Everyday Adaptation: Community Strategies and the Role of NGO and GO entities in Building Climate Resilience in Padre Burgos, Southern Leyte, Philippines

Abstract

This thesis explores how coastal communities in Padre Burgos, Southern Leyte, Philippines, adapt to the growing impacts of climate change and how governmental and non-governmental entities contribute to building local resilience. As climate variability intensifies, island and coastal communities face disproportionate risks, particularly in livelihoods and infrastructure. Despite national frameworks promoting climate adaptation, implementation remains uneven at the local level. In response, NGOs such as ACCORD have taken a leading role in facilitating community-based programs focused on disaster risk reduction, sustainable livelihoods, and integrated risk management (IRM). However, limited academic research has examined the long-term efficacy and reception of such interventions.

Grounded in a qualitative case study approach, this research combines 23 semi-structured interviews, field observations, and community workshops to examine local perceptions, self-initiated adaptive practices, and the effectiveness of NGO and GO interventions. The analysis is informed by four intersecting frameworks: Resilience Theory, Community-Based Adaptation (CBA), the Sustainable Livelihoods Approach (SLA), and the concept of Everyday Adaptation.

Findings reveal that residents are highly aware of climate change’s multifaceted impacts on daily life, food security, economic stability, and social cohesion. Communities display considerable agency in adapting through livelihood diversification, informal safety nets, environmental stewardship, and local innovation. NGO programs are generally well-received, especially when aligned with community-identified needs and capacities. Nonetheless, concerns regarding dependency, limited follow-up, and uneven access persist.

This study contributes to the broader discourse on locally grounded adaptation by highlighting the dynamic interplay between formal interventions and everyday practices. It underscores the importance of participatory, sustained, and context-sensitive support in fostering resilient futures. Insights from this research offer practical implications for policymakers, NGOs, and practitioners aiming to design adaptive strategies tailored to vulnerable coastal contexts.