Fundamental of Resilience: UPRI Engages with a Local Community in Naic, Cavite

Article Written By: Franklin Joshua Gali & Edward Andrew Dionido

On January 24, 2026, the UP Resilience Institute (UPRI) joined the Mutual Aid Disaster Relief – Search & Rescue (MADR-SAR PH) in their Resilient Communities Program (RESCOM) at Freedomville, Barangay Bucana, Naic, Cavite. UPRI, represented by Institution Building (IB) REPs Edward Andrew Dionido and Franklin Joshua Gali, were tapped as speakers and facilitators for the event’s activities. Attended by 34 community members, the main objective of the RESCOM is to capacitate vulnerable communities to be able to prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters.

The day began with initial discussions between the UPRI REPs, MADR-SAR representatives, and members of Freedomville Naic, Cavite about the current challenges faced by the community. Carrying the takeaways from these discussions, the MADR-SAR team, composed of Jassim Guila, Roxane Guila, Benjie Mansago, and Yno Avera, provided facilitated discussions on DRRM-related topics. From the role of communities in building resilience utilizing first aid kids, these discussions were designed to provide the audience the basics for disaster preparedness.

UPRI REPs Franklin Joshua Gali and Edward Dionido contributed to these engagements by facilitating the discussion on the Fundamentals of Resilience. This included a breakdown of key concepts, the disaster risk equation, and the various types of hazards. Throughout these different topics, the Freedomville community was also given the opportunity to share their own insights and perspectives on the points being discussed.

Between these lectures, workshops were also conducted that provided participants hands-on activities for identifying hazards and resources in their community. The UPRI Reps were tasked with assisting in the facilitation of this activity by providing guidance on the necessary details. The outputs of these workshops were then shared to the wider group for critique and recommendations.

As a penultimate activity, a free market was set-up where participants were given the option to select a set of clothes to be taken home. The event concluded with a message of commitment from MADR-SAR PH to the continued support of Freedomville community initiatives. The representatives of the UPRI shared this message in solidarity, emphasizing the institution’s commitment to assisting Filipino communities towards resilience.