June 30, 2023
The project, “ Building Disaster Resilient Communities in Informal Settlements in Cebu City, Philippines,” implemented by the Visayas Primary Healthcare Services, Inc. (VPHCS) started with a series of meetings with the people’s organizations (PO) in the project areas in June 2023.
The organizations included the Sitio Wang Yu Women’s association, Sitio Lawis Pasil Women’s Association in Barangay Pasil, Tierra Dulce Homeowners Association, Inc. in Barangay Inayawan and Sitio Nangka Ville Women’s Association in Barangay Quiot, Cebu City. They are the project partners and members are the beneficiaries.
Partnership agreements signed
The meetings discussed about the details of the project, formulated a system of planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation (PIME) and a Partnership Agreement was signed by each PO president and the VPHCS Executive Director in behalf of the organizations. Copies of a brochure on the project were distributed to the members of the PO.
The presidents included Marlen P. Legara, Melane N. Inot, Nonita Lambo Palacio, Rochelle T. Masocol, in Sitio Nangka Ville, Sitio Lawis, Sitio Tierra Dulce and Sitio Wang Yu, respectively.
The meetings also pointed out the hazards that the communities are vulnerable to, which the project shall address.
Sitio Tierra Dulce
Sitio Tierra Dulce in Barangay Inayawan is beside the Bulacao River. During strong rains and high tides from the sea, the river overflows to the river banks to the houses. A floodwall” or “levee” which is a long structure made of concrete material built alongside the Bulacao River to prevent its waters from overflowing was constructed only on the side of the river that immediately flows to the sea; there is a portion of the river that has no floodwall yet and there are houses near this portion so that floods can still occur in these areas during heavy rains. Flooding has worsened due to garbage thrown into the two rivers, effectively clogging them up and preventing the free-flow of water.
Sitio Wang Yu in Mambaling also suffers from floods because of poor drainage systems that are blocked by garbage so that the residents said that their sitio is like a small islet because it is surrounded by canals which are flooded waters. These flooded areas are the hazard zones that make the residents, particularly children studying in the Alaska elementary school prone to accidents during heavy rains. The sitio is also congested with several small houses, some of which have not been completely rebuilt after their sitio was hit by a fire in December 2022.
Sitio Nangka Ville
On the other hand, Sitio Nangka Ville, Barangay Quiot is located in a hillside and many houses are located on the slopes of the hill and on the foot of the hill. There are 400 households at present. The community faces the danger of a landslide, which can be triggered by heavy rainfall. For the houses at the foot of the hill, they are especially susceptible to floods following heavy rains when rainwater flowing downhill accumulates at the bottom and causing flooding. There is no drainage system which exacerbates the flooding.
Sitio Lawis is located beside the Guadalupe River which flows to the Mactan Strait. Above the sitio is the highway of the South Reclamation Properties (SRP) so that the river cannot easily flow to the sea and the river rises up during heavy rain and seeps through the sea wall and goes to the houses. The drainage system in the houses which are congested is also polluted with trash that are thrown away carelessly.
All the four areas are vulnerable to fires since many houses are built of wood and other light materials.
The meetings discussed about the trainings that shall be conducted in order to address these hazards.
Coordination with barangay officials
Since strong coordination with the local government units of the barangays is crucial for joint activities of the associations with their respective barangays and to ensure the sustainability of the project, the project unification meetings were followed by meetings of the project staff and leaders of the four PO with the barangay councils of the four projects areas in June 2023. Copies of the brochure were distributed to the members of the barangay council. A Memorandum of Agreement was also signed with each PO president, barangay captain and the VPHCS Executive Director.
The barangay captains included Hon. Kirk Bryan Jaca Repollo of Inayawan, Hon. Gines N. Abellana, of Mambaling, Hon. Danilo P. Teves of Quiot, and Hon. Julius O. Guioguio of Pasil.
The project staff discussed the project with the barangay officials and they expressed support for it. 
