Participation of Youth Councils in Local-Level HFA Implementation in Infanta and Makati, Philippines and Its Policy Implications

Abstract

The youth are recognized to have enormous potential in addressing concerns like disaster risk reduction (DRR) because of their energy and number. In the 2010 DRR law of the Philippines, the government is encouraging youth participation in DRR activities, such as in organizing quick response groups, as well as in the inclusion of DRR in youth council projects. To investigate the extent of youth participation in DRR, questionnaire surveys and interviews were conducted in 36 villages of Infanta Municipality and 33 villages of Makati City. Respondents were asked to rate their involvement in and prioritization of the village-level implementation of 20 relevant Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) tasks and to share details about their past, present, and future DRR activities. The study finds that although youth councils place high importance to almost all of the HFA tasks, few youth councils have a clear understanding of what is expected of them. Research findings show that little has been done to actually involve the youth in DRR in their community, especially in villages where youth councils did not allocate DRR funds. This study tries to contribute to empirical research on the visibility and significance of the roles of young people in DRR.