2 Tadem Ensuring equity in the pandemic response is critical because epidemiologically, societies are as strong as their weakest links. Ensuring equity in the pandemic recovery phase is just as important to make sure that the distribution of scarce resources earmarked for socio-economic relief and recovery reinforce social cohesion, and do not increase the existing inequalities. (UNESCO 2020, 1) The main part of this report presents in a concrete and grounded manner the effect of the pandemic on vulnerable sectors of society by using the case study method of research, documentation, and analysis. For this purpose, five cases were identified, namely an urban poor homeowners association, a health watch program of a relocated urban poor community, a women’s micro social enterprise, an indigenous people’s community, and a school for indigenous children and youth. These communities have been selected among the fifty or so partners of the UP CIDS AltDev in its ongoing major research on documenting alternative practices of peoples in Southeast Asia at the grassroots level in pursuit of an alternative Southeast Asian regional integration model (Tadem et al. 2020b). The conditions of a government-mandated extended lockdown and various levels of quarantine measures precluded the UP CIDS AltDev team from undertaking the Program’s normal field research activities. The alternative therefore was to conduct interviews and focus group discussions through electronic means, such as mobile phone calls and group chats via available and accessible social media platforms. Despite some difficulties, the process went relatively well. It helped immensely that the communities are at various levels of organization and were experienced in working together for the common good. The stories that were recounted and vividly narrated by the residents and their communities generated empirical data and valuable information which lent substance and quality to the case studies. The case studies The macro picture appears bleak for Philippine society and its peoples. It is not surprising, therefore, that at the ground level, ordinary Filipinos are suffering and enduring the worst possible effects of the pandemic. Despite all of these, some communities have also shown remarkable resilience, self-determination, and autonomy in responding to the COVID-19 crisis. The UP CIDS AltDev has been continually monitoring and documenting these local initiatives in Southeast Asia (Tadem et al. 2020a). In this current report, five of these initiatives in the Philippines are presented as case studies.