18/08/2026
Womenitarian in Spotlight!
This World Humanitarian Day, let us shine a light on the story of Roselyn Riopay and her commitment to advancing women’s leadership in disaster resilience and response.
Roselyn Riopay is a resident of Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, and currently serves as the Chairperson of PKKK Negros Occidental, a coalition of 29 local women’s organizations. As a young rural women leader, she has played a key role in leading and coordinating humanitarian response efforts in the province, including emergency interventions during Super Typhoon Odette and Severe Tropical Storm Paeng.
Reflecting on the aftermath of Super Typhoon Odette, Roselyn recalled the devastation experienced by communities across Negros Occidental. Hundreds of thousands of households were affected by heavy rains and strong winds that triggered widespread flooding and landslides. The disaster destroyed hundreds of homes and claimed more than 40 lives across the province.
Less than a year later, while communities were still recovering from Odette, Severe Tropical Storm Paeng struck and brought another wave of destruction. Torrential and continuous rains, coupled with strong winds, caused severe flooding and landslides in many areas. The crisis was further aggravated by the limited preparedness of local government units, which struggled to fully anticipate and respond to the magnitude of the storm’s impact.
“During the Paeng response, we witnessed the lasting effects of disaster-related trauma on communities,” Roselyn shared. “People were extremely anxious, particularly women. There are many factors that increase women’s vulnerability during crises. For example, evacuation centers often lack safe spaces for women, children, and persons with disabilities. The specific needs of older people and people with disabilities are frequently overlooked during evacuation and transport. Because awareness is limited and resources are scarce, only basic needs are addressed, while the unique needs of vulnerable groups remain unmet.”
Despite the multiple challenges brought by successive disasters, Roselyn and the women leaders of PKKK Negros Occidental remained at the forefront of the response. They quickly organized community assessments and collected much-needed s*x, age, and disability disaggregated data (SADDD) to inform humanitarian interventions. Roselyn and her fellow volunteers also helped distribute relief supplies, establish and manage evacuation centers, validate beneficiary lists, and conduct gender-responsive needs assessments.
In the Philippines, the collection of s*x, age, and disability disaggregated data continues to be a challenge, often resulting in gaps in information that are critical for effective response and recovery efforts. Recognizing this need, capacity-building initiatives and workshops have increasingly emphasized the importance of inclusive data collection to ensure that interventions are more responsive to the needs of vulnerable populations.
Roselyn also underscored the importance of women’s meaningful participation in Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM), Climate Change Adaptation (CCA), and community resilience planning.
“Women’s roles do not end within the household,” she explained. “They are also first responders in times of crisis. Their participation in DRRM planning is essential because they understand the specific needs and realities of women during disasters. Women need opportunities to strengthen their skills, contribute their perspectives, and take on leadership roles within their communities.”
As her community continues to recover from repeated disasters, Roselyn and the members of PKKK Negros Occidental have begun reflecting on how they can collectively address the growing impacts of climate change. Beyond responding to emergencies, they are exploring ways to actively contribute to climate action and community resilience.
“We want to explore more opportunities to help combat climate change,” Roselyn said. “This could include organizing tree-planting activities in partnership with local government units or conducting waste segregation and environmental awareness campaigns within our communities.”
To achieve these goals, Roselyn believes that continued community organizing is essential. PKKK Negros Occidental aims to mobilize and strengthen more local women’s organizations while expanding their knowledge of gender-responsive DRRM and climate change adaptation practices. She also highlighted the value of solidarity among women, emphasizing the importance of learning from one another and building a strong sense of sisterhood.
Roselyn is particularly grateful for the opportunities she has had to participate in training programs focused on Gender and DRRM. These experiences have strengthened her capacity to lead during emergencies and inspired her to share her knowledge with other women leaders. During the 2nd Womenitarian Summit organized by the Women in Emergencies Network (WENet), she proudly shared her learnings on disaster preparedness, humanitarian response, and women’s leadership with fellow members of PKKK Negros Occidental.
“The training and seminars on Gender and DRRM helped me expand my knowledge, especially in working during emergency situations,” Roselyn reflected. “I am happy that I am able to share these learnings with other women in my community.”
Through her leadership and commitment, Roselyn, together with the women leaders of PKKK Negros Occidental, continues to champion women’s participation in humanitarian action, disaster preparedness, and climate resilience, helping build stronger, safer, and more inclusive communities.
