The Need
Catanduanes is one of the most typhoon-exposed provinces in the Philippines, positioned directly in the path of storms entering the Philippine Area of Responsibility. Its communities — many classified as geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDA) — face compounding vulnerabilities: homes made of light materials, high poverty incidence, poor inter-island connectivity, and severely limited access to emergency services and hospitals. Prior to the CRIB project, barangay-level disaster governance was fragile. Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Committees (BDRRMCs) were either non-functional or non-inclusive, contingency plans were absent or outdated, and early warning systems were too weak to reach remote households. The 2020 landfall of Super Typhoon Rolly (Goni) — one of the most powerful tropical cyclones on record — laid bare the cost of these gaps, and reinforced the urgent need to build preparedness that is community-owned, institutionally backed, and able to withstand both the frequency and force of disasters in the region.
The Intervention
ASSIST, commissioned by the American Red Cross, conducted an independent evaluation of the Community Readiness in Bicol (CRIB) Phase II project — a joint initiative between the American Red Cross (AmRC) and the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) implemented since 2020 across 20 communities in Catanduanes. Building on Phase I, CRIB II worked to deepen community-level disaster preparedness at the barangay, household, and school levels; strengthen the institutional capacity of the PRC Catanduanes Chapter; and establish replicable models of community resilience across the province. The evaluation assessed project performance against nine IFRC evaluation criteria — efficiency, timeliness, effectiveness, relevance, coordination, quality, impact, cross-cutting themes, and sustainability. The American Red Cross Disaster Ready Community (DRC) Checklist, guided by the Margaret Ann Cargill Philanthropies Four Determinants Framework (self-organization, ability to take action, knowledge and awareness, and connectivity), served as the primary assessment tool. Data was gathered through 18 focus group discussions across 19 barangays, key informant interviews with AmRC and PRC stakeholders at national and chapter levels, and a review of project documentation spanning 2022–2023.
Country:
Phillippines
SDGs:
Key Priority Area/s:
Food Security & Agriculture
Sustainable Economy & Living
Donor:
American Red Cross
Partners:
Philippine Red Cross (PRC), PRC Catanduanes Chapter, Municipal and Provincial Local Government Units (LGUs) of Catanduanes
80.20%
Overall Disaster Ready Community Index (DRCI) achieved across 20 communities — up from a baseline of 10% — with self-organization rising to 85.77%, ability to take action to 85.71%, knowledge and awareness to 73.18%, and connectivity to 76.14%
Goals Achieved:
5,600+
Community members reached across 19 barangays in 5 municipalities, with 793 BDRRMC members organized and recognized — 49% of whom are women
Goals Achieved:
900+
Individuals trained across CBDRRM, Climate Change Adaptation, and youth readiness programs — including 502 community leaders and 433 youth volunteers — exceeding original targets
Goals Achieved:
40
Mitigation measures delivered across 20 communities — 20 structural (drainage systems, water systems, evacuation centers, solar lights) and 20 non-structural (barangay ordinances and resolutions) — backed by a $510,208 investment at a cost of $6.47 per person
Goals Achieved:
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