Research

1. After the Storm: Promoting Sexual, Reproductive Health and Rights in Disaster Risk Reduction and Management in the Philippines.

With the increasing frequency of natural and human-induced disasters occurring in the Philippines in recent years, “environmental refugees” are said to constitute the largest single group of displaced persons in the country. Given the current focus on Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) in the Philippines, and the expanding discussions on the promotion of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) as a development issue, this research aims to examine how SRHR are addressed in DRRM initiatives in the country. It aims to investigate how women, men, and young people are factored in as sexual and gendered citizens in DRRM programs and, consequently, explore how the Philippine government and humanitarian agencies working in disaster-stricken areas can be able to integrate effective, culturally sensitive methodologies for the promotion of SRHR in disaster preparedness and response, especially within refugee camps and resettlement sites. As a case study, the study looks into the disaster response efforts carried out by both government and aid organizations in Cagayan de Oro City and Iligan City in the Mindanao region respectively, which have been recently struck by typhoon Sendong (international name Washi) that created flash floods on December 16, 2011 resulting in more than 1000 casualties, with almost 2000 still considered missing, and about 60,000 individuals housed in evacuation/refugee centers. This research will contribute to the growing body of knowledge on the need to integrate SRHR in development, especially in settings of great instability, by providing the empirical data supporting this necessity.

This project is funded by the International Association for the Study of Sexuality, Culture, and Society (IASSCS) under their Emerging Scholars International Research Fellowship Program granted to A2D Project Executive Director, Kaira Zoe K. Alburo.

2. Documenting the Evidences for the Uptake of Climate Smart Disaster Risk Management (CSDRM): The Case of the Municipality of San Francisco, Camotes, Cebu

The Strengthening Climate Resilience Program is an international initiative funded by the Department of International Development (DFID) that aims to enhance the ability of governments and civil society organizations in developing countries to build the resilience of communities to disasters and climate change as part of their development work. By using the Climate Smart Disaster Risk Management (CSDRM) approach, the initiative strives to better integrate disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation and development, forming the pillars for strengthening climate resilience. A2D Project was contracted by PLAN-Philippines to document and evaluate the extent to which the CSDRM approach is integrated into the disaster risk management program of San Francisco Camotes. The outcome will be part of an international publication on SCR initiatives done across different regions of the world. The project was completed in September 2011.

3. Coastal Resource and Habitat Mapping for Municipalities Covered by the FAO Regional Fisheries Livelihoods Programmes for Southeast Asia-Philippines

The main objective of the project is to conduct an accounting and assessment of coastal habitat and features of the project site and transform these technical data into GIS platform with associated database. The outputs of this survey are spatial maps that facilitate visual information to various stakeholders for current as well as future CRM and fisheries management undertakings. Location and extent of coastal habitats within the four (4) critical bays in Zamboanga del Norte, provide insights to site selections for fisheries and livelihood program establishments. Furthermore, it demarcates and serves as basis for different user”s role in maintaining balance on resource use in their respective bays. The wide array of maps will help facilitate planning by providing visual representations and computed values for the different extent of coastal habitats, coastal stretch and reef conditions of the site. This project, completed in December 2011, is funded by the Regional Fisheries and Livelihood Programme in the Philippines (RFLP PHI) of the Food and Agriculture Office of the United Nations.

4. Household Hazardous Waste Baseline Study : Towards Developing Information, Education and Communication Strategies for Addressing Household Hazardous Wastes in Cebu City

This project is in partnership with Ban Toxics! and the Cebu City Government through the Office of City Councilor Ma. Nida Cabrera. The purpose of the survey is to determine common hazardous items found in the household, including storage and disposal practices, in order to recommend policy measures for the proper management of household hazardous wastes. The baseline survey will serve as a basis for crafting an ordinance for the proper management of hazardous wastes in Cebu City and for the development of information, education and communication (IEC) materials. The survey has already been completed and the project is entering its second phase which is IEC development.

5. Socio-economic Survey Component of the Danajon Bank Marine Park Project

Coastal Conservation and Education Foundation Inc. (CCEF), a non-governmental organization that works for the conservation and wise management of coastal and marine environments, contracted A2D Project to do the Socio-economic survey component of the Danajon Bank Marine Park Project. The study aims to enhance the quality of life for resource users/stakeholders in Danajon Bank through effective management of a large-scale marine protected area (MPA) with a view of improving conditions of habitats and fisheries, and establishment of economic development opportunities. The results of the socio-economic baseline data will be used to inform the creation of the Danajon Bank Marine Park Governance Framework and Marine Park Management Master Plan. This project is currently ongoing.

6. Examining Participatory Local Governance Practices in the Visayas and Mindanao

“Participation” is an important concept in local governance, policy and development discourse in the Philippines. However, the degree to which participation is carried out and the ways it is defined by different actors vary. These differences have created problems as to how participation is understood and enacted by stakeholders at the local level.

As such, there is a need to understand the dynamics of “participation” in the context of local governance. More specifically, it is critical to understand the process through which it operates in order to identify problems, gaps and unintended consequences of participatory local governance (PLG). This is complicated by the fact that “participation” has become a buzzword in development, its usage has become unreflexive, overlooking the fact that participation is a product of structure-agency interactions.

Much has been said about the role of non-government organizations (NGOs) in participatory local governance, but little is known about how the process of participation and its outcomes are critically examined. By focusing on the processes of PLG, including successes as well as challenges, this study will shed light not just on the pitfalls of “participation” but also on the lessons learned.

The challenge, therefore, is to understand how knowledge by stakeholders is translated into practice in order to tease out the gaps, assumptions and issues related to PLG. This can only be done if we look at the micro processes of how participation is practiced at the local level.

Lastly, this study will make a contribution to our understanding of participation and how it may be effectively used by developments agents.

7. Solid Waste Management and Livelihood Alternatives for Waste Pickers in Cebu City

With the closure of the Inayawan Landfill in Cebu City, the issue of displacement and loss of livelihood among waste pickers living off the landfill was highlighted. This research aimed to look at the socio-economic impacts of the closure on waste pickers in Inayawan, to investigate how waste pickers perceive/view their situation in relation to the closure, and to propose policy recommendations/options to the Cebu City Government for addressing the problem. This exploratory study was completed in May 2011.