Disaster Preparedness in the Philippines
Here in the Philippines, an average of twenty typhoons hit the country annually, leaving a trail of deaths or injuries and damaged properties worth billions of pesos. We have come to accept it as a natural part of living in a tropical, disaster-prone country, which also lies within the Pacific Ring of Fire. What's more, we also experience human-made disasters.
In the face of all these, we still want assurance that there are agencies, organizations, government units and groups in the Philippines we can turn to for help.
An example would be the time when President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ordered some contingency measures for the Mt. Bulusan eruption last June 2006.
This includes a ““Bulusan express” or eight helicopters and a train with relief goods to be transported from Manila to Bicol, the sending of a medical contingent in the area, rice stockpiling by the National Food Authority, donation of used clothing, availability of calamity funds, and the granting of GSIS and PAG-IBIG emergency loans to Bulusan residents.
Here are some of the disaster-assistance and preparedness agencies:
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
UNDP has a disaster preparedness program, and it has been working with the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, the DENR-Mines and Geosciences Bureau, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) and some local government units in the following areas: (1) multi-hazard mapping; (2) community-based disaster preparedness; (3) community-based early warning system.
National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC)
Established on October 19, 1970, the NDCC is under the Department of National Defense, and it is responsible for the protection and welfare of people in cases of disasters or emergencies.
Formerly the National Emergency Council, it became the NDCC with the PD 1566 that provided the NDCC the obligation to organize disaster coordinating councils from the national to the municipal level, prepare a National Calamities and Disaster Preparedness Plan, conduct drills and exercises, and give government units the power to allocate funds for disaster preparedness activities.
Center for Disaster Preparedness Foundation, Inc. (CDP)
Now serving for ten years, the CDP started as the Disaster Resource Training Center, registered as an independent institution in the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission.
So far, they have made significant contributions, especially with capability building as their core competency. They have given communities and service providers from the non-governmental organizations and government units the avenue to participate in trainings, interactive forums, consultancies, research and publication, networking and advocacy.
Thus far, our worst volcanic eruption happened in June 1991 when the sleeping Mount Pinatubo in Zambales unleashed some 15 million tons of sulfur dioxide. Our worst typhoon or flashflood occurred in Ormoc City, Leyte during Typhoon Thelma in 1991. That killed some 3,000 people and wrecked 50,000 homes.
When it comes to the worst earthquake, we have a 1990 earthquake with a record of 7.7 on the Richter scale, killing 1,700 people, injuring 3,000 and displacing 148,000 in Luzon. For the worst fire, the Ozone Disco incident in 1996 burned 150.
Our government's disaster agencies in both national and regional levels have a lot to do, given the country's vulnerability with its geographic location. The best thing we can do is cooperate with each other to face the challenges of disasters.
Sources:
“About UNDP.” Retrieved April 30, 2008 from http://www.undp.org.ph/?link=11
“Disaster agencies for Mt. Bulusan eruption alerted.” Retrieved April 30, 2008 from
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/blogs/citizenwatch/?p=546
“Disaster preparedness and management innovations in the Philippines.” Retrieved April 30, 2008 from http://tcdc.undp.org/SIE/experiences/vol6/disaster.pdf
“National Disaster Coordinating Council (Philippines).” Retrieved April 30, 2008 from
http://www.ndcc.gov.ph/ndcc/index.php?module=pagemaster&PAGE_user_op=view_page&PAGE_id=8&MMN_position=33:33
“The Center for Disaster Preparedness.” Retrieved April 30, 2008 from
http://www.cdp.org.ph/about-cdp/
“The Philippine Disaster Management System.” Retrieved April 30, 2008 from http://www.pctc.gov.ph/updates/tpdms.htm
(Published 05 May 2008, Smart Schools Program)
