ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an overview of the effectiveness of international and domestic disaster risk reduction strategies, post-disaster reconstruction and poverty alleviation post Typhoon Yolanda. It discusses points on the extent to which the various concerned actors/agencies have managed to support families and communities in building their own recovery. The chapter presents a series of recommendations on how to work with various stakeholder groups to improve disaster recovery and mitigation strategies. Most importantly, various stakeholders should not lose sight of what well-being means in terms of the proactive provision of basic needs and the protection of social life and dignity. ‘Top-down’ donor-driven strategies may fail to account for local socio-economic and environmental realities. Community is an important component of the Philippines’ everyday life. Political leadership is a key aspect of effective governance. Foreign and international agencies played an important role in the Yolanda response efforts.
