Living in a disaster-prone area presents immense challenges. To mitigate the adverse effects of such events, awareness and sufficient knowledge in disaster mitigation are crucial. Unfortunately, only a few individuals possess the necessary understanding and skills to effectively reduce disaster risk.
Mario Palattao is one of them. Fully aware of his home town’s susceptibility to typhoons, he immersed himself in a series of workshops focused on disaster mitigation. Through these endeavours, he acquired the knowledge and skills needed to make a tangible difference in his community. Mario’s unwavering dedication ultimately transformed him into a change-making leader within his community.
Starting Anew: From Pastor to Farmer
Three years ago, Mario bid farewell to his lifelong role as a missionary pastor and made the life-changing decision to return to his home town in Brgy. Mabuno, Gattaran, Cagayan Province, Philippines. With a sense of responsibility for the land his mother once cultivated, he embarked on a new journey as a farmer.
Excitement filled Mario’s heart as he embraced this new journey. Little did he anticipate that a seemingly ordinary blessing like rainfall could lead to destruction and crop failure. Lacking a sustainable irrigation system, he found himself at the mercy of unpredictable weather patterns. Consequently, his planting seasons, reliant solely on rainfall, were perpetually limited to May and December. Tragically, it was during these periods that typhoons frequently struck his region.
For Mario and fellow farmers in the area, the looming threat of typhoons and the constant threat of crop failure became an annual ritual. Throughout the years, countless typhoons, including the devastating Haima, Mangkhut, Vamco, and Chanthu, wreaked havoc on their crops. Compounding their challenges was the constant presence of flash floods that plagued the area. Geographically situated in the lowest part of the province, their village of Mabuno was known as the Watershed area.
Despite these ceaseless hardships, Mario’s enthusiasm remained unswerving. With the assistance of his eldest son, he wholeheartedly tended to their cornfield, nestled on a steep hill. He proudly shared that, except for two devastating typhoons that wiped out most of their corn, they had never experienced a failed harvest. However, the consequences of these setbacks were significant, as Mario and his family were left to navigate the hardships of the COVID-19 pandemic without any source of earnings.
Awakening Amidst COVID-19
The relentless COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly impacted communities worldwide, and Mario and his wife were no exception. They experienced the virus first-hand, enduring the quarantine and a month-long recovery period, which further exacerbated the financial strain on their family.
However, instead of succumbing to despair, Mario made a bold decision. He seized the opportunity to participate in a transformational training program called “Improved Adaptation Capacities of At-risk Coastal Communities in Indonesia and the Philippines through Inclusive Community-based Action and Learning Project” that was held across three cities in Cagayan Province—Amulung, Gattaran, and Sta. Ana—and organized by ACCORD Incorporated, Bintari Foundation, and Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund (ASB) Indonesia and the Philippines.
Funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and ASB, the 1,000,0008.00 Euro project aimed to increase the capacity of 21 communities in 6 municipalities/districts in the Philippines and Indonesia to adequately anticipate, adapt, and respond to the risks of climate change and extreme weather.
Through the project, Mario and 19 other beneficiaries underwent comprehensive training in building resilient livelihoods and had the opportunity to forge networks and collaborate on creating alternative sources of resilience. Reflecting on the impact of the training, Mario expressed how it revitalized his morale and restored his self-confidence. Despite the challenges posed by his physical disability and the recurrent typhoons that plagued his region, Mario remains motivated to deepen his knowledge of effective leadership.
“I have learned a lot, and there is much more I need to learn to become a better leader,” he shared, reminiscing about the valuable lessons he gained from the training.
Fate-Changing Fish Pond
After a series of meetings and training, Mario and the other beneficiaries embark on a tilapia pond, a low-maintenance yet high-yield livelihood that only requires orderly feeding throughout the day. Recognizing Mario’s leadership qualities, he was entrusted with the role of group leader to ensure smooth coordination within the group.
Five months after constructing the tilapia fish pond, they had over 100 kilos of fish ready for sale from the 4,000 fingerlings they had initially purchased earlier. The fish was marketed at PHP 130 per kilo, and the profits were distributed every December, with 70% allocated for maintaining the fish pond and the remaining 30% divided among the members.
However, their newfound success was soon met with a significant setback. When typhoon Chanthu (locally known as Kiko) struck Cagayan in September 2021, a portion of the fish pond eroded due to the intense rainfall. A section of the still-soft soil began to sink, posing a risk of complete collapse.
To preserve the fish pond, Mario promptly gathered the six members of the livelihood group residing in their purok, an informal administrative division that often serves as a unit for delivering services and administration within a barangay, and sought advice from the Gattaran Local Government Unit (LGU). To minimize potential losses if their fish pond continued to erode, they decided to sell most of the successfully grown tilapia.
Through careful calculations, they determined that selling 4-5 fish per kilo could be equivalent to selling 6-8 fish per kilo, ensuring profitability. This estimation was based on the adequate size of their tilapia, which had not acquired the undesirable taste known as nasuprak, an Ilocano term describing fish that are larger but have a muddy flavour.
Fortunately, armed with the knowledge they had gained about disaster risk reduction during the training, they were able to prevent the total erosion of their pond on the adjacent slope. Their resilience and adaptability had saved their livelihood from complete devastation.
Mitigate Aftershocks
Determined to prevent future incidents, Mario and his colleagues implemented the knowledge they gained during the training by developing a comprehensive mitigation plan. The plan aims to reduce the risk of complete loss, and one of the strategies is to strengthen the soil structure around their fish ponds.
Furthermore, to increase active participation and engagement in the next cycle, Mario and his team plan to further explore the dynamics of their livelihood group. He also intends to expand the fish pond, which would allow him to assist a broader range of neighbours and community members in Brgy. Mabuno.
“As long as we maintain our enthusiasm and continue to improve our relationship, everything will change for the better. We want this livelihood to thrive,” said Mario with a twinkle in his eyes.
With his perseverance and willingness to learn and take on a leadership role, Mario has transcended the limitations imposed by his physical disability and circumstances. He has grown into a leader who not merely empowers himself, but also works towards improving the quality of life for members of his community.
