MANILA — Filipinos are better prepared for disasters in 2024 than in 2017 as President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. mobilizes his administration to strengthen the government’s response to calamities.
The study conducted by the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative (HHI) Resilient Communities program showed that Filipinos’ self-rated disaster preparedness showed a significant improvement by 42 percent over the past seven years.
Among the objective measures of disaster preparedness, Filipinos scored highest in information with a rating of 4.9, followed by material investment at 4.5 and planning at 4.0.
In an earlier statement, President Marcos said “we must strive to create a future where the need for recovery becomes less frequent, as we lay the foundations for a safer, more adaptive, inclusive, and disaster-resilient region.”
Ahead of Typhoon Marce’s impact, President Marcos emphasized the crucial role of information in disaster readiness, stressing that “knowledge saves lives.”
“Simulan natin sa pagkasa ng isang maayos na sistema ng komunikasyon na mabilis maghahatid ng abiso at impormasyon sa mga mamamayan. Tandaan na nakabatay ang kanilang pagkilos sa mga maagang warnings na inyong ipaaabot. Knowledge saves lives,” the President said in a previously issued statement.
The Harvard study showed that the Cordillera Administrative Region, Central Visayas and Western Visayas reported the “highest levels of preparedness.”
However, the Davao Region, Negros Island Region, and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) reported the “lowest levels of preparedness.”
The study also highlighted that the Davao Region and Caraga “showed little progress” since their last disaster preparedness survey in 2017.
HHI Resilient Comprehensiveness program director and research co-lead Dr. Vincenzo Bollettino said while there was improvement in disaster preparedness, “we must accelerate our efforts to ensure Filipinos are investing, planning, training and building closer ties to their communities.”
Dr. Patrick Vinck, Director of Research at HHI, said “enhancing the Philippines’ disaster preparedness requires investing in local leadership and leveraging technology to improve early warning systems and community engagement, among other critical measures.”
“This should be accompanied by investments in resilient infrastructures, local capacities, and anticipatory actions,” Dr. Vinck said.
President Marcos said “we remain steadfast in empowering our local authorities and working closely with our youth to implement nature-based and ecosystem-centered solutions that not only address their unique challenges, but also honor their local traditions and practices.”
PBBM prioritizes disaster response, skips APEC
President Marcos has decided to skip the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Week scheduled from November 10 to 16 in Lima, Peru.
The President’s decision stems from his desire to prioritize domestic concerns, particularly the government’s responses to calamities, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Cesar Chavez said.
President Marcos also put all government agencies on high alert ahead of the impact of Typhoon Marce (international name: Yinxing).
“Salubungin natin ang bagyong Marce na may ibayong paghahanda, sa abot ng ating makakaya, alinsunod sa mga matagal ng nailatag na mga patnubay sa ganitong hamon. Sa mga ahensya ng pamahalaan, you all know the drill. I am placing you all in high alert,” the President said in a statement. (PR)
