Search
Close this search box.

Capacity Statement

Table of Contents

The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) is a global humanitarian organization whose purpose is in  “serving humanity so all may live as God intended”. ADRA Philippines belongs to the worldwide ADRA network that is present in 118 countries. ADRA Philippines has been in operation for 38 years to assist those affected by disasters and improve social development for vulnerable communities with families living in extreme poverty. ADRA Philippines is registered with the state Security and Exchange Commission and is licensed and accredited by the Department of Social Welfare and Development. 

ADRA Philippines has developed its expertise and experience in emergency management,  health, livelihoods, education, and disaster risk reduction. ADRA Philippines employs a team of experienced staff that design, implement, manage and monitor its programs in accordance with ADRA policies, donor regulations and Philippine government requirements. The agency’s technical team includes specialists in emergency management, disaster risk reduction, nutrition and public health, livelihoods, agribusiness, water & sanitation / hygiene, social work, monitoring & evaluation, and marketing / public relations. The managerial team includes a country director, finance director, program manager, planning & evaluation manager, partnership / government / church coordinator, and a marketing & PR officer, as well as a logistics and finance team.

ADRA Philippines works with people in poverty and distress to create positive change through empowering partnerships and responsible action. Reaching across boundaries, empowering and speaking out for the at-risk and forgotten, to achieve measurable, documented and durable changes in lives and society. As a humanitarian agency, ADRA Philippines abides by the four Core Humanitarian Principles of humanity, impartiality, independence and neutrality. This means the agency provides assistance to communities and families regardless of their ethnicity, political affiliation or religious association.

Download PDF

COVID-19 OPERATIONS

  • 6 month COVID-19 Response  – (Stronger Together) providing psychosocial support and PPEs (Surgical masks, face shields, alcohol and disinfectants)  to medical front liners,  installing 60 foot-operated handwashing facilities with soap in public spaces, and distributing information education materials about COVID-19 to at least 5,000 children around the Philippines.  Funded by ADRA, the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and individual donations. 

 

  • 9 month COVID-19 Response – (EMBRACE Extension) Equipping quarantine facilities by providing testing kits, personal protective equipment (PPE), psychosocial support and hygiene kits; building local capacity by providing livelihood support; and conducting awareness raising activities on COVID-19, health and nutrition in the EMBRACE Project Areas.  Funded by Global Affairs Canada – budget of CAN $1.6M

 

  • 8 month COVID-19 Response – (Stronger Together Plus) providing livelihood support for IDPs, psychological first aid for community members, personal protective equipment to healthcare workers, and transparent communication to build public trust in vaccine safety and efficacy. Funded by Latter Day Saints Charities, ADRA International, the Seventh-day Adventist Church (SPUC) and individual donations – budget of $154,873. 

CURRENT & RECENT OPERATIONS

  • ONGOING Education Project – Child Sponsorship Program (CSP) focusing on providing vulnerable children in Cavite with financial support for their tuition expenses, school supplies, and food assistance. ADRA Korea funded project – budget of USD $20,976 per year. 
  • 2.5 years Disaster Risk Reduction project – Empowering Municipalities, barangays, CSOs and People’s Organizations through Working together to Enhance disaster and climate Risk governance (EMPOWER) focusing on Civil Society and Local Government in Benguet and Kalinga.  European Union funded project – budget of EUR 500,000.
  • 3 years Livelihood and Microfinance project – Responsible Investments and Shared Empowerment (RISE) focusing on ensuring access to capital for women, farmers and entrepreneurs; and strengthening their management capacity, financial management and business skills. ADRA China funded project – budget of USD$2,790,000. 
  • 1 year Sexual and Reproductive Health project – Promoting Responsible Reproductive Health Actions Of Teenagers and Parents And Empowering Women and the Community by Cultivating Zero Tolerance for GBV (PROTECT) focusing men and women of reproductive age, and adolescents in Camarines Sur. RTI / USAID Reach Health funded project – budget of Php 5,083,783.
  • 6 months life-saving assistance to people affected by Typhoon Goni focusing provision of shelter, WASH facilities and hygiene promotion, cash to meet food needs, improved access to psychosocial support and protection services in Bicol region. ECHO funded consortium with Oxfam, World Vision, Coastal Core and PDRN – budget of EUR 1,300,000.
  • 6 months Landslide Study Project to assess the geographical locations in the provinces of Albay and Sorsogon that are susceptible to hazards such as landslides, that can cause significant financial, ecological, and environmental problems. A Start Network funded consortium with HI (lead), ACTED, PLAN, Red Cross,
    PAG ASA, and MGB – budget of GBP 35,253.43 
  • 5 years Sexual and Reproductive Health project – Uniting Towards Gender Equality for enjoyment of women’s and girls’ Total Health and Rights (TOGETHER) focusing on empowering individuals and communities to advocate for better sexual and reproductive health services and policies in Camarines Sur. Global Affairs Canada funded project – budget of CAN$4,000,000.

PAST PERFORMANCE

  • 4 years Livelihood project – Restoring, Empowering & Protecting Livelihoods (REAP) focusing on Fisher Folk and Farmer’s Associations in Northern Iloilo.  Global Affairs Canada funded project – budget of CAN$5,681,777.

 

  • 4 years Health & Nutrition project – Enhance Mother / Newborn / Child Health in Remote Access Areas through Health Care and Community Engagement (EMBRACE) focusing on young, pregnant and lactating mothers and their children in Camarines Sur. Global Affairs Canada funded project – budget of CAN$4,631,896.

 

  • 4.5 months Nutrition project – Supplementary Feeding Program in Marawi City and fifteen other municipalities of Lanao del Sur.  Implemented in parternship with World Food Programme (WFP) with a budget of Php 3,209,340.71.

 

  • 3 years Health & Nutrition project – Better Nutrition for Mothers & Children (MASIGLAHI) focusing on young, pregnant, and lactating mothers and their children in Bato, Leyte. Canadian Foodgrains Bank funded project – budget of CAN$544,945. 

 

  • 11  months DRR project – Resilient Child and Empowered Advocates for DRR (BATANG READY) focusing on inclusive DRR in schools in Iloilo. Aktion Deutschland Hilft funded project – budget of EURO 106,000.

TECHNICAL EXPERTISE

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

With over 30 years of emergency management experience, ADRA provides a range of response interventions within complex and simple emergency scenarios across the Philippines. ADRA’s National Emergency Management Plan, anchored in the core humanitarian standards, ensures appropriate life-saving interventions. ADRA will deliver food and non-food items, including a cash modality when appropriate, through a rights-based approach to affected communities. ADRA’s strong partnership with the Adventist Church facilitates an immediate local response across all regions through assessments, coordination, logistics, and humanitarian aid delivery. Trained emergency response personnel in-country and globally through the ADRA Network provide surge capacity when appropriate.

DISASTER RISK REDUCTION

ADRA’s disaster risk reduction (DRR) program focuses on reducing risk and building resilience to future disasters, saving lives, and contributing to the sustainable development goals. Partnering with communities, ADRA seeks to protect the most vulnerable and create platforms for strengthening disaster resilience through community-managed DRR, advocacy, disaster and climate risk governance, and inclusive child-centered DRR in schools & community settings. ADRA integrates climate change adaptation, mitigation, and DRR throughout its development programming in health, livelihood, and education. The agency works with local government units to provide technical support for improving local climate plans and contingency and DRR plans.  

HEALTH

ADRA takes a comprehensive approach that focuses on Maternal and Child Health, Nutrition, WASH, and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights. Indispensable to our life-saving humanitarian work is our commitment to address health inequalities, gender social norms, and other pre-existing vulnerabilities that affect health and nutritional outcomes. We recognize the significant impact of crises among women, girls and boys, children and adolescents, and persons with disabilities, specifically in marginalized communities. We work to improve access to quality healthcare, increase consumption of nutritious and sustainably produced foods, and gender-equitable access to sanitary and dignified WASH (water, sanitation, hygiene) services.

LIVELIHOODS

ADRA actively promotes economic self-reliance and enhanced business capacity of farmers, fisherfolk, women entrepreneurs, and local traders through access to financial capital, training, and increased resilience to natural and human-made hazards.
By linking local communities to regional and national markets, and developing organizational capacity, groups can better interact with government agencies and financial service entities. ADRA uses innovation and adaptive strategies to create economic opportunities and resilient livelihoods.

EDUCATION

ADRA believes that education can change everything for a child and is a critical tool for fulfilling their God-given potential. Education helps safeguard against violence, abuse, exploitation and reduces vulnerability to natural disasters. With the second-largest private education system in the world, the Adventist Church enhances ADRA’s capacity to influence positive change in children’s lives. ADRA works with families to provide practical support for keeping children in school and promoting these children’s psychosocial wellbeing.

PARTNERSHIPS & PARTICIPATION

ADRA Philippines is part of the Seventh-day Adventist Church that has close to 1 million members in the Philippines, allowing us to respond across the country through the  church-based volunteers from the Adventist Community Services (ACS). ADRA has also partnered with several development agencies, government executive departments, educational and research institutions to develop and deliver development programs to communities throughout the country. We view collaboration with partners such as the Agriculture, Health, DRR, and Social Welfare and Development departments of the Local Government Unit, Oxfam, World Vision,  Humanity and Inclusion, and local community based-organizations as a cost-effective and time-saving means for implementing projects, sharing lessons, and combining technical experience and expertise for maximum project impact. The agency is a convener of the Philippine International Non-governmental Organizations Network and part of the United Nations Humanitarian Country Team, as well as the Association of Foundations and the Area-Based Standards Network of DSWD. It is also an active member and contributor to other networks including the Philippine Coalition for Advocacy of Nutrition Security (PhilCAN), the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) and the Disaster Risk Reduction Network Philippines (DRRNet Philippines).

© ADRA Philippines 2022