Manila: Aeronautics company Airbus and non-governmental organization Asia Society for Social Improvement and Sustainable Transformation (ASSIST) have recently partnered to launch the Resilient Communities Program in Barangay 649 Baseco, Port Area, Manila. The program, which aims to strengthen disaster preparedness and long-term sustainability, will run until December 2028.

According to Philippines News Agency, the Resilient Communities Program is designed to create lasting positive change by addressing the specific needs of the Baseco community. Airbus Country Representative Juha-Pekka Hoikka emphasized the importance of community ownership of sustainability tools to build a foundation for a more self-reliant future.

The partnership between Airbus and ASSIST focuses on delivering scalable solutions across four key pillars: food security through a community garden, energy resilience via solar lighting community hubs, water security through rainwater harvesting systems, and disaster risk reduction utilizing a master of disaster (MOD) capacity building game. By involving stakeholders from local government, the village inter-agency network, and local schools, the project aims to ensure that the solutions are community-driven.

Marielle Mariano, ASSIST Project Management Office lead, highlighted the program's capacity-building framework, which emphasizes measurable outcomes in areas such as urban gardening and renewable energy. The goal is for the community to lead their own recovery and development long after the initial implementation phase.

Regular monitoring and impact assessments will be conducted throughout the program to ensure that the initiatives remain sustainable and scalable for other vulnerable urban communities.