A total of 275 households from barangay Barubaybay in Lavezares town were spared from the wrath and destruction of Typhoon Nona when it made landfall in Northern Samar Province, December 14, 2015.

This was made possible due to Kalahi-CIDSS’ 97-Linear meter Seawall which was constructed by the community folks themselves.

“Malaki talaga ang naging tulong ng Seawall na ‘yan sa amin noong bagyo. Kung wala yan, makakapasok ang tubig sa mga kabahayan. Buti na lang at natapos agad namin ito”, Brgy. Sub-Project Management Committee Chairperson Floralde affirmed.

The Kalahi-CIDSS Seawall under the NCDDP (National Community-Driven Development Program) funding which amounts to more than 1 million pesos was completed only last October, exactly two months before Typhoon Nona hit the country.

Before this was constructed, the fear for their family and properties’ safety was the primary problem of the community members in the said village. This was the main reason why the residents chose such project based on their identified issue.

Although battered with the winds of Nona which almost destroyed their houses, people of Barubaybay are very thankful that the said project saved them from possible storm surge and flooding.

“Ito talaga ang kailangan namin. Kaya sa susunod na cycle, mas pahahabain pa namin ang seawall na ito para maka protektar din ng mas marami pang bahay at pamilya.” hopeful Floralde added.

According to Floralde, this only proves that community participation is a crucial component in building resilient communities while empowering the people.