Promoting CBDRM is at the heart of CDP’s networking and advocacy activities. CDP aggressively seized opportunities for communities, NGOs and government agencies to appreciate CBDRM as a viable and necessary approach for sustainable disaster risk reduction and development.

After organizing the Reflection Workshop on Community Based Disaster Management in the Philippines in February 2002 for the Partnership in Disaster Reduction – Southeast Asia Project of ADPC and DIPECHO (which brought together participants from NGOs, people’s organizations and government agencies involved in CBDM to critique ADPC’s CBDRM module), CDP anchored the Study Forum for Enabling Legislation in CBDM in workshops to study and craft legislation which can strengthen and institutionalize CBDRM in the Philippines. Activities of the Study Forum led to the formation of the Philippine Disaster Management Forum, a network of disaster management organizations and individuals commited to promoting CBDM. Subsequently, CDP championed the holding of the First National Conference in the Philippines. Jointly organized by the National Disaster Coordinating Council – Office of Civil Defense, Philippine Disaster Management Forum and the National Defense College , the Conference held on 18 – 20 January 2003 was attended by 82 participants from 69 national and local government agencies, NGOs, community organizations, excluding the 22 observers shared good/best practices in CBDM in the government and NGO sectors and addressed urgent issues for the widespread replication of CBDRM in the Philippines.