For communities facing emergencies, resilience is not only about having support when a crisis happens – it is also about having resources they can manage themselves. This is the principle behind ECOWEB’s recent Community-Managed Savings and Credit Association (COMSCA) Training for for eight Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in Talisay City, Cebu.
The activity was facilitated by Tasnim Racman, CLEARNet Coordinator for ECOWEB, who guided the participating groups through the principles and practices of community-managed savings and credit.
The training builds on ECOWEB’s community-led work in Talisay City following Typhoon Kalmaegi (Tino). Through the Survivor- and Community-Led Response (sclr) approach, ECOWEB worked with community organizations under DUPCA to identify their own priorities and lead recovery actions, supported by microgrants funded by HELP Germany, AWO International, and Resilio Foundation
COMSCA complements this approach by strengthening another important part of community resilience: the ability of groups to organize and manage their own financial resources. Through regular savings and accessible community-based credit, SHGs can build a local pool of funds that can serve as a safety net during emergencies while also supporting small investments.
Voices from the Community
“Sir, maraming salamat po sa mga na-discuss kanina. I’m happy na mas naintindihan ng mga miyembro ko, nakita din po nila kung gaano ka-importante ang savings sa bawat association. Salamat!”
— Grace Delfino, President, Gifted Homeowners Association
Participating Self-Help Groups
- Sitio Minggoy HOA
- Pagatpatan UPA
- United Two Heart UPA
- Gifted HOA
- Kamansilis UPA
- San Pio Bethlehem HOA
- Garden Ville UPA
- Letmun Mahayahay UPA
How COMSCA Builds Local Resilience
COMSCA is a self-managed microfinance model operating on an 8- to 12-month cycle, enabling communities with limited access to formal banking services to collectively manage their savings and credit.
- Social Emergency Fund: Regular contributions build a fund that can provide quick assistance during health emergencies and other urgent needs.
- Savings and Affordable Credit: Members purchase shares during each meeting and may borrow up to three times their savings, subject to the association’s rules and low service charges.
- Transparent and Secure: Transactions are recorded in individual passbooks, while funds are secured through dual- or triple-key lockboxes.
- Action Audit and Share-Out: At the end of each cycle, savings and earned interest are distributed back to members according to their share ownership.
By putting financial decision-making and resources in the hands of community members, COMSCA strengthens the same principle at the heart of SCLR: communities are not simply recipients of assistance – they are capable actors who can identify priorities, manage resources, and lead actions that strengthen their own resilience.
