Road to recovery: a community’s effort to rebuild shelters post-disaster

Coping mechanisms in disaster-stricken communities of Cotabato City vary in every household. While some take the biggest blow on their livelihoods, others are left with damaged properties and struggle to put back roofs over their heads.

Such is the case for Alibai Mangintas, 23, of Barangay Tamontaka 2, Cotabato City.  In the past decade, her family’s home sat in the lowest area of the barangay and endured recurring floodwaters that took months to recede. 

“Noong nagsimulang bumaha sa may looban, lumikas na kami dito sa highway. Mahirap na po dahil umaabot sa lampas ulo ng tao ang tubig-baha doon. Wala kaming bangka kaya inunahan na namin. Dito kami sa kalsada, nag-tent lang kami gamit ang mga trapal .” [When floodwaters started to rise, we went to the highway. Floods usually rise above our heads and we didn’t have a boat for immediate evacuation so we went here a bit sooner. We stayed here in set-up tents using old tarpaulins.]

It was in 2020 when her house finally gave out. The unusually heavy rains and strong winds took a toll on their wooden house so she and her husband, Datu, along with their only child sought refuge at the highway roadside and lived in a tent for two months.   

When the heavy rains stopped, they returned to check what was left of their house. With nothing but a pile of wood and metals, what they thought was a temporary displacement turned out to be an opportunity to seek shelter away from the inlands. 

Together with other families who experienced the same, they decided to stay on the roadside and build their new homes there. The unplanned relocation was a community initiative where, with nothing but donations of wood and used roofing, the families helped build each other’s houses. 

A couple of months later, another tropical cyclone hit Cotabato City. But this time around, the Strengthening Urban Preparedness through Pre-emptive Action in BARMM (SUPPA-BARMM) Project has already started interventions and assistance to the communities. 

Alibai received PhP5,000 through the project which she used for recovery expenses and supplies for future emergencies. 

“Nagbayad ako ng utang, bumili ng bigas at tubig. Kinumpleto namin ang mga kailangan sa bahay.” [I used the money to pay debt, buy rice and drinking water, and secure household supplies.]

Even in a slightly better condition, Alibai is still on her toes whenever heavy rains hit Cotabato City. To this day, she makes sure to replenish their supplies and rely on information from the barangay.