparedness (CDP) Foundation, again conducted Communitybased Disaster Risk Reduction and Mangement Trainings, and this time, it is barangay-wide. This paper will focus on this most recent training activity of Buklod Tao. Under the

of Antipolo. (The 1995 DM training was facilitated by CDRC where this author first heard of ‘citizenrybased and development – oriented disaster management’ paradigm).

The Follow-through And then subsequent honing up of knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) ensued during the passage of time from 1997 to 2011, be it in the form of on-site refresher courses

assisted by the Center for Disaster Preparedness – CDP, (1999), Purok 6 CBDRM orientation and training of CDP with students from the University of the Philippines College of Social Work and Community Development (UP CSWCD) (2001), DM orientation course for parents and the Sangguniang Kabataan of Banaba again, with CDP under the ProventionConsortium project: Child Oriented Participatory Risk

Miss Mayfourth gives instruction while senior members of the community of Banaba Extension look out in one of the activities during the CBDRRM Training conducted by CDP and BT there.

BDRRP Capacity Development schema, the Community-based/managed Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Training is one of the 16 activities enlisted for implementation.

The month of May 2011 has been earmarked for this. Hence, on the 2nd of May 2011, Buklod Tao inner circle, consisting mainly of elected members of the Board of Trustees, grouped themselves into three. And these comprised the three sets of Buklod Tao trainors for the upcoming training activities. Francia and Al were assigned to Purok 6 (two location settings); Lyn and Belen for Purok 2 (two location settings); Pablo, Tess and Ka Noli for Puroks 1, 3, 4, and 5. This newly formed Buklod Tao training teams would join forces, skills and training expertise to conduct similar CBDRRM training for the less vulnerable constituents of Brgy. Banaba, like the homeowner associations and the mini-pastoral councils slated on 19th June

2011 at the chapel of Our Mother of Perpetual Help.

It has to be written here, at this point, that there are

of work sewer/tailor? For Lyn and Belen, both typical Filipina housewives and mothers? And for KaNoli,

classroom feeling was the pervading aura for these Buklod Tao fathers and mothers. We listen

Left: Usual sight under the bridge after every typhoon in Barangay Banaba.

Above: Assessment of affected families done by BT with the help of BT.

5 Modules (from CDP book 2nd edition of Kahandaan, Katatagan at Kaunlaran) that are to be mastered by our training team. What pedagogical skills must be imparted for Al who is a construction worker? For Tess, a laundry-woman?

For Francia, a widow? For Pablo, a post Ondoy out-

former Physical Education teacher who is already in his senior years ?

Reading assignments for each Module were announced, two days before a scheduled meeting with Mayfourth Luneta of CDP. Quizzes were given (with incentives to the highest scorer), but a déjà vu

and paid attention to actual demonstrations on the facilitation of workshops, an approach akin to learning by doing philosophy. And then, goose pimples came creeping to the would-be trainors as they were summoned in front (inside the gazebo of Buklod Tao) to conduct the mock workshop facilitation themselves.

More reading assignments of subsequent modules, quizzes, incentive giving, meticulous elaboration of the topics and the workshops. The dates for the training schedule in various Barangay Zones of Banaba were fast approaching, but then, Typhoon Bebeng, came on May 8, with its furious rainfall (Marikina River water level reached 19 meters that Sunday night); subsequently we lost precious three days of training sessions on CBDRRM. Three more trainors’ teachinglearning sessions with Mayfourth, to be culminated by purchases of training materials, food and snacks items, and then, more pencil – pushing for each training group for the production of posters, metacards, welcome posters, matrix, community maps, name tags of participants, menus See page 6

BUKLOD TAO FIBER GLASS BOAT FABRICATION TIMELINE As part of this people’s organization’s initiatives in relation to disaster preparedness, Buklod Tao has been fabricating boats since 1997 which

are particularly used by them during rescue operations especially since the area is greatly susceptible to flooding.

Let’s take a closer look at

the efforts of Buklod Tao through the years: BT members rendering some finishing touches on their newly-fabricated fiber-glass rescue boats.

1999 July 1997 This month marks the fabrication of the first three fiber glass boats by Buklod Tao.

CDP turns over Php 15K to BT for the repair of the three initially fabricated boats due to holes, scrapes accumulated throughout long years of use.

2005 Through the help of Sycip Gorres Velayo Foundation and Corporate Network for Disaster Response, three additional boats are made, including a boat mold.

July 2010 Buklod Tao, through Ka Noli, writes to Dr. Alex Madrigal, Regional Director of DOST Calabarzon that they are capable of fabricating fiber glass rescue coats.

Sept 2010 Provincial Director for Science and Technology Fernando Oblaza visits Buklod Tao for inspection of its rescue boats.

4

5

Gardening in an Urban Setting

Plants help absorb carbon and even turn it into compound useful to humans such as oxygen, and glucose.

The limitation in space due to congestion in urban communities may leave most of residents to settle to aerial plants, mostly ornamental, for gardening. The increasing awareness of people regarding climate change and its effects may have inspired others to start their own garden, while others may be frustrated due to the absence of land to grow their own plants.

There is good news.

Buklod Tao introduced urban container gardening in 2010 and has been continuously sharing its techniques and practices to communities since as part of the livelihood, relief and rehabilitation elements of the Banaba Disaster Risk Reduction Project. Not only does this gardening alternative allow one to grow plants in one’s home, it also greatly reduces non-biodegradable wastes and facilitates the recycling of tetra paks which have components that cannot be broken down easily to useful materials. Mr. Jojo Rome, Jr. was tapped by Christian Aid to affiliate with Buklod Tao to design livelihood programs for the community of Barangay Banaba which now includes Urban Container Gardening, and Composting, and Vegetable Production among many others.

At present, Buklod Tao produces Chinese kang-

4th Quarter 2010 BT collaborates with DOST for the fabrication of the prototype of fiber glass rescue boats as member of its technical working group.

kong, petchay, lettuce, tomato and eggplant organically. BT also learned how to produce their own compost to which they grow their crops. They hope to raise consciousness about the superior quality of organic vegetables against their agriculture counterparts which have been innocuously exposed to various chemicals such as fertilizers and pesticides but that which may be harmful when prepared for human consumption. It’s being better quality notwithstanding, BT’s organic vegetables are sold at relatively the same price with that of vegetables in the local market.

There are other materials BT is utilizing for their own garden like the A-riser – a wooden shelf that looks like a ladder and forms the letter A on the side – but we’ll take a closer look to the two most basic components of their urban container gardening: tetra pots and compost.

Tetra Ptots Juices that are packed in tetra paks are essential in this kind of pots. Through the help of people in the community, along with people from nearby towns, tetra paks are gathered. Buklod Tao purchases a (juice drink) tetra pak for 25 centavos a piece (the tetra paks should have been washed and cut based on the Buklod Tao’s specification).

These tetra paks are then sewn together by members of Buklod Tao specifically hired to tailor bags, mats and

February 2011 BT and DOST Calabarzon sign a Memorandum of Understanding that formalizes the partnership and fabrication of the prototype. More importantly, the MOU states provisions in the sharing of Intellectual Property Rights in the boat design.

Present BT has already fabricated the prototype boat as designed

by Marina, approved by DOST and its TWG, and with funding from DOST Calabarzon. Under DOST’s supervision, BT put the boat in a battery of tests and have had positive results with minor revisions/improvements.

DOST Calabarzon meanwhile promised to help BT in the promotion of the fiber glass boats targeting the local government units of the Province of Rizal.

Buklod Tao will now soon offer an alternative to LGUs and private sectors alike that seek to improve their capabilities thought the procurement of rescue equipment such as rescue boats.

other end-products that could be sold. They also do customized tailoring jobs; but mainly they produce the tetra pots which are the main implements for holding the soil for the organic gardening.

Compost On March 6, 2011, BT submitted its soil sample to the Bureau of Soils and Water Management and returned with excellent results. Based on the analysis made by them, the compost made primarily out of household wastes contains 48% phosphorus, 48% nitrogen, and 59% potassium.

Ka Noli reveals more of their naturally fertilized planting medium.

Ingredients: 1 Part Ordinary Soil 1 Part Compost Soil 1 Part Rice Hull ½ Chicken Dung 1 Part Fine Charcoal The compost soil is one of the more important parts and its preparation is not an easy feat. First you’d have to gather compost-able materials (e.g. vegetable leftovers, biodegradable wastes, leaves etc.) and grind them into fine pieces. Next, you have to subject the compost to a curing period and leave it for 3-4 weeks. After it’s cured, sieve the cured material. You shouldn’t also forget to prepare the other four components because these are just as important. One all of the ingredients are ready, mix all the ingredients and sieve them together.

But for those who have no enough resources, time, space and mechanism to produce their own compost, you can get a sack of this soil with optimum N-P-K levels at just Php 130.

Sistema ng Maagang...

shop tungkolsa Disaster Management. Ito ay sa ilalim ng pagtuturo ng Citizens Disaster Response Center (CDRC). Mapalad na pinadalo ako sa live-in seminar/workshop na ito bilang kinatawan ng aming parokyasa San Mateo.

Dalawang tao nang lumipas, taong 1997, ang Buklod Tao ay nagkaroon ng pagkakataon (bunsod ng Small Embassy Grants ng Royal Netherlands Embassy) na isa kongreto ang

mga salik sa maagang babala na natutunanko. Bilang mahalagang gamit bumili ng apat na megaphone ang Buklod Tao para sa maagang babala ng tatlong disaster management team, at Emergency Operations Center ang binuo na para sa mga bulnerableng pamayanan ng Sitio Dona Pepeng, Banaba.

At mula noon, labinglimang megaphone na ang nagamit at nasira; labing-isang two-way ra-

Brgy Banaba in... to produce a participatory three dimensional map resurfaced.

In September of 2009 because of super typhoon Ondoy’s (international name: Ketsana) fury, the vintage 3-DM map inside our gazebo in Banaba was damaged beyond repair. Christian Aid with Buklod Tao as partner initiated a Relief, rehabilitation and Recovery initiatives for the community. Many PostOndoy plans and programs were undertaken but the plan to reconstitute the damaged map was not at all recommended nor mentioned. It is just a map of mountains, rivers and flood plains after all.

Disaster Risk Reduction was foremost in the drawing board of BuklodTao and partners, like the Center for Disaster Preparedness and Christian Aid – Philippines.

An initiative in July 2010 in our village, Brgy. Banaba, like

the stakeholders’ consultation, pre-figured the concept of being “participatory”. Banaba Disaster Risk Reduction Project commenced with Capacity Building as one of the core components.

In order to come up with a realistic capacity building pursuit for our community, there ought to be a tool where in one glance our location, situation, resources and vulnerabilities are depicted. The roving satellites above our heads and the interlinked GPS instruments cannot provide home grown information for us. Will warm bodies do the job?

Participatory 3- Dimensional Resource Mapping (P3DRM) is a convergence of people wanting to create for themselves that version of terra firma which they call “home sweet home”. It is that one slice of planet Earth “where they live, move and have their being”.

And so upon one encourSee page 9

dio ang nabili at lima ang nasira noong Ondoy; sa loob ng dalawa at kalahating taon, gumamit din ng telepono upang kumuha ng mga datos mula sa MMDA - Effective Flood Control Operations Systems sa pamamagitan ng tawag sa sentrong komunikasyon ng ahensiya sa Manggahan, Pasig City.

Ang mga datos na kinakalap ko satelepono ay ang ‘hourly rainfall intensity’ sa Mt. Oro (Montalban), Mt. Campana (Antipolo), Boso-Bosong Ilog sa San Jose, Montalban; gayun din ang lalim ng tubig sa ilog Nangka, Marikina at

San Mateo; (Banaba). Ang mga datos na napangalap ay tinatala naman sa isang blackboard at sa isang tally sheet na mula naman sa MMDA-EFCOS. Ang ating pampamayanang maagang babala (people-centered early warning) ay binubuo na nga ng kaalaman natin sa mga risgo – na ang ating lugar ay napapalibutan ng dalawang ilog at ang mga ito ay madaling umapaw; na humigit-kumulang isang libong mga pamilya ang naapektuhan ng bahang dalawang ilog na ito; na ang mga pampang ng ilog ay gumuho at mara-

6

7

Mga kaibigan, Mapitagang itinutuloy sa inyong mga butihing sarili ang mga disensyo ng mga marka para sa nakayanang ginawa ng Buklod Tao bilang “cooperator”/fabricator sa pagbuo ng “prototype fiberglass rescue boat” sa ilalaim ng kasunduan sa Technical Working Group para sa pabrikasyon ng pinapaksa. Sa ngayon ay nasa sa shop na sa Calamba City ang dalawang prototype boats para sa pagpapapintura bilang paghahanda sa 18 Agosto 2011 Inauguration Day. Mabuhay ang CBDRRM! Mabuhay ang talinong Pilipino sa mga laylayan!!!

Ka Noli

Left: Official poster design of the BDRR Project.

Below: Test Drive: BT, with the presence of representatives from Marina and DOST-Calabarzon, tests the fiber glass rescue boat.

ming pulutong ng mga bahay ang naka-tirik sa lugar; na ang mga bundok sa itaas natin ay kalbo na, panay kalsada at kabahayan na; na ang lugar natin ay napagi-gitnaan din ngdalawang ‘fault line’ na aktibo. May sinasagawa tayong pagsubaybay ng ilog sa tuwing masungit ang panahon – mga flood markers sa poste ng tulay Batasan-San Mateo at tulay Nangka, nagtataya tayo ng mga bantang panganib; nagpapalitan tayo ng mga sitwasyon, nag-aalerto at nagpapakalat ng mga babala; at ang kapasidad natin sa

pagtugon sa tinatanggap na babala (sa pagbaha) ay ng pagkakaroon ng siyam na mga banking pang-sagip, dalawang hagdanang bakal, at ang kasanayan nating gumawa ng mga ito.

Ang tanong ngayon ay: May kulang pa ba sa ating sistemang maagang babala? Meron pa bang dapat paunlarin?

Marami pang dapat isagawa. Sa panig ng pamahalaan, i-aktibo muli ang mga rain gauge station sa Mt. Oro, Mt. Campana, Boso-Boso, Mt. Ares, at sa tulay ng Nangka. Gayun din, buhay inang water

level gauge station sa San Jose Montalban at dito rin sa Nangka. Pwede ring maglagay ng isa pang rain and water level gauge station sa paanan ng tulay Batasan-San Mateo.

Kung ito ay matatagalan pa, magsikap ang ating pamayanan na lumikha at pamahalaanang sariling rain gauge.

Okay ang megaphone, subalit limitado ang gamit nito. Halimbawa, sa kasagsagan ng unos at dumadaluyong na baha, basa tiyak ang mga baterya pati na ang gumagamit nito. Mahirap mag-anunsiyo habang

bumabagtas sa malalim na baha at bumubuhos pa ang ulan at dumadaluyong ang hangin.Bakit hindi isaproyekto ang pagtatayo ng ‘early warning post’.

Sataglay nitong mga malalakas na loud speakers, epektibo ito sa pagbibigay ng maagang babala na nagmumula sa isang tao lamang sa sentrong komunikasyon ng komunidad na ‘updated’ palagi ang mgadatos. Pwede ring ‘built-in’ ang sirenang ‘early warning post’.

At, sa dakong huli ay naiaktibo na nga ang lahat ng See last page

Photo Collage by Michael Vincent Mercado

8

9

Edsa Babies Expo:

Rubbing Elbows with the Stars: Isang malaking karanasan para sa aming mga Buklod ng Kabataan ang Esda Babies Expo na ginanap sa Sky Dome sa

Historical Fact... for lunch, the flash disks, the previewing of the powerpoint presentations, and sourcing of PA system units, training venues, LCD projectors for each 5 CBDRRM training modules.

And finally we were ready.

The 19th and 20th of May 2011 were Days 1 and 2 of the training on CBDRM. It was the second of its kind here in Banaba, the first was 14 years ago, in June 1997, as described earlier, but this year on a larger scale. The trainees were high -risk, medium-

SM North Edsa. Dito ay nagkaroon kami ng pagkakataon na Makita at mahawakan an gaming mga ini-idolong artista. Isa na

rito ay si Dingdong Dantes na nagustuhan at naisipan pang bumili ng limang tetra bags na nakadisplay sa aming booth. Binigyan niya kame ng Php 1000.00 at sinabe pang, “keep the change na lang.”

Isa rin si Jaya na naka-duet pa ng dalawang Buklod ng Kabataan. Nakisaya rin si Ogie Alcasid at Regine Velasquez at nakipagsayawan naman sa mga manonood ang mga Sexbomb Dancers. Talaga naming nagging napakasaya at makabuluhan ang expo na ito.

Lubos na nagpapasalamat ang Buklod ng Kabataan dahil sa ganitong experience. Marame pa kameng natutunan at nalaman.

risk and low-risk families of Purok 1, 2 and 6 (CBDRM Training for Purok 3, 4, 5 were set for 26th and 27th of May). The trainors were the neighbors (Buklod Tao members and officers, a handful of BHWs and of course, the CDP staff) of these vulnerable families, being held right in the place of the neighborhood, where exposures to disaster risk (flood) is one common denominator.

Al, Belen, Pablo and Lyn were in their best elements during these training binges, since Purok 6 , Purok 2 and Purok 1, respectively,

are their residential areas.

Meanwhile, Francia, Tess and Ka Noli were very appreciative of the presence and support of the CDP staff headed by Mayfourth in the company of Love, Gelyne, Kat, and Michael.

Words of commendation go also to Barangay Captain Renato C. Sulit, the Sangguniang Barangay members and several Barangay Health Workers whose supporting presence and unrelenting readiness to help, ensured success for this grassroots undertaking on CBDRRM training in Banaba.

Brgy Banaba in... aging summons of CDP and Buklod Tao PABATID, stakeholders assembled on January 31, February 1, and February 2, 2011 in a spacious hall in Dona Pepeng Subdivision. The warmth of the assemblage was punctuated still by the presence of Brgy.

Capt. Bernard Cabison of Barangay Mangin, Dagupan City, and his two councilmen who shared their experiences and insights and usage of P3DM. And this is another essence of being participatory: even people from far places came into Banaba to fill up the convergence of people : from Maly , West Africa, from France, from New Zealand, from Pasig City, the University of Muny, the University of Auckland, the University of the Philippines-Diliman, San Beda College-Mendiola and at the micro level, from the seven zones of our village, Banaba.

We were at one with the words of the psalmist that say: “it is so heartening to see brothers and sisters to come together as one”.

The ensuing three-day consultations, recollections, validations, pushing of multicolored pin heads, paint and paint brushes, pencils and pen markers, stretching of strands of yarns, cross references with the enlarged satellite map of Brgy. Banaba, the endless instructions from JC, Jake and Mayfourth, the four quadrant tables moved and readjusted, the shared snacks and meals, the cooking, the washing of dishes, the delivery and handling of food, the prayers and joyous clapping See last page

BT acquires lot... perience during Typhoon Ondoy. As a result, when Christian Aid called for project proposals for its PostOndoy relief and rehabilitation, Buklod Tao replied with

a proposal that included the integration of livelihood, evacuation and emergency operation in the project – the Banaba Disaster Risk Reduction Project. The project proposal was approved in April 2010.

When asked how he feels about the realization of his people organization’s long time

dream, Ka Noli Abinales, Buklod Tao’s chief, says “I feel elated simply because we have now brighter prospect of operating our projects within our own piece of land through the funding of Christian Aid. We can now say that our gazebo can now finally be located in a safer place that is not prone to flooding.”

My CBDRRM Training Experience Hi I’m A. G. Raiza A. Caybot I want to share something based on my experiences when seminar happened in our barangay. It was a two-day seminar.

They gave us go bags which had whistle, notebook, and a pen upon registration on the first day of the training. Then we were grouped into four and were asked to introduce ourselves to everyone. The facilitator then gave us group activity that looked at our expectations in relation to the topics that will be discussed in the training and how we want the training to be laid upon the table.

After that, they gave each group different activities. The first group were tasked to identify people’s needs before, during, and after a disaster. In the second group, a hazard map was to be mad.

Recollection of the past dis-

asters or calamities that happened in our barangay was the job of the third group. And finally for the last group, they had to use the Venn Diagram to show the organizations which helped our barangay after the Typhoon Ondoy and how intimate these organizations are in the hearts of the people from Banaba.

For me it was really fun because we were not just only learning and having fun at the same time, the participants bonded with each other regardless if they were young or adult, the seminar was another way for me to meet new friends.

After they served lunch, the Buklod Tao members/facilitators talked about disaster and explain the difference of ‘bantang panganib’ and risk including what a disaster is.

We learned about to save

not just ourselves but also our barangay. The seminar also made us realize us the importance of preparedness and the culture of it.

On the second day, we’ve discussed what we’re going to do after a disaster. Evacuation centers were also pointed out. We were given tasks to make a 3-minute play about how we can save ourselves when there is typhoon, flood, fire, and earthquake. They also told us the condition of our barangay when something happens which made us aware of the threats and made us more eager to be always prepared.

I’ve learned a lot of things about disasters and how to deal with it when it pays us a visit but what I realize at the end of the training is to protect our beloved Mother Nature because we don’t have any other place to go but her.

BACK-TO-SCHOOL? NO! These are the participants from different age groups actively involved in the different activities and discussions during the CBDRRM Training.

Brgy Banaba in... of the hands in celebration of what has been accomplished “jointly and severally” is simply electric.

It is indeed a work in progress. It is a map that is alive in its fullness. And this P3D Map’s fullness will be our daily tool and compass towards the attainment of a more disaster resilient community.

Sistema ng Maagang Babala mga rain gauge station, at naitayo na ang mga early warning post, sana naman hindi na maging matigas ang ulong mga tao, sa halip ay isabuhay ang Banaba Disaster Risk Reduction – Bawas Peligro. Iwas Sakuna sa lahat ng bagay.

New and improved Buklod Tao logo.

Find and like Buklod Tao and Center for Disaster Preparedness on Facebook.

If you have stories, poems, essays regarding the Banaba Disaster Risk Reduction Project in Banaba, you can send them in to cdp.philipines@gmail.com

10