Annex: Stories of Change
Eleven Case Stories In a span of two years of the project, significant changes had happened in the lives of the various stakeholders that were engaged in the project. There were lots of stories shared but for purposes of this report, the project team only compiled eleven (11) stories that form part of case studies of this project. The stories of change shared in this section are from among barangay captains, barangay kagawads, barangay secretaries, city DRRMO and from a trainer. Case Story 1
“Empowering Change as the Community’s Way of Life” They say, people often change in the midst of trials and tribulations, amid rocky paths, stormy skies, and raging seas. The same thing can be said for Barangay 164, Caloocan City, which was made possible by their ever-reliable Barangay Captain Mila Uy alongside her trusty barangay council. With her firm yet kind leadership, she managed to transform the community to more resilient and vigilant locale that it is today.
At present, the barangay prides itself in having accomplished the Community-Based Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Trainings (CBDRRM) given by DRRNet through the Technical Assistance. Adding to the locality’s achievements is the successful conduct of a Barangay-wide Flood Drill, simulating real-life situations in the event of a flood disaster. In the main, this taught the barangay to better respond to disasters and emergencies alike.
Mila Uy was not only pleased that her community had accomplished these learning exercises, but also proud that they had gone through it together as one community, now looking toward one vision – a safer and more resilient barangay. Before, Kap. Mila averred that the community wasn’t even aware of basic CBDRRM concepts, and one of these core values is the participation or “bayanihan” of the locality. “They used to fight for relief goods in times of disasters; there was no unity or cooperation from the people at all,” Kap. Mila admits. Presently, Kap. Mila can proudly say that Barangay 164 has took a turn for the better. She affirms by saying, “These days, the residents realize that the people in their barangay council also sincerely care about their welfare, hence making them more cooperative and attentive to their barangay leaders. Now, they contribute to the community; thanks to DRRNet, they understand the value of “bayanihan,” especially during disasters. Having improved after numerous trainings, the residents now have a sense of cooperation and unity, organizing according to their own puroks or zones in times of calamities to avoid any misunderstandings especially in relief distribution. Kap. Mila also highlighted the heightened responsibility of the parents
in the barangay, with the fathers taking on the role of securing the household and the mothers looking after the children and help in the general management of the evacuation center. In addition to this, Kap. Mila boasted of an improved Early Warning System (EWS) in the barangay, making use of the two-way radios, megaphones, generators, and flashlights that were part of those provided as well by DRRNet with support from Australian Aid (AusAid).
Serving as the matriarch of the community, Punong-Barangay 35