The distribution of drums was made possible with the support of the European Union Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (EU-ECHO).
(Photo 2) Fatima Bayangan, a person with disability from Midsayap, North Cotabato, shows a text message as a proof of cash transfer via digital wallet during the simulation exercises under the B-SPARED project.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) held simulation exercises for the Building on Social Protection for Anticipatory Action and Response in Emergencies and Disasters (B-SPARED) Project in two pilot areas in Mindanao.
The B-SPARED Project is an Anticipatory Action (AA) pilot initiative that aims to implement various protective measures before the onset of disasters to mitigate risks and shocks, as well as to help break the cycle of poverty among vulnerable groups due to recurring natural hazards.
The first simulation exercise was conducted in selected barangays in Bacuag, Surigao del Norte on September 28 and 29, according to Maria Arlyn Gerez, chief of the Disaster Preparedness and Response Division (DPRD) which is under the Disaster Response Management Bureau of the DSWD.
“The simulation exercise highlighted typhoon interventions which included emergency cash pay-outs and early evacuation of boats,” Gerez said.
On October 7, flood interventions including cash pay-outs and distribution of tight-lid drums for storage of agricultural products were also simulated in Cotabato and select barangays in the municipality of Midsayap.
Gerez said the series of simulation exercises is a good opportunity for key actors to test the effectiveness of B-SPARED, particularly government systems and processes that support its implementation.
“These include the utilization of the National Household Targeting System (NHTS) for the selection of beneficiaries as part of strengthening our social protection systems in place,” Gerez pointed out.
Gerez explained that the exercise also serves to “strengthen the collaboration between and among our various partners involving the FAO, provincial and municipal local government partners, the private sector and local communities to protect and build the resiliency of the poor and vulnerable in times of emergencies and disasters.”
FAO Social Policy and Programme Coordinator Ruth Honculada-Georget said the exercises provided important lessons and challenges that inform the evolving work in AA with government’s social protection programs and systems.
“The key insights we have gained are critical as we work with the DSWD and our partners in harnessing programs such as the 4Ps conditional cash transfer program and the national poverty registry (Listahanan 3). We are proud to partner with the DSWD and local government units which are leading the way in addressing food insecurity and preventing the disruption of livelihoods before a disaster strikes, especially among the poorest households,” Honculada-Georget said.
The collaboration is based on the Cooperation Agreement between the DSWD and the FAO in 2021 to operationalize an integrated approach using disaster risk reduction protocols, and social protection systems to scale up a humanitarian response.
The simulation exercises were conducted with the support of the European Union Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (EU-ECHO).
Anticipatory Action or AA is an innovative humanitarian approach that systematically links early warnings to a set of interventions aimed at protecting at-risk families and their assets ahead of a hazard, using science-based forecasts and risk analysis. #
