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Sixteen participants from DIPECHO partners in Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Philippines and Vietnam underwent a Training of Trainers Course on Community-Based Disaster Management from 16-27 July 2001 in Manila, Philippines. The course aimed to build a team of trainers within DIPECHO partners able to work together to organize and conduct country-level training for their respective organizations.

Participants learned various participatory tools in community-based risk assessment and practiced these in two flood-prone communities (Bgy. Pau, Sto. Tomas and Sta. Catalina, Minalin) in Pampanga Province, North of Manila. They also learned various risk reduction measures, including community organizing, public awareness, early warning, emergency response and relief, community-managed health program, damage assessment and needs analysis, and livelihood options. It was stressed that risk reduction measures are appropriate and relevant to a community if they are doable and affordable.

Participants were also trained on training design and evaluation, and adult teaching methodologies. Participants expressed their appreciation of the relevance of the course to their work, and saw this "bottom-up" approach as a challenge in their community work.