BUILDING RESILIENCE NOW AND FOR THE FUTURE: A CASE STUDY OF SAN JOSE IN TACLOBAN CITY AFTER TYPHOON YOLANDA

On November 8th 2013, Typhoon Yolanda hit the Philippines, causing widespread destruction, damage and loss of life. The area of San Jose, in Tacloban City, was particularly hard hit due to its proximity to the coast and flat and low-lying terrain. Through first-hand research carried out in two Barangays within the San Jose area of Tacloban in June 2014 this paper investigates the impact of Yolanda on those living there, framing the investigation through the idea of ‘resilience’, and asks: What were the post-disaster priorities for building resilience for those affected and how do these differ from how resilience is defined in current academia and policy? It finds that resilience for those affected by Yolanda is not something that can easily be measured qualitatively. It is not just based around physical assets but also feeling safe and secure, having the capacity for independence and being included in the rehabilitation process. Given the early recovery context of this research the role of resilience in humanitarian responses is also investigated through the San Jose case study, with findings suggesting there is scope to build resilience during the post disaster phase as well as through longer-term development projects. The paper argues that resilience does not need to be wrapped up in a complicated multi-scale or long-term project to be an effective or relevant approach and that even small measures can make a household or community resilient, especially to immediate and seasonal threats. Small-scale cash transfers, effective and relevant training, capacity building and localised but well-organised evacuation plans can all be effective in building resilience at the community level