UN Resident Coordinator’s Blog – Global Issues

“The Philippines, with its 7000 islands and many coastal cities, has always been highly vulnerable to extreme weather events and natural disasters. Each year there are about 20 typhoons, and many can develop into superstorms, which are extremely destructive weather events.

We are seeing more storms as the oceans in Southeast Asia warm due to climate change.

There are also about 20 volcanoes in the country, and according to experts, we can expect a 7.2 earthquake at any time. Therefore, the great threat of big storms, volcanoes and earthquakes, exacerbated by climate change, forces us to prepare for a “big” fate, a natural phenomenon of great destructive power.

The Philippines ranks first globally in the World Risk Index, which measures vulnerability and exposure to extreme natural events.

However, the country’s level of vulnerability is not well known outside the region. Indeed, when I arrived in this country as a United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator, armed with my long-term experience in critical situations, I immediately realized the uniqueness of this country.

I realized that we need to re-examine the standard humanitarian aid toolkit and development program used in other countries to better align it with the unique circumstances of the Philippines.

In response, there has been a paradigm shift in the work of the UN Country Team in investing in resilience building, which means developing national and local capacities to cope with, adapt to and recover from current and future shocks.

This is reflected in the very famous Filipino proverb “if the dress is short, learn to bend”.

It is not one size fits all

In addition, our approach to the country should also take regional differences into account.

When I visited the area hit by Super Typhoon Odette in 2021, I thought it would share the same cultural identity and political power as other parts of the country, but this was far from the case.

Even on a small island you can face completely different socio-economic realities, just a few kilometers apart. While one community may be asking for cell phones to quickly re-establish communication and promote unity, a neighboring community may need livelihood support or supplies to begin rebuilding their homes.

I remember an inspiring local leader on Dinagat Island who was very clear about the priorities of his community following a major typhoon. He respectfully asked some of our standards and humanitarian interventions around the world. He pointed out that some items are not important, while highlighting gaps in other areas, and asked for customized feedback to improve the effectiveness of the feedback.

What we learn from this experience is that building sustainability begins with recognizing the valuable capital of knowledge, skills and assets that the community can access. Affected people are in the best position to decide what they need and where the UN can add value after a disaster.

Incorporating such a wealth of local knowledge into the aid response represents a departure from the usual UN approach. Portraying affected communities as a combination of needs and vulnerabilities oversimplifies a complex reality. Developing the humility to listen, discover and truly engage with communities is an absolute necessity.

Preparation and Resilience

I visited a UN Development Program and UN Habitat-supported project in the province of Albay in the shadow of the Mayon Volcano where communities were learning to fly advanced drones.

A digital map of disaster-prone areas provides valuable information for planning and risk assessment to better predict, prepare for, and mitigate the negative impacts of disasters and other natural hazards.

In Mindanao, I met the Bajaus, a group of indigenous seafaring people whose homes were largely destroyed by Super Typhoon Odette in 2021. Supported by UN Habitat, community members are rebuilding their houses according to traditional building techniques and using locally available materials.

Recognizing and integrating local intelligence was critical to developing tailor-made solutions. Their houses are now more likely to survive the typhoon.

UN cooperation

While communities are empowered to take the initiative and prepare and reduce the impact of extreme weather or earthquakes, the United Nations also works with governments and other partners to coordinate an international response to such potentially catastrophic events.

As UN Citizen Coordinator and UN Humanitarian Coordinator, my role is, firstly, to put global knowledge and processes into government, secondly, to build alliances to support integrated humanitarian and development solutions and, finally, to spend money. resources to make them sustainable.

When I started working for the UN, almost three decades ago, there was an artificial division of labor between humanitarian and development work. Such differences existed in all plans, strategies and budgets. Today, there is a humble recognition that the nature and scale of disasters requires a holistic and integrated approach. We call it the “nexus approach”.

Our new Action Pilot Program* brings public knowledge, technology, digitalization and logistics together, in one way.

We usually have only 36 hours warning before the arrival of a major storm to activate anticipatory action including arranging cash transfers to pre-identified people. This money can help families move essential items such as boats and tools, and collect food or go to evacuation centers.

Experience shows that for every dollar we invest in prevention, we save four dollars in reconstruction.

As we see, exposure to disasters and vulnerability to climate change has forced Filipinos to develop a unique sense of resilience. The spirit of “saving lives” has spread to local communities.

As Filipinos often say, “as long as there is life, there is hope.“

*The Anticipatory Action Assessment Program is implemented by the UN agencies: the World Food Programme, UNICEF, the International Organization for Migration, the Food and Agriculture Organization and the UN’s Sexual and Reproduction Unit, UNFPA, and is supported UN Emergency Response Fund (CERF)