DOST maps post-pandemic human security in Kalibo

KALIBO, Aklan- The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) is partnering with local leaders in Aklan to implement the Post-Pandemic Human Security Map of the Philippines, a project that aims to understand and address the vulnerabilities faced by Filipinos after the pandemic.

DOST-Aklan Provincial S&T Office, led by its Provincial Director Dyna Rose R. Gubatanga, recently hosted the DOST-National Research Council of the Philippines (DOST-NRCP) and DOST-Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (DOST-PCHRD) to discuss the implementation of data gathering for the project, led by Mr. Karl Gerrard See.

This transdisciplinary project aims to deepen the understanding of the vulnerabilities faced by Filipinos across the seven (7) dimensions of Human Security as defined by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), including economic, food, health, environmental, personal, community, and political security. It seeks to map these vulnerabilities and enhance the resilience of communities in the face of pandemics and other disasters.

Kalibo in Aklan was identified as a Geographically Distant Area (GDA) and key subject of the project because, among all provinces in Western Visayas, Aklan is the farthest from Iloilo City, the regional center of Region 6.

For the data gathering, Assistant Provincial Director Dr. Antonette U. Donato of DOST-Aklan assisted DOST-NRCP and DOST-PCHRD in selecting Brgy. Poblacion and Brgy. Bakhaw Norte in Kalibo and conducting Key Informant Interviews (KII) and Focus Group Discussions (FGD). Further KII and FGD were conducted with Vice Mayor Phillip Y. Kimpo, Jr. and with the department heads and chief of the Local Government Unit of Kalibo, respectively. Ultimately, the information collected will not only serve as an input to the project but will also significantly contribute to evidence-based policymaking for the Municipality of Kalibo.

This project is part of a larger, region-wide effort of DOST-NCRP, DOST-PCHRD, and DOST VI in Western Visayas. The data collection in Kalibo followed a related activity held last July 7, 2025 in Iloilo City, in collaboration with the Iloilo City Government headed by Mayor Raisa Trenas. The insights gathered from both provinces will provide a comprehensive view of human security challenges in the region.