Chap 1

CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
Disaster remains one of the main challenges facing the nations of the developing world.
It does not only cause high mortality and suffering, it also damages local economies that are in
the process of formation and thwarts development achievements. [1] Philippines is one of the
countries around the world who often experience disasters such as earthquake, volcanic
eruption, typhoon, tsunami, drought, and flooding among others. Since 1990, the Philippines
have been affected by 565 natural disaster events that have claimed the lives of nearly 70,000
Filipinos and caused an estimated P 1.2 trillion in damages. [2] The country is highly exposed to
natural hazards because it lies along the Pacific Typhoon Belt and is within the Pacific Ring of
Fire. The risk is compounded by uncontrolled settlement in hazard-prone areas, high poverty
rate, failure to implement building codes and construction standards, and the degradation of
forests and coastal resources, among others. [3]
Natural disasters can happen at any time, everyone should be prepared to handle it
safely and effectively. The Philippines’ first institutionalized governmental response to disaster
response and preparedness came during the Marcos era. Through Presidential Decree 1566,
the National Disaster Coordinating Council under the president’s office was established as the
highest policymaking body in responding to natural disasters. Fast forward two decades and
decentralization movements had taken over the country. In 1991, the duties of disaster
management and preparedness fell on the autonomous Local Governance Units, the lowest
level of government in the Philippines. Though the National Disaster Coordinating Council was
still an office under the president, its powers were severely diminished in the years following the
decentralization movement. It wasn’t until 2009, almost four decades after the Marcos-era
decree, that the National Disaster Coordinating Council was finally updated and replaced by
Republic Act 10121, or the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act. And
through a consortium of disaster management plans, the NDRRMC mentioned above was born.
[4]
Flood is the most frequently experienced phenomenon in the country due to the
monsoon rains and typhoons. The country experiences about 20 typhoons (more or less) per
year. Monsoon rain affects the weather system of the country for about six months or half of the
year. This causes flooding in many parts of the country. Excessive rainfall can cause urban
flooding as well as breach in river dikes or levees which can cause flooding to low lying towns
and villages. Damage to property, agriculture, as well as loss of lives may happen during floods.
The Philippines experienced several disasters related to flooding which caused many
deaths and damage to property in the last decade, because of frequent visit of mild to strong
typhoons that brought heavy rain in different provinces in the country that triggered floods in
urban and rural areas which greatly affects the economy, environment and the people. During
floods most of the main roads are not accessible, bridges are blocked, farmers are greatly
affected; hundreds and thousands of crops are destroyed and wasted even before the harvest
season, most houses in the Philippines are bungalow so the flood water can easily enter
resident's homes destroying hard earned furniture and belongings. The after math is even
worse because of the damage left by the disaster.
Storms most frequently make landfall on the islands of Eastern Visayas, Bicol region, and
Northern Luzon so with that being said, the Municipality of Manaoag which belongs to the
country's region I, also had some shares when it comes to flooding during and after typhoons.
The barangays within Manaoag that are consistently affected by flood are Inamotan, Baguinay,
and Matulong. Furthermore, the said municipality was chosen as the research locale for this
study for the reason that despite of the damages of houses and some infrastructures, there
were no recorded casualties. This somehow entails how its local government prepared for
typhoons. The researchers believe that by choosing the municipality of Manaoag as the locale
of the study, it may ameliorate the disaster preparedness of the focused community and other
municipalities. Furthermore, choosing Manaoag may also encourage other researchers in
choosing research locales which are not given much attention and thus improve their disaster
preparedness.
Statement of the Problem
The objective of this study is to identify the different perceptions of Manaoageños about
Disaster-Preparedness of the Municipality.
Specifically, the study sought answers to the following problems:
1. What are the problems encountered in the implementation of Flood Disaster Risk
Management-Disaster Risk Reduction program in Manaoag in terms of:
a) Training and equipping of the health workers
b) Providing warnings of emergencies
2. What are the knowledge of Manaoageños with regards to Disaster Preparedness in
terms of:
a) Anti-flood structures
b) Evacuation Areas
c) Safety Precautions before, during and after a typhoon
3. What are the Flood Disaster Risk Management- Disaster Risk Reduction (DRM-DRR)
program needs in terms of:
a) Program objectives
a. Program resources
b. Staff
c. physical resources
d. budgetary allocation
b) Program activities,
a. prevention and mitigation,
b. emergency preparedness and risk reduction,

c. emergency response, and
d. rehabilitation and recovery
Definition of Terms
Decentralization – Transfer of decision making power and assignment of accountability and
responsibility for results. It is accompanied by delegation of commensurate authority to
individuals or units at all levels of an organization even those far removed from headquarters or
other centers of power.
Something
MDRRMC–Manaoag Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council that aims to provide
integrated direction and control at the City level in order that manpower, material, monitoring,
and other necessary resources will be made available and responsive to the disaster and
calamities which may occur in the locality.
Mitigation – the effort to reduce loss of lifeand property by lessening the impact of disasters. In
order for mitigation to be effective we need to take action now—before the next disaster—to
reduce human and financial consequences later (analyzing risk, reducing risk, and insuring
against risk).
Perception - refers to the way sensory information is organized, interpreted, and consciously
experienced. Perception involves both bottom-up and top-down processing
Thwarts – to stop something from happening or someone from doing
References
[1] F. Al-Nammari, M. Alzaghal, Towards local disaster risk reduction in developing countries:
Challenges from Jordan, International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction 12 (2015) 34-41.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2014.11.005.
[2] Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recover, https://www.gfdrr.org/philippines

[3] UNICEF Philippines. Disaster Risk Reduction.
http://www.unicef.org/philippines/risk_8956.html#.VFX2sfnF-s0, 2014 (accessed 25.11.16)
[4]Lin L., Preparing for Disaster in the Philippines, https://thediplomat.com/2017/11/preparing-
for-disaster-in-the-philippines/

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CHAPTER 1

Background of the Study

forests and coastal resources, among others. [3]

worse because of the damage left by the disaster.

Statement of the Problem

Disaster-Preparedness of the Municipality.

Specifically, the study sought answers to the following problems:

Management-Disaster Risk Reduction program in Manaoag in terms of:

a) Training and equipping of the health workers

b) Providing warnings of emergencies

2. What are the knowledge of Manaoageños with regards to Disaster Preparedness in

c) Safety Precautions before, during and after a typhoon

program needs in terms of:

a. prevention and mitigation,

b. emergency preparedness and risk reduction,

d. rehabilitation and recovery

Decentralization – Transfer of decision making power and assignment of accountability and

responsibility for results. It is accompanied by delegation of commensurate authority to

other centers of power.

MDRRMC–Manaoag Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council that aims to provide

calamities which may occur in the locality.

experienced. Perception involves both bottom-up and top-down processing

Thwarts – to stop something from happening or someone from doing

[2] Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recover, https://www.gfdrr.org/philippines

http://www.unicef.org/philippines/risk_8956.html#.VFX2sfnF-s0, 2014 (accessed 25.11.16)

[4]Lin L., Preparing for Disaster in the Philippines, https://thediplomat.com/2017/11/preparing-

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