Hazard-prone NCR falls behind in disaster preparedness — Harvard study
MANILA, Philippines — It has been 11 years since the onslaught of Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan), but the Philippines has a long way to go when it comes to disaster preparedness, especially in the country’s capital region.
A survey conducted by the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative (HHI) showed that the National Capital Region (NCR) ranked 11th out of 17 regions in level of disaster preparedness, scoring slightly below the national average.
It is also one of the regions with the least progress in disaster preparedness over time, followed only by Caraga and the Davao Region, respectively.
On a national level, Filipinos’ self-reported disaster preparedness level has increased by 42%, showing an average score of 19.2 out of 50 across five objective measures of disaster preparedness: planning, training, material investment, information, and social support.
NCR received an average score of 19.1. Since 2017, its preparedness score has increased by only 22%, or 3.4 points from 15.7.
Despite these significant improvements, the HHI noted that the score of disaster-prone Philippines remains relatively low.
“For a country as vulnerable to disasters as the Philippines, this is not enough, so we must accelerate our efforts to ensure Filipinos are investing, planning, training, and building closer ties to their communities,” said Vincenzo Bollettino, director of the HHI Resilient Communities program.
The densely populated NCR is among the most vulnerable regions during disasters. A months-long Rappler investigation published in April 2024 found that one-fifth of Metro Manila — the Philippines’ political, educational, and economic center — are high-risk flood zones.
The Cordillera Administrative Region reported the highest level of disaster preparedness, with an average score of 24 out of 50, followed by Central Visayas (21.5) and Western Visayas (21.4).
Eastern Visayas, the region most affected by Yolanda, received an average score of 21.1, ranking fifth out of 17 regions. Their score increased by 40% since 2017, when they scored only 15.1.
The HHI reached out to 4,608 Filipinos across all regions and socio-economic groups from February to March 2024 for the study. Their data were collected through a standardized questionnaire administered during face-to-face interviews.
Gearing up for disasters
What do Filipino households do to prepare ahead of disasters?
Among the five objectives of measures of disaster preparedness, Filipinos scored highest in information, while 70% of respondents said that they monitor typhoon and other disaster warnings, and 60% familiarize themselves with rainfall warning systems.
Only a small percentage of the study’s respondents have taken material steps to prepare for disasters, such as assembling go bags (27%), stocking up on regularly taken medications (32%), and having adequate insurance (25%), among others, although 87% said that they prioritize protecting important documents like land titles and birth certificates.
Filipinos also saw a lack of social support, where they scored only 2.3 out of 10 in 2024 from 2.7 in 2017. Only 23% of the participants were members of a group or association, while only 16% were familiar with their local disaster risk reduction and management officers.
According to the HHI, the Philippines ranked as the most disaster-prone country for three consecutive years now.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said that the Philippine Area of Responsibility experiences more tropical cyclones than any other area in worldwide, with an average of 20 tropical cyclones entering the area each year.
The country is also located within the Pacific Ring of Fire, where most of the world’s earthquakes and volcanic eruptions take place.
Yolanda, one of the most destructive typhoons in history, made its landfall in the Philippines on November 8, 2013. It killed over 6,300 people, and affected 16 million. — Rappler.com