ASIATODAY.ID, WASHINGTON — Approximately 18 million households in the Philippines are expected to become less vulnerable to natural disasters in the coming years, due to enhanced community-led planning and infrastructure investments.
The World Bank-backed Philippines Community Resilience Project, also called “Pagkilos” (Filipino term for ‘action’), will engage communities in identifying climate and natural hazard risks and developing resilience plans. Initiatives prioritized within these plans will then receive implementation grants, with a particular focus on resilient community infrastructure and sustainable livelihoods.
“By empowering local communities to take the lead in building resilience against climate change and disaster risks, the Philippines is not only addressing immediate environmental challenges but also fostering a culture of proactive engagement and resilience,” said Zafer Mustafaoğlu, Division Director for the Philippines, Malaysia, and Brunei, July 31, 2025.
“Communities play a critical role in preparing for and responding to disasters. Their ability to anticipate risks, organize themselves, and collaborate with local and national authorities is essential for effective climate change and disaster risk preparedness and recovery efforts.”
“Resilience investments” for funding under Pagkilos may include flood and drought mitigation, landslide and slope protection, surge protection and breakwaters, windbreakers, and retrofitting of existing infrastructure to withstand extreme weather events. In addition, the project will support erosion control, agroforestry, and other nature-based solutions for ecosystem conservation, including community forests, wetlands, marshes, and waterways, erosion control, water conservation, and agroforestry.
An additional feature of the solutions backed by the project is their potential to simultaneously help promote more resilient livelihoods and practices. Examples include the adoption of services and technologies in areas like sustainable agriculture and food security, such as climate-smart farming innovations and small-scale irrigation systems.
“Investing in community-level resilience is crucial for a country like the Philippines that is highly vulnerable to climate change and natural disasters, as it safeguards lives, protects economic stability, and empowers local communities to recover swiftly and sustainably,” said Ditte Marie Fallesen, World Bank Senior Social Development Specialist. “Ensuring community capacity and opportunity for participating in resilience planning is critical as communities are on the frontlines of climate and natural hazard risks.”
Pagkilos will provide technical support to community volunteer groups to implement and manage sub-projects. This includes training and capacity building for local government units and community members to enhance their ability to plan and respond to climate challenges.
The project will prioritize 500 climate-vulnerable municipalities across 49 provinces in the Philippines. These municipalities are selected based on their high poverty incidence and significant exposure to climate hazards. In total, it will support 177 municipalities with an indigenous population of 10 percent or more, thereby aiding approximately 33 percent of the total indigenous population in the country.
To ensure that resilience efforts are inclusive and equitable, the project specifically targets vulnerable populations. These include Indigenous Peoples, women, and beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program—a conditional cash transfer initiative designed to alleviate short-term poverty and break the intergenerational cycle of poverty by investing in human capital, particularly in health and education.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will lead the project’s implementation through a community-driven development approach that focuses on the voluntary engagement of vulnerable citizens in poor communities. This approach encourages their participation in local planning, budgeting, and subproject implementation processes to enhance the provision of basic needs and services.
Of the total project cost of $874.35 million, the World Bank will provide $700 million through an International Bank for Reconstruction and Development loan. The National Government of the Philippines will provide the remaining $174.35 million.
The Philippines ranks at the top of the World Risk Index due to its high vulnerability and exposure to cyclical extreme events. This makes it one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world. Key natural hazards include typhoons, floods, droughts, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions. In 2023, out of 2.6 million disaster-related displacements, 2.1 million were attributed to two major climate-induced hydroclimatic events: typhoons and floods. (AT Network)
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