Flood Management Upgrading

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Focus Areas: Public Amenities

This project, which was initiated in 2011, involves the construction of a wall in Mindanao to prevent damage to buildings from flooding.This benefits the BUSVAI community in particular who reside closer to the creek and experienced heavy flooding in June 2011. Savings programmes in the area were introduced through this project. Challenges for the project include the need to still strengthen partnerships with the local government and increase community volunteers to monitor and manage the project.

Location: Mindanao, Philippines

Deliverables:

The construction of one wall by community members. The wall has been completed. 

Community capacity:

The community was mainly responsible for construction and project management, demonstrating community capacity to construct and manage. The community was able to develop its own management system that facilitated transparency in savings- and loan-related transactions. Before the implementation of the project, the participants attended a training & workshop session on budget planning.

Scale:

There is a need for this project to be replicated in many other areas across the city as neighbouring communities experience similar issues, namely flooding. There are discussions concerning the development of a demonstration project as a way to stimulate the scaling up of the project. Community teams have been developed and skills trainings has been undertaken. 

Impact:

BUSVAI community leaders reported on the significance of the project showing an improvement in the relationship between the village government and BUSVAI members. The village government invited other communities to be involved in community meetings, due to the success of meetings with BUSVAI members. 

Finance:

SDI Contributions:

SDI contributed US$6,202.00 

Costs recovered from community:

None to date.

Contact Email Telephone
Sonia Cardinogara vmsdfi@info.com.ph (+63) 2 455 9480


Project information updated: 03 March 2016

Project in depth

Detailed Information

This project sees the Philippines Alliance, Philippine Action for Community-led Shelter Initiatives Inc (PACSII) and Homeless People’s Federation Philippines Inc (HPFPI) respond to flooding in 2011 in BUSVAI, Mindanao. The area is located close to a creek area making it vulnerable to flooding. Some houses were in danger of being damaged by soil erosion. The settlement was profiled before the project. It has one savings group, which will pay back the loan. The repaid loans will be placed into a revolving fund to help scale up project activities. Community management and construction of the wall will decrease project costs as there are less professional fees to pay.

Deliverables:

The intention was to build a wall that will minimise the effects of flooding on the BUSVAI community in Mindanao.

Community capacity:

On the barangay (village government) level, BUSVAI members have always been involved in community meetings. The intention was to involve these community members in the project; from project conceptualisation and costruction through to the operational phases. A series of training workshops will be conducted to equip community members with the necessary skills to successfully manage the project. The participants received budget planning training before the project was implemented.

Scale:

The intention is to implement the project city-wide and this will be undertaken by presenting the BUSVAI project to the network. A demonstration project will also be created. 

Impact:

The Federation has demonstrated that the community has the capacity to develop projects of this nature on site. One of the best examples is the SAJUSSA community riprap project, which inspired the BUSVAI community to carry out a similar project without relying too much on the Local Government. HPFPI Mindanao explained to the community that they are responsible for undertaking their own project, and as a result of this, the community will pay a lesser amount to professionals. This is very significant to the community and has encouraged the members to carefully manage the project. The members who were exposed to the project became active in their community association.

Finance:

SDI Contributions:

SDI contributed US$6,202.00 towards capital expenses. 

State Subsidy:

No subsidy was obtained from the State for this project. It is realised that there is a need to develop a stronger relationship between the community/Federation and the Local Goverment.

Market Generated Returns:

None to date. 

Costs recovered from community:

The settlement has one savings group whose savings will be utilised to pay back the loan. The money recovered will be utilised to form a revolving fund. Money in the revolving fund will go towards scaling up project activities. Community membership serves as collateral for BUSVAI members who can’t pay their loan obligations. 

Archer, D. (2013). Community-driven Actions for City-wide Development as Mechanisms for Building Resilience. [Online]. Available: http://resilient-cities.iclei.org/fileadmin/sites/resilient-cities/files/Resilient_Cities_2013/Presentations/C1_Archer_RC2013.pdf. 
 
Carcellar, N., Rayos Co, J.C., Hipolito, Z.O. (2011). Addressing Disaster Risk Reduction through Community-rooted Interventions in the Philippines: Experience of the Homeless People's Federation of the Philippines, Environment and Urbanisation, 23(2): 365 - 381. [Online]. Available: http://eau.sagepub.com/content/23/2/365.refs. 
 
Vincentian Missionaries Social Development Foundation, Inc. (2001). Meet the Philippines Homeless People's Federation, Environment and Urbanisation, 13(2): 73 - 84. [Online]. Available: http://eau.sagepub.com/content/13/2/73.abstract. 
 
[BOOK]. Herrie, P., Ley, A. & Fokdal, J. (Eds.). (2015). From Local Action to Global Networks: Housing the Urban Poor. Surrey & Burlington: Ashgate Publishing Ltd.

Funding Information

Raised:

$6,202.00

Funding type:

Grant funding

Implementing Partners

Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation


Philippine Action for Community-led Shelter Initiatives (PACSII) & Homeless People's Federation of the Philippines Inc. (HPFPI)