On March 18, 2025, the online Learning Curve event “Breaking Boundaries: Local & National Actors’ Engagement in the HDP Nexus” brought together key figures from the humanitarian, development, and peace (HDP) sectors. Hosted by ALNAP as part of the Humanitarian Networks and Partnerships Week (HNPW), the event challenged conventional approaches and highlighted the transformative role of local and national actors (LNAs) in implementing the HDP Nexus.
Despite global efforts to integrate humanitarian aid, development initiatives, and peacebuilding, international frameworks often struggle to achieve practical implementation. In contrast, local and national actors—deeply embedded within communities—have been naturally integrating these three pillars in their work. The discussion underscored how LNAs are leading community-driven approaches that bridge gaps between emergency response, long-term resilience, and peace efforts.
Among the distinguished speakers was Regina “Nanette” Antequisa, Executive Director of ECOWEB, Inc., who emphasized the importance of locally led approaches in making the HDP Nexus a reality. She shared insights on ECOWEB’s Survivor and Community-Led Response (SCLR) approach, which places communities at the center of their own crisis response and resilience-building efforts.
Communities as Drivers of Change
During the discussion, Antequisa stressed the need for a shift from externally designed programs to community-driven solutions. “When communities have resources and decision-making power, they naturally integrate humanitarian, development, and peace actions in ways that are adaptable and sustainable,” she stated.
She provided concrete examples of how ECOWEB operationalizes this approach. Following the Marawi Siege in 2017, displaced communities led their own livelihood restoration efforts, advocated for long-term solutions, and strengthened their social structures. “Humanitarian response supported recovery, development ensured stability, and peacebuilding created the foundation for long-term resilience,” she explained, illustrating how the HDP Nexus is already working on the ground.
Another case highlighted was ECOWEB’s work in disaster-prone areas like Las Nieves, Agusan del Norte. Communities affected by recurrent flooding used microgrants to implement sustainable initiatives, such as establishing agro-supply stores, enhancing farm production, and strengthening volunteer groups for emergency response. “These initiatives ensure that communities can survive even if isolated during heavy floods,” Antequisa noted.
The Role of Government in Strengthening Local-Led Approaches
One of the critical points raised during the event was the role of government in scaling and sustaining community-led approaches within the HDP Nexus. Antequisa highlighted ECOWEB’s collaboration with six local government units (LGUs), where the 50/50 microgrant counterpart system ensures government investment in community-led resilience actions.
“Governments hold the mandate, policy influence, and resources needed to ensure long-term impact,” she remarked. ECOWEB’s co-designing workshops and training programs enhance the capacity of local government personnel to integrate community-led models into their policies and budgets.
A significant milestone was the participation of a partner mayor in the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (APMCDRR) in 2024, where she presented how integrating community-led action into government strategies has strengthened local resilience. “When governments shift from a top-down service delivery model to an enabling role, communities become proactive agents of their own recovery and development,” Antequisa emphasized.
However, she also acknowledged challenges within the governance system, including bureaucratic constraints and rigid donor structures that limit the flexibility needed for true community leadership. Moving forward, ECOWEB advocates for stronger policy integration, institutionalized financing mechanisms, and deeper commitments to localization.
Aligning with ECOWEB’s Vision
The discussions during the event closely align with ECOWEB’s mission to empower communities and ensure that humanitarian aid is not just a temporary relief but a stepping stone toward long-term resilience and peace. Through its SCLR approach, ECOWEB demonstrates how locally led solutions create sustainable impacts, reinforcing the belief that communities are not just beneficiaries but leaders of their own future.
As the international system grapples with the practical implementation of the HDP Nexus, organizations like ECOWEB prove that the most effective solutions come from the ground up. With continued collaboration between LNAs, governments, and international actors, the goal of a truly integrated humanitarian-development-peace approach is within reach.
