Disaster Preparation and Management

Dr. Jose P. Serrano

Backgrounder:

Our time is characterized by contradiction and disharmony, confusion, and uncertainty.

Disaster in the Phil. happen so often that they seems to be regarded as part of daily life.

* An average of 9 million Filipinos is affected by disasters annually, mostly from typhoons, floods and other human hazards. * Degradation of the environment continues even with the existence of laws and regulations to protect it. Abuses to the environment aggravate the occurrence of floods, landslide and other like disasters. * An average of 20 typhoons hits the country yearly, 5 of which are destructive. * 42 Disasters do not only causes lives but million of damages to crops , houses and other infrastructures.

is the result of a hazard that strikes a vulnerable community whose inherent capacity is not enough to withstand or cope with its adverse effects and impacts. It may result to general disruption of community functions, damage, loss of life and property, livelihood and the environment

is the tragedy of a natural or human made hazard that negatively affects society or environment.
It can also be define as any tragic event with great loss stemming from events as earthquakes , floods, catastrophic accidents, fires or explosions.

HAZARD
An event or occurrence that has the potential for causing injury to life or damage to property and the environment. It can be natural, human-made or combination of both

COMPARISON
Natural Hazards Human-made Hazards Combination

Drought
Earthquake

Development aggression
Fire

Floods
Landslide

Epidemic
Fishkill Infestation

Labor repression
Toxic waste contamination

Red tide
Storm surge

VULNERABILITY refers to the prevailing factors and conditions w/c impede the ability of the people and society to protect itself, cope with and recover quickly from the impacts of the disasters.

CAPACITY
Refers to various factors and conditions that enable people and society to cope with the impacts of disasters. It may also classified into social, economic, cultural, political, ideological and organizational aspect

Categories of Vulnerability and Capacity

Physical and Material Climate Social and Organizational Motivational and Attitudinal Views on change Capability to affect change in their community and environment Religious and cultural beliefs Ideology Recognition and appreciation of own capacity and capability Unity cooperation Family structure Source of living Leadership in the community structure and characteristic Soil Water Social services System of decision making Social divisions Organizations in the community

Environment

Government laws

Sectoral stratifications on the issue of disasters a. Vulnerable sectors (VS) Inherent capacity is not enough to withstand or cope with the adverse effects and impacts of disasters. Marginalized sectors Poor peasants, fisher folks, urban poor , indigenous people women, children and workers

Sectoral stratifications on the issue of disasters b. Less - Vulnerable sectors (LVS)

Capacity is derived from their access and control of material resource, knowledge, skills and positions in the community and society The professionals, small scale merchants and entrepreneurs, students Capacity to cope up with the adverse effects of hazards and recover from disaster situation is higher than that of vulnerable sectors. Their role in DM is to provide support and assistance to the vulnerable sector

Billionaire William Gates III Warren Buffett Karl Albrecht

Age 48 73 84

Worth in Billion $ 46.6 42.9 23.0

Country of Origin United States United States Germany

Sectoral stratifications on the issue of disasters c. Non - Vulnerable sectors (NVS)

Possess a high level of capacity in coping with disasters. Owners of big businesses and corporations Directly or indirectly involved in high level of policy making Targets of the vulnerable sectors in advocacy work which link disaster issues with structures issues with structures and policies w/c are the roots of peoples vulnerability enough to withstand or cope with the adverse effects and impacts of disasters.

Roots of Philippine Disaster Vulnerability

a. The Philippines physical geographical characteristics:

It lies along the Western Pacific Basin, with an average of 20 typhoons hitting the country each year. At least five of these are destructive. It lies between two major tectonic plates the Pacific and Eurasian plate . The Phil. Experiences 5 felt earthquake per day. There are 300 volcanoes in the country, 22 of which are active El Nino occurrences induce drought, posing serious problem in agricultural production and potable water supply

Roots of Philippine Disaster Vulnerability

b. The Philippine socio-economic an political situation

75% of the population are considered poor,75% of population are in the countryside 90% of rural population or living in the country side are poor. Low wages in spite of the increasing daily cost- of living for a family with 6 members. High unemployment rate Policies that contribute to peoples vulnerability lack of priority in the delivery of social services.

national budget
14.90% 1.40% 0.20%

health
others calamity fund

33.20%
0.10%

51.60%

debt servicing
housing

education

Source: Ibon Foundation 2006

Is defined as comprehensive set of activities that covers all aspect of disaster work from preparedness, emergency response, mitigation and prevention, to rehabilitation and reconstruction.

Objectives of disaster management:

Prevent or avoid loss of life Minimize human sufferings. Minimize property damage and economic loss. Speed recovery and rehabilitation towards development

Legal Basis of Disaster Management and Related laws

PD 1566 (1978) Strengthening of the Philippine Disaster Control capability and Establishing the National Program on Community Disaster Preparedness The National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) as the lead govt agency tasked to formulate policies, lead coordination and supervision of activities related to disaster management on the national level

Legal Basis of Disaster Management and Related laws

General Appropriation Act Annual law created to facilitate budgetary allocations to govt agencies and programs such as calamity fund and automatic allocation for interest payments of national debt.

Legal Basis of Disaster Management and Related laws

RA 8185
Law that provides for an automatic 5% yearly allocation from the Internal Revenue Allotment of IRA of local Government to serve as calamity fund primarily geared for emergency response during disaster situation

Characteristics of the Dominant Disaster Management Practice

The dominant disaster response focuses more on relief and emergency response of a disaster response cycle. For preparedness activities like trainings, drills and other forms of educating the people on what to do when hazards occur are rarely undertaken or are not given priority. Survivors of disaster do not play a role in disaster response activities and are seldom consulted about their actual needs and are merely treated as beneficiaries of aid or relief assistance.

Characteristics of the Dominant Disaster Management Practice

The characteristics of the dominant disaster management practice can be described as follows:

Response to disaster is reactive, it is limited to provision of emergency relief, preparedness and rehabilitation are rarely undertaken Does not promote peoples participation Does address the question of peoples vulnerability

WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR?

Each one of us has a role to play.

What can we do?

FOUR STEPS TO PREPAREDNESS

Get Informed

Community Hazards Ask about the specific hazards that threaten your community (e.g. hurricanes, tornados and earthquakes) about your risk from those hazards Community Disaster Plans Learn about community response and . Evacuation plans and designated emergency shelters. Community warning systems find out how local authorities will warn you and they will provide info to you during and after disaster

Contribute while you can

Be Part of the Rescue Team like relief case and play with the victims. Be up to date with the social change of the society and be part of change. Letter writing or petition for the victims who are in struggle. As students who get the privilege of education use the knowledge for the betterment of society

MAKE A PLAN.

Meet with your family members Choose an out of town contact Decide where to meet Complete a family communication plan Know the escape routes and safe places

Catholic Social Teaching is meant to be put into practice

Action on behalf of justice and participation in the transformation of the world fully appear to us as constitutive dimension of the preaching of the Gospel, or, in other words, of the Churchs mission for the redemption of the human race and its liberation from every oppressive situation

Pano? Jo-join ka ba sa pagtugon?

OO ikaw kung hindi ikaw sino?
Kung hindi ngayon, kailan?

NOW NA !!!!!!!

Make a Difference!

COME and move beyond what we are doing and go to do something for our next generation.

Lord, teach us leaders to be generous to serve you as You deserve to be served to give without counting the cost to fight without counting the wounds to work without seeking rest to spend our whole lives without expecting other return than the knowledge that we do your holy will. Lord, give us leaders with the mind and heart of Your Son Jesus Christ. Amen.