The World Bank is providing a $700-million loan to strengthen community resilience for 18 million households in the Philippines, the bank said Friday.
The loan, extended through an International Bank for Reconstruction and Development facility, is part of the Philippines Community Resilience Project’s total cost of $874.35 million. The Philippine government will cover the remaining $174.35 million.
The project, also known as “Pagkilos” (action), aims to reduce the vulnerability of about 18 million households to natural disasters through enhanced community-led planning and infrastructure investments.
It will engage communities in identifying climate and natural hazard risks and developing resilience plans. Prioritized initiatives will receive implementation grants, focusing 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 in a statement.
“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,” said Mustafaoğlu.
Resilience investments under Pagkilos may include flood and drought mitigation, landslide and slope protection, surge protection and breakwaters, windbreakers, and retrofitting existing infrastructure to withstand extreme weather events. The project will also support erosion control, agroforestry, and other nature-based solutions for ecosystem conservation, such as community forests, wetlands, marshes and waterways.
The project supports solutions that can promote more resilient livelihoods and practices, including the adoption of 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,” said Fallesen.
Pagkilos will provide technical support, training and capacity building to community volunteer groups and local government units to enhance their ability to plan and respond to climate challenges and manage sub-projects.
The project will prioritize 500 climate-vulnerable municipalities across 49 provinces, selected based on high poverty incidence and significant exposure to climate hazards. It will support 177 municipalities with an indigenous population of 10 percent or more, aiding about 33 percent of the country’s total indigenous population.
To ensure inclusive and equitable resilience efforts, the project specifically targets vulnerable populations, including indigenous peoples, women and beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will lead the project’s implementation through a community-driven development approach, focusing on the voluntary engagement of vulnerable citizens in poor communities for local planning, budgeting, and subproject implementation.
The Philippines ranks at the top of the World Risk Index due to its high vulnerability and exposure to cyclical extreme events, making it one of the most disaster-prone countries globally.
Key natural hazards include typhoons, floods, droughts, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions. In 2023, 2.1 million of 2.6 million disaster-related displacements were attributed to two major climate-induced hydroclimatic events: typhoons and floods.
