EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT: THE CASE OF MOST AFFECTED BARANGAYS BY SUPER TYPHOON LAWIN IN TUGUEGARAO CITY PDF

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Page |1 EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT: THE CASE OF MOST AFFECTED BARANGAYS BY SUPER TYPHOON LAWIN IN TUGUEGARAO CITY by: Abraham M. Maguigad, Jr.1, Reynald A. Cariño1, Rizza P. Galera1, Catherine Simon1, Ruth A. Peralta1, and Charissa Joy Q. Ferrer1and Joel Binasoy, MPA2 ABSTRACT This study assessed the emer...

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Page |1 EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT: THE CASE OF MOST AFFECTED BARANGAYS BY SUPER TYPHOON LAWIN IN TUGUEGARAO CITY by: Abraham M. Maguigad, Jr.1, Reynald A. Cariño1, Rizza P. Galera1, Catherine Simon1, Ruth A. Peralta1, and Charissa Joy Q. Ferrer1and Joel Binasoy, MPA2 ABSTRACT This study assessed the emergency management of ten barangays in Tuguegarao City that had the most number of affected families by Super Typhoon Lawin. Specifically, this study assessed the level of preparedness of barangays’ contingency plan and early warning system, evacuation management, response/relief system, and responsiveness in the execution of calamity response and after-calamity protocols for the said super typhoon. It likewise assessed the affected families’ level of satisfaction in the implementation of emergency management focused on preparedness and response. The emergency management initiatives that the barangays had, issues and problems encountered, and recommendations for emergency management enhancement were also determined. Descriptive design with the use of triangulation method of research was employed in the study. Interview, survey, documentary analysis and on-site observation were used as data gathering techniques. Descriptive statistics were used in treating the data. Findings showed that the affected families were ambivalent as to the existence of contingency plan for typhoon and/or flood and early warning system before the super typhoon. Also, they do not know whether or not their barangays were prepared for evacuation management before and during the super typhoon and possess response/relief system after. The affected families were neither satisfied nor dissatisfied in the implementation of activities and services covered by preparedness and response. Common emergency management initiatives among the barangays after the super typhoon were relief distribution, clean-up drive and damage assessment. Generally, the problems encountered by the BDRRMC and affected families were as follows: inadequate equipment and facilities, insufficient funding for disaster preparedness, lack of seminars and trainings pertaining to disaster risk reduction and management, lack of manpower and manpower incompetency. Particularly, affected families encountered unfair and discriminatory distribution of relief goods and other relief assistances. Keywords: Emergency Management, Super Typhoon Lawin, Preparedness, Responsiveness, Satisfaction, Emergency Management Initiatives, Issues and Problems, and Recommendations

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BPA Students Instructor I

Page |2 INTRODUCTION Since time immemorial, it was known in human history that natural disasters had claimed increasing death toll in the past, giving out an indicator that natural forces are getting stronger. The Philippines, as a country located in the Pacific Rim, is vulnerable and experiences dreadful disasters like typhoon and flood that often cause high death rate and high economic loss in the agricultural sector and other industry in which Filipinos engaged. Livelihood and the safety of communities, particularly in coastal areas and major river basins, are at risk which leaves discomfort and frustration. The Philippine National Government highly recognizes the adverse effects of natural disasters made possible the enactment of Republic Act No. 10121 or also known as the “Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010” which provided the legal basis for the creation of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Plan (NDRRMP), the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils (LDRRMCs) and Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Committees (BDRRMCs) in the multifarious Local Government Units (LGUs) nationwide. The NDRRMP was established to correspond to RA 10121 for the formulation of policies, plans, and programs that concerns disaster related phenomena. This plan revolves around four thematic points or concerns, namely: (1) Disaster Prevention and Mitigation; (2) Disaster Preparedness; (3) Disaster Response; and (4) Disaster Rehabilitation and Recovery (NDRRMC, 2011). The establishment of these thematic areas covered by NDRRMP empowered LGUs nationwide in building community resiliency and in the institutionalization of measures in reducing disaster risks. Locally, LGUs in the Province of Cagayan traversed by the Cagayan River and other water tributaries, experience yearly the ravaging effect of flood caused by massive rainfall during wet seasons and typhoon occurrences. In particular, the City of Tuguegarao which grew on the banks of Cagayan River in 2015 was considered as

second among the top ten most disaster prone cities in the world. The high danger posed by the entrenching myriad of natural hazards that the city is exposed to justify its rank among the world’s most at risk cities. In October 19, 2016, Tuguegarao City was ravaged by another disaster named Super Typhoon Lawin. The Super Typhoon had a maximum wind of 225 km/h and gustiness of 315 km/h (CNN Philippines Staff, 2016). The devastating strength of the Super Typhoon upon its landfall ravaged intended shelters for evacuees such as schools and gymnasiums within the city. In the news article published by Inquirer.net on October 23, 2016, this monstrous calamity made a total of P581 million to P657 million damage against infrastructure and P75.8 million against agriculture across the four regions that were affected. According to the Terminal Report from the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council of Tuguegarao dated November 11, 2016, there were 33, 244 families being affected and P14, 754, 944 worth of damage to agriculture and livestock were recorded. In addition, the disaster incurred P1, 704, 600, 000 of damage to the infrastructure sector of the city. As a result of the adverse effects caused by Super Typhoon Lawin, the capacity to cope of the barangays within the City of Tuguegarao in addressing problems with regards to preparedness and response were challenged. This research assessed the emergency management of the ten barangays in Tuguegarao City that had the most number of affected families by Super Typhoon Lawin. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM The study assessed the emergency management of the ten (10) identified barangays in the City of Tuguegarao that had the most number of Super Typhoon Lawin affected families. Specifically, the study sought to answer the following: 1. What is the level of preparedness of the ten identified barangays in terms of:

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1.1.Contingency Plan for typhoon and/or flood before the Super Typhoon Lawin; 1.2.Early Warning System for typhoon and/or flood before the Super Typhoon Lawin; 1.3.Evacuation Management before and during the Super Typhoon Lawin; and 1.4.Response/Relief System during and after the Super Typhoon Lawin. What is the level of responsiveness of the ten identified barangays with respect to the execution of: 2.1.Calamity response protocols before and during the Super Typhoon Lawin; and 2.2. After-calamity protocols after the Super Typhoon Lawin. What is the level of satisfaction of the Super Typhoon Lawin affected families in the ten respondent barangays with respect to the implementation of plans, activities and services contained in the following thematic areas of emergency management: 3.1.Preparedness; and 3.2.Response. What are the emergency management initiatives that the identified barangays had initiated after the Super Typhoon Lawin? What are the issues and problems related to emergency management of the ten respondent barangays that were encountered by the BDRRMC members and affected families before, during, and after the Super Typhoon Lawin? What are the recommendations of the affected family respondents and BDRRMC member respondents that may help the ten respondent barangays in the enhancement of their emergency management?

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK The concepts that were used in the formulation of this study were based on the principles of Anticipatory Government by Gaebler and Osborne, phases of Emergency Management, UN Humanitarian Resolution 461182 of 1991, the Hyogo Framework for Action, Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010 (RA 10121), the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Framework of the Philippines, and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Plan 2011 to 2018. The principle of Anticipatory Government by David Osborne and Ted Gaebler (1992) postulates that the government should engage in prevention rather than cure. This principle implies that by governing with foresight, government institutions can anticipate problems in the future. Likewise, the concept of Emergency Management involves preventive measures and futuristic undertakings to at least decrease the effect of disasters. The UN Humanitarian Resolution 461182 of 1991 provided that each State has the responsibility to first and foremost to take care of the victims of natural disasters and other emergencies occurring on its territory. Hence, the affected State has the primary role in the initiation, organization, coordination, and implementation of humanitarian assistance within its territory. In the concept of governance, it is indeed true that a government’s primordial role is to protect the welfare of its constituents through initiatives, proper coordination and provision of humanitarian assistance to the severely affected citizens in times of emergency. In connection to this, the concept of emergency management is inherent to the function of the government as the main instrumentality in delivering services for the protection and advancement of humanitarian welfare during emergencies. There are different phases being attached to emergency management which the government have to fulfill and these are: mitigation, preparedness, response/relief, and recovery (Baird, 2010). At the outset, preparedness and response were dealt with in this study.

Page |4 Moreover, bases for assessment of respondent barangays’ emergency management can be traced out in the following international protocols: the UN Humanitarian Charter and the Minimum Standards in Humanitarian Response and the UN Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA). The UN Humanitarian Charter and the Minimum Standards in Humanitarian Response is a United Nation established project aimed at upgrading the quality of disaster response in terms of its effectiveness and accountability of the humanitarian system to the people who are strained by natural hazards (The Sphere Project, 2011). On the other hand, the UN Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) was formulated and adopted because of the heavy losses and damages to lives, properties, livelihood and environment caused by natural calamities such as typhoons, floods, and the like (UNISDR, 2005). Furthermore, this international framework was adopted for the member states to utilize a set of guidelines to reduce vulnerabilities to natural hazards. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Framework, in connection to the provisions of RA 10121, was adopted and envisioned to attain sustainable development with “safer, adaptive and disaster-resilient Filipino Communities…” (National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Plan 20112018, 2011). This movement is geared towards paradigm shifting from a reactive to proactive Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) to be fulfilled by citizens who have increased awareness and understanding of DRRM for amassing their resilience and mitigating their vulnerabilities.

Typhoon Lawin affected families in Tuguegarao City. The barangays were as follows: Ugac Sur, Ugac Norte, Cataggaman Nuevo, Linao East, Cataggaman Viejo, Caggay, Annafunan West, Buntun, and Cataggaman Pardo and Tanza. These barangays were ranked in accordance to the Terminal Report of the CDRRMO of Tuguegarao pertaining to the impact of Super Typhoon Lawin dated November 11, 2016. Respondents and Sampling Method There were two groups of respondents in this study: the BDRRMC members and the affected families. Purposive sampling and complete enumeration were used to determine the number of BDRRMC members based on RA 10121. In the case of affected family respondents, Slovin’s formula was used to determine the general sample size. The number of affected family respondents was distributed per respondent-barangay through stratified sampling technique. The affected family respondents were identified by the City Social Welfare and Development Office as referred by the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office of Tuguegarao. There were 100 BDRRMC members but 95 were only interviewed while all the 389 affected family respondents were interviewed. Research Instruments Interview guides and questionnaires were used in this study.

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METHODOLOGY

Data Gathering Procedures and Techniques

Research Design

The researchers coordinated to the City Mayor’s Office of Tuguegarao for the endorsement of the conduct of survey and interviews across the respondent barangays. The immersion included the gathering of disaster risk reduction and management documents and reports of the barangays. Upon the endorsement of the City Mayor, request letters were cascaded to the Punong Barangays for the formal conduct

The researchers used triangulation in the study since both qualitative and quantitative methods were employed. Locale of the Study The study was conducted in the ten barangays that had the most number of Super

Page |5 of interviews, surveys, and acquiring of documents. List of identified affected families were acquired through the City Social Welfare and Development Office and became the basis in the determination of affected family respondents. The data gathering techniques that were employed in this study were interviews, survey, documentary analysis, and on-site observation. Statistical Tool and Treatment Descriptive statistics such as frequency, mean and percentage were used in the treatment of the data on the level of preparedness and level of responsiveness of the barangays, and level of satisfaction of affected family respondents. Moreover, in measuring the level of preparedness, response, and satisfaction, Likert scale was used with the following arbitrary scale and descriptive value; 4.21 – 5.00: Very Much Prepared/Very Responsive/Very Satisfied, 3.41 – 4.20: Prepared/Responsive/Satisfied, 2.61 – 3.40, Ambivalent/Moderately Responsive/Neither Satisfied nor Dissatisfied, 1.81 – 2.60:Unprepared/Unresponsive/Dissatisfied, and 1.0 – 1.8:Very Much Unprepared/Very Unresponsive/Very Dissatisfied. Moreover, frequency counts and ranking were used in treating the data on the problems encountered by the different groups of respondents and their recommendations that may help their barangay’s emergency management.

Further probing showed that seven (7) barangays had their respective contingency plan for typhoon and/or flood, but were not posted in conspicuous places, before the Super Typhoon Lawin. Moreover, five (5) barangays had an available local disaster risk map, yet only two (2) barangays posted it in their respective barangay halls. Analysis of records in all barangays showed that only Cataggaman Viejo had a drill for the testing of their contingency plan before the super typhoon. Disaster related signages before the super typhoon in Buntun, Cataggaman Pardo, Cataggaman Viejo, Ugac Sur, and Cataggaman Nuevo were posted but destroyed during the super typhoon. B. Early Warning System before Super Typhoon Lawin Generally, the ten respondent barangays’ early warning system before the onslaught of Super Typhoon Lawin was perceived as ambivalent with a mean of 3.07. This indicates that there was an uncertainty on the barangays’ preparedness. On the other hand, records analysis showed that only three (3) barangays had their early warning system prior to the onslaught of the super typhoon. However, all the respondentbarangays don’t have an installed early warning system. Instead, their early warning systems revolved in the use of whistles, megaphones, and sirens. This indicates that the barangays were still using the old and practical way of providing early warning.

FINDINGS Level of Preparedness A. Contingency Plan before the Super Typhoon Lawin The respondent barangays were generally perceived as ambivalent with respect to their contingency plan before the Super Typhoon Lawin with a mean of 2.77. This shows that the preparedness of the contingency plan of the respondent barangays were uncertain.

C. Evacuation Management System before and during the Super Typhoon Lawin Generally, the barangays were ambivalent in terms of evacuation management system before and during the Super Typhoon Lawin with a mean of 3.00. It can be inferred in general that the respondent barangays’ preparedness was uncertain. Individually, all barangays designated their evacuation centers before and during the super typhoon. It was revealed that the most

Page |6 common evacuation centers were Barangay Hall, Covered Court/Gymnasium, Church/Chapel, and Multipurpose Hall. Interviews with the BDRRMC members in Cataggaman Pardo revealed that they did not housed the evacuees in the covered court/gymnasium because of its vulnerability to the strength of the super typhoon. Specifically, it was revealed that only three (3) barangays had an available evacuation map/route and evacuation management plan. Food pack with potable water was the most common basic necessity in the evacuation center while sleeping mats were the least. BDRRMC members from barangays Ugac Norte and Tanza disclosed they did not provided sleeping mats, blankets and pillows in the evacuation centers because evacuees brought their own sleeping paraphernalia. Power supply and health facilities were the most common basic facilities while priority areas for pregnant women, elderly and persons with disabilities was the least basic facility. It can be deduced that the establishment of priority areas for pregnant women, elderly and persons with disabilities have to be strengthened since these are the vulnerable sectors. All barangays had their own power supply and mobile communication system. Their communication before, during and after the super typhoon relied on cellular phones and handheld radio. For instance in Caggay, BDRRMC members used cellular phone and handheld radio in transmitting information and calling. Moreover, all barangays were able to deploy their barangay tanods to secure the evacuation centers. D. Response/Relief System during and after the Super Typhoon Lawin Generally, survey showed that all barangays were ambivalent in terms of response/relief system during and after the super typhoon with a mean of 3.33. This shows that there was an uncertainty in the preparedness of the barangays in terms of response/relief system during and after the calamity. Interviews and on-site observation showed that all barangays designated their

barangay halls as the sole barangay operation center after the super typhoon. Members of the BDRRMC also said that their respective Punong Barangays acted as the persons-in-charge. In addition, all barangays were able to deploy personnel for search and rescue after but were not during the super typhoon. Relief distribution was tackled in the barangays but only two (2) barangays documented it. Level of Responsiveness A. Execution of Calamity Response Protocols before and during the Super Typhoon Lawin Generally, survey shows that the barangays were moderately responsive in terms of calamity response protocols execution with a mean of 3.04. This indicates that their responsiveness was average. Majority of the BDRRMC members affirmed in the execution of the calamity response protocols before the super typhoon. However, records analysis revealed that only two (2) barangays were able to make announcement or issuance of advisories, alerts and warnings before the super typhoon. It was found out that there were series of announcements done by the BDRRMC members upon the transmission of information from the city government. In terms of evacuation and search equipment, search light was the most common while ...