Spurring Resilience Through Innovation in Village Competitions

Innovation through the inclusion of the Village Resilience Assessment (PKD) as a key element in the Village Competition has transformed how Disaster Resilient Villages (Destana) are achieved in Bali Province. This competitive spirit drives awareness of disaster preparedness, encouraging participating villages to take significant steps toward becoming Destana.

Despite facing various disasters, Gobleg Village in Banjar District, Buleleng Regency, has historically relied on spontaneous and communal efforts. A strong culture of cooperation and mutual assistance has helped its residents face disasters, such as taking temporary refuge in neighbouring villages and returning home once the danger subsides. However, as a village in a hilly area, landslides pose a primary threat, alongside fires, droughts, tornadoes, and earthquakes.

I Made Separsa, Head of Gobleg Village, shared that when he assumed office in late 2021, his initial focus was on organising the village’s administrative systems. “My focus at the beginning was more on improving village administration. We ensured all required documents were complete and properly archived,” he explained.

However, Separsa and other village officials soon realised that spontaneous actions, traditional habits, and good administration were insufficient to address disasters effectively. They recognised the need to meet various indicators for Gobleg to be considered a disaster-resilient village. This understanding emerged when the district introduced them to the PKD tool and encouraged the village to work towards becoming Destana.

“Initially, we were unfamiliar with Destana. But with these indicators and because our administration was already in order, we had no difficulty finding data to meet the requirements,” he said. Completing the PKD allowed them to identify specific indicators necessary for improving disaster preparedness. This included not only emergency responses but also pre-emergency measures, such as capacity building, disaster mitigation activities, budget allocations, and village-level policy issuance.

“In terms of administrative completeness, we had no issues, but filling out the PKD revealed gaps in facilities and infrastructure, which make us vulnerable to disasters,” he said. Examples included the lack of Light Fire Extinguishers (APAR) at the village office, evacuation routes, and refugee shelters. They also realised the need to establish a Village Disaster Risk Reduction Forum (FPRB) to ensure clear role divisions and reduce reliance on spontaneous field responses. “It’s important to define roles from the start and identify capacity-building needs for each team member,” he added.

Making Villages More Resilient                          

The PKD is a tool designed to map disaster management capabilities using a structured approach based on Indonesian National Standard (SNI) 8357:2017 for Disaster Resilient Villages and Sub-districts. It assesses five key components: Quality and Access to Basic Services, Disaster Management Regulations and Policies, Prevention and Mitigation, Emergency Preparedness, and Recovery Preparedness. Meeting PKD indicators aligns with Destana criteria.

Head of BPBD Buleleng, Putu Ariadi Pribadi, explained that guidelines for Destana establishment have existed since the issuance of Regulation No. 1/2012 by the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB). However, as of August 2024, only eight of 148 villages in Buleleng Regency had achieved Destana status. According to him, the main barriers are budget constraints, limited capacity, and lack of commitment. Training disaster volunteers, for example, requires significant funding—at least IDR 50 million per Destana. Furthermore, budgeting must be supported by clear documentation, creating a cycle of hesitation among villages to initiate the Destana process.

With the PKD, the process becomes clearer. Meeting PKD indicators effectively positions a village to qualify as Destana. To support this, BPBD Buleleng, following guidance from BPBD Bali and the SIAP SIAGA Program, has encouraged villages to adopt PKD. One strategic entry point has been the Village Competition, which now includes PKD indicators as mandatory criteria for participation.

“PKD is now an assessment point in the competition, so villages must meet the indicators. They even reach out to BPBD for guidance on completing the PKD, demonstrating their initiative,” Putu said. Gobleg Village, which participated in the competition in 2018 before PKD was a criterion, is now motivated to fulfil PKD requirements despite not competing this year. “Our current PKD score is 93, placing us as a Main Resilient Village. All our documents and activities are aligned with the criteria,” Separsa said.

Madong Hartono, Head of the Village Government Division at the Community and Village Empowerment Service (PMD) of Buleleng Regency, noted that PKD simplifies planning and budgeting for villages while ensuring disaster management programs are integrated into development plans. He cited examples of disaster management budgeting under the Village Budget (APBDes) in sector 5, covering Disaster Management, Emergency, and Urgent Village Needs. Previously, funds were mainly used for emergency purchases, such as clean water during droughts. “With PKD, villages understand the importance of allocating budgets for pre-disaster and recovery efforts, such as constructing preparedness posts and organising disaster training,” he explained.

Before PKD’s inclusion, the Village Competition already considered disaster-related indicators, though less comprehensively. “By optimising PKD through the competition, we are instilling a disaster-aware mindset in all villages,” Madong said.

Joint Initiative

Head of Bali Provincial BPBD, I Made Rentin, explained that including PKD in the Village Competition reflects the Bali Government’s commitment to accelerating Destana formation. Collaboration with multiple stakeholders was essential, leading to the partnership between BPBD Bali and the Bali PMD Service. This effort was formalised in February 2024 through a circular from the Regional Secretary (Sekda) of Bali on implementing village resilience assessments.

“BNPB even recognised this initiative nationally, encouraging other regions to adopt similar collaborations between village assessments and Destana,” Rentin said. Socialisation efforts have since focused on ensuring PMD and BPBD collaboration at the district and city levels for Village Competition assessments.

Head of the Village Government Division at the Bali PMD Office, Si Ngurah Made Arya Astawa, emphasised that the competition provides opportunities for villages to gain recognition, attract central government programs, and serve as role models for others. Winners often host study visits, boosting their income potential. The initiative included PKD explicitly in the technical guidelines for the 2023 competition under disaster-related assessment criteria such as disaster maps, early warning systems, evacuation areas, and PKD.

Head of Human Resource Development for the Bali Disaster Risk Reduction Forum (FPRB), Dewi Reny Anggraeni, commended PKD for helping villages identify strengths and weaknesses in disaster management programs. However, she stressed the importance of honest and objective completion. “When PKD becomes a competition requirement, it must go beyond achieving high marks. Villages should fill it out with integrity and provide evidence. Done correctly, this is an excellent step towards resilience,” she concluded.