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Let’s Map and Weave Local Safety Nets Ahead of Disasters

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Before the pandemic started in 2020, we had to run a Permaculture Design Course for grassroots leaders in disasters that we knew we could not help out during the Taal volcano relief. Thus, we gathered together different changemakers working for community kitchens, breast milk donations, mental health support, and humanitarian coordination to rapidly prototype scalable collaborations. Before we could implement them, a global pandemic started. Thankfully, the people of Taal were finally able to go home after alert levels were reduced. This experience made us realize our niche and identify, we are neither informal aid nor formal aid since we aim to go beyond aid by designing for resilience and regeneration. We are also not a humanitarian organization, but we are ecosystem enablers and weavers to support collaborations for impact through awareness-based systems change. 

In the last two years, we thought about how we could scale this experience for future disasters in the Philippines, where we face intensifying severe weather and even a rise in sea levels 3x faster than the global average due to climate emergencies. 

We are now giving birth to a mapping and matchmaking platform that weaves needs and offers across informal or mutual aid actors to bridge the gap that formal aid providers can’t meet. After repeated cycles and intensifying levels of response needed over the years, we aim to uplift the spirit of Bayanihan in the Philippines that fosters community-led and inclusive efforts to respond to emergencies. 

RELEAF.COMMUNITY is an online ecosystem that maps and weaves regenerative initiatives and communities fostering mutual aid collaborations as local safety nets in times of disruption. It is an online Mapping and Matchmaking Platform that weaves needs and offers across mutual (informal) aid actors to bridge the gap that formal aid providers can’t meet. It is a Design Lab for Resilience and Regeneration that brings together formal and informal humanitarian innovators addressing regenerative aid solutions as disaster response and preparedness to scale for systemic impact. It is an Ecosystem for Regeneration in the absence of emergencies, we wish to map regenerative efforts across the country to localize solutions and promote the shift from sustainable to regenerative development. Aside from serving as a database, it is a community of practice for regeneration in the country.

Here’s how you can collaborate:

If you have a NEED for assistance and support for communities affected. 

We request that you:

  1. 1. Are an SEC/CDA- Registered organization (or with business permits for social enterprises) in the Philippines
  2. 2. Have a landing page for direct donations to be channeled to your registered bank accounts or donation channels
  3. 3. Have partners or initiatives doing mutual aid on the ground 
  4. 4. Can receive and deliver donations on their behalf
  5. 5. Can report donations made within the next 3-6 months. 
  6. 6. Help us promote the platform through your network. 
  7. 7. Work with our team of volunteers who will be your support system to help map and match

Green Releaf Initiative, The Philippines

Green Releaf Initiative’s mission is to transform the narrative of disaster risk reduction (DRR) by “designing for resilience and regeneration”. We promote place-based learning by developing learning sites for ecosystem restoration using regenerative design. We weave ecosystems of collaborations across sectors and stakeholders in a landscape to lead together in designing and implementing their regeneration goals. We strive to restore and regenerate natural and human habitats through nature-based solutions that heal our relationship with the earth. We at Green Releaf believe that a whole-systems approach can bring about healing and transformation on the personal, collective, and planetary levels.

Cover picture credit: Jilson Tiu

MIBNP Ecosystem Restoration Project, Philippines

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This project is about efficiently using permaculture to restore a sustainable bio-cultural landscape in Mts Iglit-Baco National Park, Mindoro, Philippines

In cooperation with D’Abboville Foundation, Philippine Permaculture Association is exploring ways how to apply a permaculture lens while bridging indigenous people’s well-being and a dwindling tamaraw (endemic buffalo) population in the natural park. The focus is on practicing ecosystem restoration approaches on a granted 6 ha grassland and finding ways to feed park rangers without bringing in processed foods from the outside. 

Drone shot of 6 hectares of grassland under conversion

Here, we use permaculture design to connect existing components and enhance their relationship in order to create better responses. It is a gentle, yet quick approach to allow nature to bounce back. In the grassland, we’ve created bio-diverse islands, swales, firebreaks and we surrounded existing pioneer species with other trees to grow together in a strong bond. In succession, we also created small water impounding with overflow water from an existing water tank so no resources will be discarded. Biomass from the nearby ranger station is scattered around the trees to hasten the growth of microbes and mycelium in the soil.

Drone shot of the ranger station

Within the premises of the ranger station, we use a permaculture systems approach to create productive and intensive gardens that will feed the rangers and supplement some of their needs with locally made soap and food processing from crops grown on-site that allow for storage during lean times. Renewable energy components like solar and hydropower are supplying the energy needed to run the ranger station. 

During the initial restoration approach, the Tao-build are observers and critique the processes we undertake as it evolves. The purpose is to share without imposing new ways of doing things. The project is setting into motion a long-term dialogue between people and responses from the natural world.

Bert Peeters. Philippines Permaculture Association, Philippines.

Born in Belgium, Bert has been in the Philippines since 1989. He worked in the education sector and has been hosting groups, individuals, professionals, and volunteers in the Philippines on a regular basis ever since. Later he started designing products to improve living conditions for people in rural areas. He developed and set up development projects with Tribal communities in several places of the Philippines for over more than 15 years. He studied and developed synergy models between nature and design. System thinking is Bert’s motivation in cooperating with people in order to elevate design to a sustainable development level. The Permaculture framework is his favorite design method and approach for combining available natural sources and simple technologies into relevant and sustainable design solutions. At present, he is training people to develop skills and to take (in a positive way) charge of the changes happening in their environment. Bert has been the coordinator for a volunteer network and an international solidarity network. Later he became the program coordinator for a foreign-supported development program.

In 2000, he started the permaculture development site of Cabiokid foundation in Cabiao, Nueva Ecija, and he also founded the Philippine Permaculture Association. At present, he is part of a team that works towards a well-rooted permaculture fabric and membership base in the Philippines.

From Climate Ambition to Rethinking Climate Vulnerability

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A Post COP26 Reflection as GENOA delegate. Written by Sarah Queblatin, GEN Regional Representative & Ambassador.

As I write this, almost 3 million Filipinos who were directly affected are waking up to the devastating aftermath of Supertyphoon Odette which intensified from Category 1 to Category 5 in 24 hours ripping through islands in the central and southern part of the Philippines. Given my time zone difference, I realized it is still December 16, the same day that Supertyphoon Washi / Sendong triggered a deadly flash flood in Cagayan de Oro City, nine years ago in 2011 which was my first experience in responding to disasters. I am in Findhorn Ecovillage in the north of Scotland after the COP26 in Glasgow and I look back to why the ecovillage model has been central to my approach to transforming the narrative of DRR (or Disaster Risk Reduction) into that of Designing for Resilience and Regeneration). You can listen to my podcast on this as interviewed by Morag Gamble.

Responding to the flash floods after typhoon Washi through psycho social support assistance was my first introduction to humanitarian recovery. Today, a decade later, I am now with my own organization, Green Releaf Initiative, a partner of the Global Ecovillage Network, working with the same approach integrated in permaculture gardens in disaster recovery and an innovation lab on ecosystem restoration underway.

Joining the Ecovillage Movement and GEN

After typhoon Washi, I was burning out from ensuring we meet large numbers of participants over delivering quality in the sessions we needed to design to adapt to the realities firsthand. I asked myself, “how might we heal broken systems without the same factors that caused them in the first place?” Then the response that emerged was to come from wholeness where a whole systems approach through regenerative design started unfolding for me. It brought me back to my interest to study ecovillage and permaculture design in my 20s. So I was naturally drawn to join a healing ecovillage in the Philippines in 2012. A year later, Supertyphoon Haiyankilled over 7,000 people and displaced thousands of Filipinos. I volunteered to help in one of the affected villages together with permaculture and ecovillage designers. 

A year later, I joined the Global Ecovillage Network Oceania and Asia then was invited to work for the UN Working Group of GEN International which evolved into a role as Advocacy Coordinator from 2015-2017. This role enabled me to help GEN in its representation and work with the United Nations where it has a consultative status in the UN ECOSOC and a civil society observer for the Conference of Parties (COP) for the Climate Change conferences. I was able to represent GEN from the 21st – 24th and now the 26th COP. Working with former GEN Executive Director Kosha Joubert, GEN UN Representative Rob Wheeler, and representatives from each region, we engaged with government leaders, civil society groups, and other movements relevant to the cause of regeneration that GEN modeled in lighthouse projects and communities from its network of 6,000 members around the world. 

Coming from one of the most climate vulnerable nations and regions in the world where climate emergencies have been taking place with growing intensity over the years, being able to share our voice and work has been a privilege and opportunity. With GEN’s Ecovillage Development Program, we explored how communities can model low carbon lifestyles that restore social and ecological ecosystems that can meet the Paris agreement goals and the SDGs through participatory design. 

Below are some of the events that I participated in at the COP26 in Glasgow as a GENOA delegate.

GENOA Participation

As part of the GEN delegation, representing Oceania and Asia, I helped share our GEN partnership for ecovillage development in an indigenous community affected by Super Typhoon Haima/ Lawin in the Philippines from 2017-2020 through Green Releaf’s Regenerative Transitions program. Our story served as a case study in our interactive presentation for the Capacity Building Hub on “Using Participatory Approaches to Design Robust, Community-Led Climate Action” together with Anna Kovasna and Taisa Mattos. You can watch the presentation here.

GEN partnered with Gaia Education at the COP26 Gender Day for the exhibit “Women, Power and Entrepreneurship in the Climate Change Age“. The day-long exhibition was curated by Gaia Education, Artists Project Earth (APE), Global Ecovillage Network and LUSH UK – in partnership with women from the Federation of Tribal Women of Orissa, THREAD, Bangladesh Association for Sustainable Development, L’Arcolaio Cooperativa Sociale, Saterê Mawê Craftswomen Association and many other communities. You can read more about it here. 

As GENOA representative to the UNDP Conscious Food Systems Alliance (CoFSA), I helped co-facilitate a Climate Emotions session together with other CoFSA members, One Resilient Earth and the Institute for Advanced Sustainable Studies. You can read my story here. 

It was also meaningful to be able to share about my reflections and learnings from working with climate vulnerable indigenous and displaced communities through an interview by the Pocket Project through its CEO, GEN International’s former Executive Director Kosha Joubert as part of its Trauma Informed Climate Leadership events at the COP26. You can access the recording here along with other speakers from the network including May East of Gaia Education, Sonita Mbah, and Sabine Lichtenfels. 

To generate support for scaling our prototype for REGEN-Nations Whole Systems Co-Learning Journey and Regenerative Design Lab for GENOA, I participated in relevant side events that could provide updated information and possible ways to channel resources to the project. 

After the COP26, I was invited by the Philippine Misereor Partnership, the conveners of the Rights of Nature movement in the country to share about my insights for their session on “What Now After the COP26?” Preparing for this talk helped me put into words what I recommend as ways we go forward beyond COP26. You can watch the video here. 

As we face the aftermath of supertyphoon Rai / Odette in the Philippines leaving almost a million people displaced and almost 400 dead, I think about a deeper meaning of climate vulnerability and how it can differ from climate ambition. Now on my 5th COP, I reflected deeper on the role of regenerative leadership after realizing over time that there already exists so many solutions but how we make these solutions work depend greatly on our inner condition of the leader and the worldview s/he has that influences the design of a system. For me, a reframe on “climate vulnerability” is to truly lead with empathy and authenticity in our leadership versus the shadow of the term “climate ambition”. The latter has the danger of falling into lofty goals that may lose integrity when words can’t be fulfilled into actions given that many agreements and statements are made during climate conferences yet the real actions and delivery are slow or may not be completed at all. Many climate vulnerable nations like mine and the region have witnessed these failures of agreements and commitments over time and we need to show up fully in ways that could bring regenerative leadership in our design for resilience and regeneration. We hope one of the ways we can offer this to the region is through the leadership component of REGEN-Nations coming up with its 2nd cycle in 2022. Click here to learn more and to sign up. You can also support the program’s fundraising efforts by donating or sharing this campaign. 

About the Author

Sarah Queblatin. GEN Regional Representative & Ambassador, The Philippines

Sarah is a regenerative design strategist weaving collective experiences in peacebuilding, traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) conservation, environmental education, and humanitarian assistance for 15 years. She designs inclusive ecosystems of collaboration through innovation labs and learning journeys to transform the narrative of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) into Design for Resilience and Regeneration. She is trained in Ecovillage Design and Ecosystem Restoration Design and holds a merit diploma and advanced certificate in Permaculture Design. Prior to founding Green Releaf Initiative in the Philippines, Sarah has worked with GEN as a representative to the UN Climate Conferences, served as a global trustee, regional council member, and currently, as a wisdom keeper for GENOA. Sarah also helped incubate GEN’s EmerGENcies Program and GENOA’s REGEN Nations. With a background in ecopsychology and transformative artmaking, she applies a trauma-informed understanding of resilience in her work with climate and conflict vulnerable communities in Asia and the Pacific region.

The Green Unconference 2021: Transition Journeys

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The year was 2015. The first TGU 2015 gathering was in Manila, Philippines. A simple and soulful act by friends, with Karla and Amena wishing to weave their world for healing and wellness. The seed was sown for TGU 2017 and TGU 2019. A biennial gathering, a celebration of all things green, nurturing life with compassion, courage, consciousness, and collaborations. 

The Green Unconference 2019

Now in this time of the pandemic, we are being called on to transition to a way of life that supports our collective health & wellbeing.  

In this time of climate crisis, we are being called on to transition to living in a way our planet can thrive.  

The Green Unconference 2021 is a gathering of intergenerational earth carers, wisdom keepers, healers, activists, regenerators, regen-preneurs, creatives, reimagining and making change happen to birth the new healed humanity and transition our earth to a beautiful world we all know in our hearts is possible. 

This year’s theme is Transition Journeys, and we are partnering with groups who are already transitioning and inspiring others to transition. 

Official partners are

GENOA -Global Ecovillage Network Oceania & Asia 

Kai Farms

Kids for Kids 

Lokal Lab Siargao

MAD Travel

Our timing and themes coincide with the COP26 Climate Conference October 31-November 12, 2021

We are collaborating with many people and groups all over the Philippines, India, Australia, and beyond. 

Our line-up includes online as well as face-to-face events where they are possible. We are also curating transition travel journeys next year when possible. These journeys will allow immersion in projects and interaction with people and communities that are supporting regeneration at the grassroots. 

TGU is a call for friendship, to regenerate our relationships and live from a place of unified loving awareness in service to the wellness of all life. 

We welcome you to journey with us for the kind of joyful, radical collaboration these times call for. 
We are supporting and energizing a culture of gifting. Registration is free. We welcome participants to gift what their heart desires. Funds raised will go towards supporting the regenerative community projects of partners.

Road to Aryada: Tuning in to the Needs of an Indigenous Community

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Aryada is the sort of place that’s best described as “picture postcard perfect.” An Aeta indigenous village, about a four hour drive north of Manila, in Bataan, Aryada is nestled in the midst of gently rolling hills and lush green vegetation.

When I first hiked here in January 2018 on a perfect blue sky day, my first impression of this community of 75 people was one of immense respect because it was clear they were living in perfect harmony with nature; clearly an area in which we city dwellers have a lot to learn.
Without saying a word, without even meeting anyone, I recall learning a key lesson: indegineous people and their traditional knowledge of deeply respecting nature has to be replicated at scale if we have to build a better planet and a sustainable future for our children.

That eventful day itself, I pledged to learn more from the people of Aryada. My learning, I decided, had to begin with listening.

As a first step in my journey, I got in  touch with the National Commission on Indigenous People (NCIP), a national government agency, to help me formally make contact with the village’s chieftain, Ophelia Devilia. 

After obtaining her consent and support, I began my meetings. Resident after resident told me they deeply valued their traditional way of life as hunters and gatherers. Furthermore, there was a deeply held community desire to protect nature. At all costs.

As the conversations progressed, villagers expressed a need for a solar powered battery-charging station. This, I learnt, would help each household charge a small battery, which they owned, so they could play music, watch DVDs on laptops and have some light after sunset. 

Once we had established our mutual goals we met with the Local Government Unit (LGU) to get their blessings. At this point, we also formally signed a Memorandum of Agreement and I established contact with a renewable energy solutions provider, SolarSolutions and two of its co-founders, Raffy Concepcion and Rey Guerrero.

With their agreement, we began executing the will of the people of Aryada in earnest. SolarSolutions sent a field representative, Rick Laping, to stay in the village, gather detailed information on the residents and build a relationship with the community. 

But this was more than just a fact finding mission and we all needed to be very mindful of personal safety. We were made aware of the presence of rebels (New People’s Army) in this region, who we were informed can sometimes `intervene’ if they perceive communities were being “exploited.’’

Luckily we were left to ourselves and our interactions established that our best chance of success would be to adopt a social entrepreneurship approach. 

In line with this vision, we set up a 1kwp solar powered battery-charging station. We then trained two community leaders as operators. Additionally, the chieftain and treasurer were appointed as custodians of the money, which the community would contribute to the charging station. 

It was mission critical for our project to have development impact. And it did. For instance, prior to the project, villagers traveled several miles to the closest town for their charging needs. Now they could charge their batteries and mobile phones in their own mountain community more conveniently and at half the cost. 

All successful projects require a governance structure. As such, with the input of the community, we set up a maintenance fund. It was also agreed that the fund would be utilized for the upkeep of the equipment, repairs, and other emergency purposes. In consultation with the community, it was also decided that cash contributed to the fund was to be regularly deposited into a bank account. Another key administrative requirement was to make routine trips to the project to ensure all of the equipment and the project itself was functioning smoothly. 

On some of these trips, I expected to hear that the community would be most excited about having access to electricity. However, I was thrilled to hear residents were pumped about the bank savings account. That’s when I learnt of the struggles indigenous communities endure in trying to open bank accounts. As a former banker, I was pleased to learn that the community was truly empowered by a passbook savings account. It was a humbling, yet heady moment.

Due to the extended and strict lockdown in Manila, I’ve been unable to visit the community. Despite this, my thoughts frequently wander to the community of Aryada, nestled in the beautiful Mariveles mountains with breathtaking views of Manila Bay. I know I will visit Chieftain Ophelia Devilia and her beautiful people again. Until then, I wish them good health and peace.

Dolma Bedi-Bindra is a former international banker, turned social entrepreneur who has lived and worked across North America, Africa and Asia. Dolma taught rural sustainable entrepreneurship in Western Kenya and has worked to empower women and youth in rural communities. She currently lives in Manila, Philippines where she continues to design projects to empower marginalized communities.

  • Road to Aryada with spectacular views of Manila Bay
  • Project handover from Dolma Bedi-Bindra to Ophelia Devilia
  • Children of Aryada welcoming the installation of solar panels in their village
  • Solar-power instalation in Aryada

About the Author

Dolma Bedi-Bindra is a former international banker, turned social entrepreneur who has lived and worked across North America, Africa, and Asia. Dolma taught rural sustainable entrepreneurship in Western Kenya and has worked to empower women and youth in rural communities. She currently lives in Manila, the Philippines where she continues to design projects to empower marginalized communities. She is also a GEN Ambassador.