Preserving Knowledge, Strengthening Preparedness: Lizel’s Story of Learning and Sharing

Lizel Saynes, a Barangay Health Worker (BHW) from Barangay San Marcelino, shared how the project helped strengthen the knowledge and preparedness of their Indigenous community.

According to Lizel, there was a significant difference before the program was introduced. As Indigenous people, they previously had limited knowledge, particularly regarding disaster-related concerns. However, through the trainings and disaster preparedness activities provided by the project, they gained additional knowledge that they were able to apply in their daily lives and within their community.

She described the opportunity to participate in the trainings as a great help, not only for individuals but also for the wider community. Lizel observed that community members actively participated because they recognized the benefits of the program, especially in helping Indigenous communities prepare for disasters.

One of the most important outcomes for Lizel was the opportunity to share what they had learned with other Indigenous communities. Whenever they visited other Indigenous settlements, they passed on the knowledge and lessons they had gained so that others could also learn and benefit from them.

Lizel also highlighted the value of revisiting traditional Indigenous warning signs. She noted that many Indigenous people have become more dependent on information from radio broadcasts and social media when monitoring weather conditions, causing some traditional warning signs to be forgotten. Through the project, community members were able to consult with Indigenous elders and recall traditional indicators that had been used in the past. By combining these lessons with current practices, the knowledge of community members became broader and more enriched.

She emphasized that the trainings were a great help and that the community and barangay remained open and supportive of the activities. Lizel expressed her sincere gratitude to STPRC, CDRC, and WJR for providing the program and helping their community expand its knowledge and share it with others.

“Thank you very much to everyone who helped us. Through this program, we were able to expand our knowledge and apply what we learned to others. Thank you very much.”