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PANA Foundation
PANAnaw Awards 2014 Case Study
Final Draft 6.1.14

DISASTER PREPAREDNESS
BEING READY FOR THE WORST A DISASTER BRINGS IS EVERYBODYS BUSINESS

We are no strangers to natural disasters and the havoc they bring.
The undeniable fact about our country the Philippines is that we are geographically situated
in the Western Pacific Region a zone prone to earthquakes, tsunamis, typhoons, cyclones,
floods, landslides, volcanic eruptions, and droughts. Our history would show that we are no
strangers to the occurrence of major disasters. The past 5 years show that we have been hit
hard by 3 major typhoons and flooding disasters: Ondoy (2009), Milenyo (2012), and
Yolanda (2013). In fact, prior to Typhoon Yolanda, our country suffered a devastating
earthquake mainly in the Bohol province. Everytime a disaster strikes, we suffer the major
blows of enormous loss of lives, serious damage to our infrastructure and properties, and
halt in economic activity.
According to the just released Global Climate Risk Index 2013, the Philippines ranked fifth in
terms of countries most affected by extreme weather conditions - after Thailand, Cambodia,
Pakistan and El Salvador (up from 14th place in 2010).
Table 2: The Climate Risk Index for 2011: the 10 most affected countries
Ranking
2011 (2010)
Country
CRI
score
Death
toll
Deaths per
100,000
inhabitants
Absolute losses (in
million US$ PPP)
Losses per
unit GDP in %
Human
Development
Index9
1 (13) Thailand 2.50 892 1.39 75,474 12.53 103
2 (39) Cambodia 7.00 247 1.64 1,049 3.10 139
3 (1) Pakistan 10.50 585 0.33 5,809 1.19 145
4 (36) El Salvador 11.83 35 0.59 1,645 3.69 105
5 (14) Philippines 11.83 1,659 1.73 1,064 0.27 112
6 (23) Brazil 14.33 1,013 0.52 4,717 0.21 84
7 (30)
United
States
15.17 844 0.27 74,791 0.50 4
8 (135) Lao DPR 15.33 43 0.68 218 1.25 138
9 (2) Guatemala 16.17 72 0.49 553 0.74 131
10 (49) Sri Lanka 16.50 106 0.52 602 0.52


The damages caused by the more recent typhoons or what is now being classified as super
typhoons present an alarming trend: the phenomenon of climate change and global
warming has been increasingly contributing to the increase in the intensity of storms thus,
we can expect more of this kind to beset our countrys weather profile. Indeed, the
updated numbers for the Philippines would definitely be higher in the above table.
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Yet while typhoons and flooding have become the more common disaster to pound our
country on a yearly basis, we need to widen our awareness of what other natural disasters
we are geographically predisposed to and/or historically have experienced in the past:
Volcanic Eruptions the worst and most recent of which was the Mt. Pinatubo
(Zambales, Luzon Island) eruption in 1991 which spewed out an estimated record 2
billion tons of pyroclastic materials which later on caused devastating Lahar flows in
the central Luzon region, wiping out towns and agricultural lands and displacing the
areas population

Earthquakes our country has time and again experienced major earthquakes that
proved devastating to various regions in the country and caused loss of lives and
properties. The 1990 earthquake with an intensity of 7.8 and with Baguio City as
epicenter proved to be an impetus for the Philippines to initiate a disaster
preparedness program. In some cases, earthquakes in the country can trigger a
consequential disaster known as the Tsunami, which could effectively wipeout
localities and cause massive property damage and loss of lives.

Landslides/Mudslides - apart from flooding, landslides and mudslides often follow in
the event of a typhoon or torrential rains. Whether this occurs due to natural forces
or as a result of an environmental upset caused by men,

It was the best of times. It was the worst of times.
The light that emerges amidst the darkness a disaster brings is on how we choose to
respond to it. No matter how heartbreaking the path of destruction a disaster leaves
behind, everyone would come out and participate in the relief and rebuilding efforts
everything becomes a positive, collaborative effort among individuals, agencies, groups, and
even the international community. Such outpouring of energies to alleviate the victims
sufferings and create opportunities to move forward and build anew could be a source of
inspiration to address an aspect of disaster that could help every citizen become more
empowered to deal with it and that is by being prepared for its eventuality.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
In the whole spectrum of managing and handling crises a disaster brings about, establishing
a strong and efficient disaster response system carries priority. However, the first
fundamental half of the equation is disaster mitigation and preparedness. The principle
behind it is that a disaster response system, no matter how well oiled is only as good as how
well people are prepared to utilize it in a way that reduces risks and degree of damage.



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At best, disaster preparedness is:
1) Knowing and practicing what could help mitigate the destruction brought forth by a
disaster (i.e. proper waste disposal, preserving our natural ecology, reducing our carbon
footprint, etc.)
2) Having an adept knowledge and understanding of each and every possible disaster that
could strike our country (i.e. what is the nature of such disaster? Why does it occur?
Where and when most likely? What kind of disasters would my locality be prone to?
etc.)
3) The integration and internalization of knowledge and practices that empower every
citizen, young and old, regardless of social status and education to effectively deal with
the various scenarios that occur when disaster strikes.
The economic cost of being unprepared for disaster is also worth mentioning. We can
almost surmise that the total investment made for disaster preparedness through
collaborative efforts is far less than the total economic loss and investments needed for
rebuilding.
So while we accept the reality that disasters will eventually happen in our country, the
question is: What do we do while we wait?



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Even a 5-year old child must know it.
While the string of disasters that pounded our country have helped us realize the urgent
need for disaster preparedness and efforts have been initiated with degrees of success, we
are still beset by the bigger challenge of educating the populace on its importance. Weve
yet to create a collective, national consciousness where everyone regards disaster
resilience as both individual and community concern and what best practice disaster
preparedness looks like. The 3 common mental models surrounding disaster preparedness
in the Philippines include:
1) Its the governments job. the onus to prepare for a disaster isnt my
responsibility. I expect to be rescued and cared for when it happens.
2) I dont know how to go about it. As an individual, I dont know what role I play in
this.
3) Ill deal with it when it happens. I dont want to think about it. I dont think it
will happen to me. When it does, Im sure Ill be able to handle it.
Given these 3 prevailing attitudes about disaster preparedness, there is a need to shift from
a collective fatalistic attitude to a consciousness that is proactive and ready or disaster
resilient. The core which will enable the shift is information and education that will be
facilitated by various societal structures.


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What needs be highly impressed upon citizens would be to:
1) The high importance of understanding the anatomy of each of the different natural
disasters that could beset the Philippines each type of disaster would have a
different nature of destruction and consequences, a certain length of warning and
reaction times and rescue methods, and customized needs to cope in its duration.

2) Mastery of the preparedness, evacuation, and survival techniques in the event of a
disaster regardless of age and educational background.

3) Integration of disaster preparedness in our consciousness a part of our long-term
survival needs and self-preservation.


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Igniting change: Emerging structures that create a nation of disaster resilient citizens
As the principle of structure influences behavior is applied on the pursuit to teach disaster
preparedness to as many sectors of our society as possible, structures have indeed emerged
to support it:
1) Collaboration across sectors various agencies in the government and civil society
groups have been on a mission and partnership to share knowledge and expertise in order
to create and implement programs and initiative that strengthen disaster preparedness in
the community level. Among those include the National Disaster Risk Reduction and
Management Council (NDRRMC), Office of Civil Defense, Department of Education, Citizens
Disaster Response Center (CDRC), UNICEF, LGUs, etc. Even CSR programs from the
corporate sector have been integrating disaster preparedness and response as part of the
advocacies they are supporting and sustaining.
2) Social Media As a powerful tool to spread relevant information and gather resources
during disasters, social media is rapidly becoming a structure by which people can be
educated on disaster preparedness. It is fast becoming the current and upcoming
generations channel to receive information and knowledge.
3) Volunteerism Both on a local and global scale, people are increasingly predisposed to
donate their time and skills during disasters. This can be parlayed to help implement
educational programs on disaster preparedness.
The IMC Challenge: Disaster Preparedness is not just a concept; it is a concern and part of
every citizens consciousness and lifestyle.
Cascading the various information and knowledge on disaster preparedness in a manner
that is relevant and appealing to the different segments of our population is crucial . The 4
areas that need priority focus to create disaster resilient citizens are
1) Educational system How do we effectively integrate in various levels disaster
preparedness? How do we create todays young population to become the agents.
2) Public Information How do we sustain an effective and educational disaster
preparedness education campaign that benefits various sections of the society?
What should be the focus of the campaign? Who should be speaking to the public
about it?
3) Community/Barangay Level what could be done in order to prepare them better?
What systemic structures can be established in the communities in order to sustain
programs on disaster preparedness, especially in disaster-prone areas?
4) Business Sector/NGOs What kind of partnership do we need from them in order to
create a successful campaign? What kind of leverage can they offer as part of the
collaborative effort?
You are therefore given the exciting challenge to create a sustainable integrated
marketing communications campaign on disaster preparedness (encompassing all
common natural disasters in the Philippines) with a budget of P100 Million stretched over
the next 3 years.


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Sources:

PUBLICATIONS:

Natural Disaster Risk Management - Enhancing Poverty Alleviation through Disaster Reduction
https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/8748
Philippine Disaster Risk Management Act (2009):
http://www.preventionweb.net/files/9265_philippines.pdf
Simulating Non Structural Factors in Disaster Mitigation: The Case of Typhoon Ondoy on the
Marikina Watershed:
http://www.dlsu.edu.ph/conferences/dlsu_research_congress/2014/_pdf/SEE-III-020.pdf

Community Based Disaster Management in the Philippines: Making a Difference in Peoples
Lives:
http://www.preventionweb.net/files/733_8363.pdf
Disaster Risk Management Act of 2010:
http://www.preventionweb.net/files/22035_17303ra10121drrmact1.pdf
Global Climate Risk Index 2013:
http://germanwatch.org/en/download/7170.pdf
Disaster Threats in the Philippines:
http://www.itu.int/ITU-
D/emergencytelecoms/events/ThailandWorkshop/final1/Session%202/SESSION%202%20[Philippines]
%20Country%20Presentation.pdf
National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Plan (NDRRMP) 20112028:
http://www.ndrrmc.gov.ph/attachments/article/567/Signed_NDRRMP.pdf
http://www.dilg.gov.ph/PDF_File/resources/DILG-Resources-2012116-420ac59e31.pdf
Designing an Effective Disaster Preparedness & Response Programme: Lessons and Best
Practices for the Mobile Industry from Smart Communications Inc.
http://www.gsma.com/mobilefordevelopment/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Designing-an-Effective-
Disaster-Preparedness-Response-Programme.pdf
Integrating Disaster Risk Management in Local Governance:
http://issuu.com/cdpfoundation/docs/undp_publication_of_twg_output_integrating_drm_in_/1?e=34618
45/2688262
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DepEd Disaster Risk Reduction Resource Manual:
http://www.deped.gov.ph/index.php/resources/downloads/document/deped-disaster-risk-reduction-
resource-manual
Strengthening Disaster Risk Reduction in the Philippines: Strategic National Action Plan 2009-
2019:
http://www.adrc.asia/countryreport/PHL/2009/PHL_attachment.pdf
Strong, Safe, and Resilient: A Strategic Policy Guide for Disaster Risk Management in East Asia
and the Pacific:
http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2013/02/17423304/strong-safe-resilient-s-strategic-policy-
guide-disaster-risk-management-east-asia-pacific


LINKS:
http://www.dlsu.edu.ph/help/utilities/search/google-cse-
result.asp?q=Disaster+Preparedness&search=1&cx=004558364687355297303%3Arss_ybumppu
&cof=FORID%3A11
http://www.unisdr.org/search?cx=014932112152556794315%3Aev9g2xr_5ni&cof=FORID%3A11&i
e=UTF-8&q=Philippines+Disaster+Preparedness&sa.x=24&sa.y=15
http://www.ph.undp.org/content/philippines/en/home/search.html?q=Philippine+Disaster+Preparedn
ess
http://www.ph.undp.org/content/philippines/en/home/presscenter/pressreleases/2014/03/28/australi
a-and-undp-reaffirm-partnership-to-help-promote-resilience-and-recovery-in-the-philippines/
http://www.ph.undp.org/content/philippines/en/home/presscenter/pressreleases/2014/03/27/japan-
and-undp-intensify-support-to-yolanda-recovery-efforts/
http://www.ph.undp.org/content/philippines/en/home/presscenter/articles/2014/02/28/finding-new-
solutions-in-the-typhoon-haiyan-recovery-/
http://www.ph.undp.org/content/philippines/en/home/presscenter/pressreleases/2014/03/07/film-
launched-to-highlight-enormous-recovery-needs-after-yolanda/
http://www.ph.undp.org/content/philippines/en/home/presscenter/typhoon-haiyan--yolanda-/
http://search.who.int/search?q=Philippines+Disaster+Preparedness&ie=utf8&site=default_collectio
n&client=_wpro&proxystylesheet=_wpro&output=xml_no_dtd&oe=UTF-
8&sitesearch=http://www.wpro.who.int&ulang=en&ip=119.92.53.138&access=p&sort=date:D:L:d1&
entqr=3&entqrm=0&ud=1&start=20
http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/docsearch?query=Philippines%20Disaster%20Prepare
dness
http://www.cdp.org.ph/index.php/main/view_publication/16
http://www.cdp.org.ph/index.php/main/view_publication/18
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http://www.cdp.org.ph/index.php/main/view_publication/14
http://www.cdp.org.ph/index.php/main/view_publication/13
http://www.cdp.org.ph/index.php/main/view_publication/12
http://www.cdp.org.ph/index.php/main/view_publication/11
http://www.cdp.org.ph/index.php/main/view_post/17
http://www.cdp.org.ph/index.php/main/view_post/14
http://www.deped.gov.ph/index.php/resources/downloads/document/deped-disaster-risk-reduction-
resource-manual?format=raw
http://www.cdrc-phil.com/trainings/
http://www.cdrc-phil.com/cdrc-unveils-hazard-map-in-iloilo/
http://www.cdrc-phil.com/cdrc-podcast-episode-03-disaster-risk-management-month/
http://www.cdrc-phil.com/disaster-risk-education-starting-them-young/
http://www.cdrc-phil.com/video-enhancing-flood-preparedness-and-helping-the-survivors-of-super-
typhoon-reming-help-themselves/
http://www.cdrc-phil.com/video-disaster-preparedness-and-mitigation-for-flood-and-landslide-prone-
communities-in-the-philippines/

VIDEO LINKS:
http://www.cdrc-phil.com/cdrc-podcast-episode-03-disaster-risk-management-month/
http://www.cdrc-phil.com/video-disaster-preparedness-and-mitigation-for-flood-and-landslide-prone-
communities-in-the-philippines/
http://www.cdrc-phil.com/video-enhancing-flood-preparedness-and-helping-the-survivors-of-super-
typhoon-reming-help-themselves/