Send message to Author

Paper long abstract:

Disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) measures are often challenging to implement in small island communities due to their geographical isolation, limited resources, and heightened exposure to climate change and natural hazards. In the archipelagic province of Tawi-Tawi, located at the southernmost end of the Philippines, local governments face severe inequities in the development of formal DRRM plans due to the highly technical nature of government-mandated documentary requirements. While many international, national, regional, and local DRRM frameworks recognize and promote the inclusion of local adaptations and indigenous knowledge (LINKs) in local DRRM, it is not always clear to local governments and stakeholders how these can be integrated into a required one-size-fits-all DRRM templates, checklists, and implementation plans, often directed for the convenience of governmental mandates. By interrogating established forms of power that defines local relationships and power dynamics, the research aims to develop a Guidance Note for the Municipality of Bongao, Tawi-Tawi, which shall enable and empower local leaders in the preparation, identification, verification, integration, and evaluation of LINKs into formal Barangay DRRM Plans. Through the integration of LINKs that are cognizant of resource constraints, easily transferable throughout each individual community, and encouraging of community participation, DRRM plans can be made more effective, context-sensitive, and implementable in small island communities.