Last October 11, 2015 we attended a seminar about DRRM conducted by our adviser, Mr. Adrian Romero for our NSTP – CWTS. He enlightened us about disasters, hazards, risks and many more terms regrading DRRM that will help us understand what it is really about and why do we need to know it.
FIRST, WHAT IS DRRM?
DRRM or Disaster Risk Reduction Management is the process of mitigation to reduce the risk brought by a disaster in a community.
DISASTERS AND HAZARDS: 
Disasters are serious disturbance of the society’s functioning due to their inability to deal with the destruction caused by natural phenomenon caused by Mother Earth. These phenomenons are called hazards.
Hazards are any events that can bring massive destruction of infrastructures and environment, loss of the society’s livelihood and devastating death of many people of the community.
When a society is unable to cope and recover well from these hazards, it becomes a disaster.
DID YOU KNOW THAT…
Hazards are not only caused by Mother Nature, us, humans are also the caused of the hazards that affects our community.
The illegal logging and the kaingin (burning of the forest) are one of the major reasons why our country, Philippines, are so prone to flash floods and landslides. Since they cut and burn our forest’s trees nothing is holding the soils of our mountain together, so every time there’s a typhoon and the soil absorbs to much water then it gets soft, a landslide occurs killing many families and robbing them of their homes and properties. Another, there is no longer enough trees to manage the excess water brought by the intense rain so a flood occurs, washing away our community.
Also let us not forget the poor drainage system of our country that causes flood in our major cities, resulting in traffic and decrease of our economy.
RISK AND RISK REDUCTION MANAGEMENT:
Risks are the probability that a negative effect may occur when hazards interact with susceptible areas of a community. Example, people living near mountains have a high possibility to experienced landslides.
Risk Reduction Management, on the other hand, is the mitigation of the consequences of the disaster by preparing for it prior hearing the announcement of the local or national government. It’s main goal is to minimize the vulnerability of the community by increasing their capacity.
CAPACITY AND VULNERABILITY:
Capacity, it is defined as the resources and skills of the members the community to cope before, during and after a disaster. It is the community’s ability to control their life during a disaster resulting a lesser number of causalities.
Meanwhile, vulnerability means the factors that reduces a community’s ability to prepare for and cope with the consequences caused by disasters. It can be economically, socially, physical or geographic factors. Example, victims of disaster who lives in far away provinces cannot be immediately because their location is not accessible.
After knowing what Disaster Risk Reduction Management is, we conducted a PCVA workshop. Here, we identified what are the hazards and vulnerabilities of our won hometowns and provinces and the capacity of community to cope with possible disasters. First, we distinguished the possible hazards that is near our communities then we wrote it down a a part of our activity.
Second we draw a hazard map that states important details like where is the nearest hospital in case someone got hurt during a typhoon, nearest place that we could evacuate if things got messy and dangerous.
Then later on, we presented it in front of the class.
Of course, if there is a disaster there are causalities. It is inevitable, that’s why our adviser taught is basic first aid skills and life support
Not only in disasters that we could use these first aid skills, we can also use it in case of emergencies and accidents like somebody is having a stroke or a heart attack which are very deadly circumstances especially if there is no one to help them. I am confident that I can use these new found skills in the future.
By knowing these things, I came to a conclusion that our government has a poor DRRM planning. As I’ve said earlier, a natural hazard can be a disaster if a community is incapable to properly deal with it. Philippines is tropical country, therefore typhoons are a common thing for us that’s why we should be more prepared but that is not the case. The people and the government of our country should know what to expect and what to do whenever a typhoon enters our area, but for some reason the same thing happens again and again. Like citizens who refuse to evacuate immediately, evacuation centers that should sufficient for the number of affected families. Relief goods, medicines, and support from the government are rarely given, instead the private companies – i.e GMA, ABS-CBN, TV5, are the ones who were first in line when it comes to helping the victims. The government should be more involved when it comes to assisting the victims of the disaster brought by the typhoons.
Another thing, the government should be more responsible regarding the people who lives near risky areas like seashores, foot of the mountains, underneath a fault line etcetera. They should do something about it, especially those who lives in the provinces and fishing or farming is their livelihood. The government should enlighten these people of the risk of living near a sea or mountain – prone to flooding/tsunami or landslides. They should also ask them to transfer homes and provide not only their new homes but also new livelihood. By doing this, we could help them increase their capacity and decrease their vulnerability.
Second, as a Filipino youth, I think that this is the right time to be knowledgeable about DRRM. In fact, I think that all youths should be involved in learning what DRRM is and use their new knowledge to make a change in our community by sharing this information to others. It is not only our government’s responsibility and obligation; it is also ours to be more involved.
Personally, I want to be more involved in community developments to help the victims of the disasters, share my knowledge about DRRM. Volunteer in my baranggay’s project like cleaning up our community after typhoons to prevent dengue and giving out donations to the victims, to the orphans and elderly.
Last November 12, 2015 – I took advantage of the holiday brought by the APEC Summit to interview a baranggay official as a part of our final project in NSTP-CWTS for this semester.
I live in San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan which is at the top of the mountain. Basically I am living on a mountain. Since I live in a high place we have never experienced floods and landslides that’s why our baranggay didn’t a lot too much budget on planning our DRRM or BDRRM (Baranggay Disaster Risk Reduction Management). According to Ms. Julie Anne O. Bautista, our Baranggay Secretary the budget allotment for our BDRRM is only 1%.
Brgy. Poblacion 1: Baranggay Disaster Risk Reduction Management
- Public announcement, effective relying of information through social media whenever there is a typhoon.
- After every typhoon that hits our baranggay, they visit every sitio and supervise a cleaning up project called “Operation Linis” to prevent dengue. It seems that dengue is the main problem of our baranggay after every typhoon.
- Conducting earthquake and fire drills in public and private schools in the baranggay to educate the children on what to do if ever one appeared.
- First Aid and Rescue Training, the Out of the Youth (its members is the teenagers of our baranggay) is involved with this activity.
Brgy. Poblacion 1: Projects for PWD (Person with Disabilities), Senior Citizens and Single Parents
- Free groceries like rice and canned goods.
- Health Care and Medical Supplies: free medicine and check-up
- Seminars and livelihood programs.
In my quest to complete this project, I’ve come to fully appreciate this course because I realized that there is so much to learn about NSTP that I am sure I can use in the near or far future. Someday, I wanted to share all these new knowledge to the people of my country who badly needs it. I wan to give them the opportunity to learn these things that will surely help them survive. I am thankful for NSTP for giving me the chance to open my mind about DRRM and everything else. I am grateful to be a part of this activity.
my own little paradise 