Coping with Flooding: Local Responses of Communities in Brgy. Malinta, Los Baños to Climatic Hazard

This participatory research was conducted in lieu of the Laguna provincial government’s hazard map where the community was identified as flood free. However, the recent flooding in the community revealed that this flooding is not a new occurrence. The study sought to determine the history of flooding in the area, extent of its effect on the households and the community as well as the coping strategies employed. Participatory tools and techniques such as village walk, historical timeline, participatory mapping, Venn diagram, livelihood analysis, and SWOT were used to gather data. The participatory mapping revealed that the most recent flooding affected 472 households and reached as high as 5 feet in some areas. The historical analysis showed that typhoons from 2006-2012 resulted in the longest the worst flooding affecting the village. The study documented how the local communities responded to the series of flooding with the hope that it will raise awareness in the provincial government to update its map and correspondingly provide measures to reduce community vulnerability. The recommendations include a preparation of an IEC for disaster preparedness and disaster response plan to help the community proactively address flooding.