The Center for Disaster Preparedness (CDP), in partnership with the Global Network of Civil Society Organizations for Disaster Reduction (GNDR), is implementing an action research entitled “Views from the Frontline Pilot”. Views from the Frontline (VFL) is a long-standing community consultation process that GNDR, in partnership with various organizations all over the world, has implemented in intervals since 2009. The goal for VFL Pilot is to strengthen the inclusion and collaboration between governments, at-risk people, and civil society in the design and implementation of policies and practices to reduce disaster risk and strengthen resilience.
From January 30 to February 2, 2018, a Regional Training Workshop was held in Tongatapu to capacitate the National Coordinating Organizations, the Center for Disaster Preparedness (CDP) and Tonga Community Development Trust (TCDT), on the methodologies of the VFL Pilot.
From March 14 to 16, 2018, CDP cascaded its learnings from the Regional Training Workshop to its five (5) partner organizations under the VFL Pilot: Buklod Tao, Ecosystems Work for Essential Benefits, Eastern Visayas State University, Philippine Red Cross Cagayan Chapter, and Sorsogon Integrated Health Services Foundation Inc.
From March to May 2018, these partner organizations will be conducting key informant interviews, focus group discussions, and surveys in at-risk communities in the Philippines to be able to gather their views on the hazards and risks in their communities and the corresponding consequences, barriers, and proposed actions; as well as their perspectives on inclusive risk governance and enabling environment within their areas.
VFL Pilot survey results are expected to inform local level action planning to improve community resilience and wellbeing. At the national level, multi-stakeholder feedback workshop is expected to lead to improved risk reduction and resilience policies and practice.
From the VFL Pilot in Tonga and in the Philippines, the VFL is expected to be rolled out by GNDR to 48 other countries in 2018, with results presented in the Global Platform in Geneva in 2019.
