Filipino bands

What Indonesians can teach Yolanda victims about recovery

Fritzie Rodriguez

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Indonesia's disaster response in the aftermath of the 2004 Aceh Tsunami is considered as the biggest reconstruction project in a developing country

EXCHANGE OF IDEAS. The Philippines and Indonesia share insights on disaster recovery during an online video conference on January 21. Photo from DSWD

MANILA, Philippines – Get involved in the recovery process.

This was what disaster management experts told their Filipino counterparts in a recent video conference facilitated by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to discuss lessons from the 2004 Aceh Tsunami.

At the time, the Aceh post-disaster relief and recovery operations were considered the biggest humanitarian effort and reconstruction project in developing countries hardly hit by disasters.

Lessons from Indonesia

A crucial lesson, according to the experts, was the participation of ordinary citizens in the recovery and rehabilitation process.

DSWD Assistant Secretary Deputy National Project Director Camilo Gudmalin, who worked in Aceh’s disaster operations, lauded how ordinary Indonesian citizens became active participants in their reconstruction efforts.

“The communities came together to participate in identifying their problems, even in a disaster situation,” Gudmalin said.

Gudmalin handled DSWD’s operations, including Typhoon Yolanda, the Zamboanga City armed conflict, and the September earthquake that shook the Visayas region.

Victor Bottini, a World Bank Resident Representative in Aceh shared that Indonesia use the Community-Driven Development (CDD) approach during disaster operations.

People not just infrastructure

CDD is a development strategy focusing on the empowerment of citizens and local government units (LGUs with the goal to enable them to lift their own communities out of poverty.

Bottini explained why they chose the CDD approach: “It’s because we’re concerned about people, not just infrastructure.”

He emphasized that CDD makes disaster response easier since community mobilization ensures that the needs of calamity survivors are met. It also trains and prepares survivors for future calamities.

CDD mobilizes people and fosters cooperation among them even during disasters.

 “You have a ready network before and after a disaster. You do not have to set up a system when the disaster hits, because it is already there,” he added.

CDD approach in the Philippines

In the Philippines, the CDD approach is also used by DSWD in its Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS) during disaster response.

The program will evolve into the National Community-Driven Development Program (NCDDP) that will cover poor Yolanda-affected areas. It will involve other government agencies in its implementation and will add focus on disaster risk reduction and management.

The Asian Development Bank pledged to provide a $372.1-million emergency loan for NCDDP. Meanwhile, the World Bank pledged a $480-million loan which may be used for disaster emergency response. – Rappler.com

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