Filipinos are more prepared for natural disasters than they were seven years ago, but material investments and social support still needs improvement, in keeping with a nationwide survey conducted between February to March 2024 by the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative (HHI).
On average, Filipinos’ self-reported disaster preparedness level increased by 42%, as revealed by the HHI survey on disaster preparedness and climate change perceptions within the Philippines.
The common rating – 19.2 out of fifty points – was an improvement over the 13.5 out of fifty gleaned in a 2017 study conducted by HHI using the identical methodology and instrument.
“For a rustic as vulnerable to disasters because the Philippines, [however,] this just isn’t enough,” Vincenzo Bollettino, director of the HHI Resilient Communities program and co-lead for this study, said.
“A rating of 19.2 highlights each progress and areas needing urgent attention,” he said in a November 7 press statement.
“The rating suggests that Filipinos are only doing 38.4% of the sorts of disaster preparedness activities needed to be prepared,” he added.
Among the many five objective measures of disaster preparedness, Filipinos scored highest in information (4.9 out of 10) and lowest in social support (2.3 out of 10).
By way of specific social support activities, lower than 1 / 4 of Filipinos are members of a bunch or association (23%) and are accustomed to their local disaster risk reduction and management officers (16%).
Social support also declined to 2.3 in 2024 from 2.7 out of 10 in 2017.
While many Filipinos discuss emergency plans as a family (58%), lower than a 3rd prepare their respective disaster management plan (20%), Go bag (27%), adequate supplies of commonly taken medications (32%), and first aid kit (33%).
Regions-wise, the Cordillera Administrative Region (24.0 out of fifty), Central Visayas (21.5), and Western Visayas (21.4) reported the best levels of preparedness. Davao Region (17.3), Negros Island (15.8), and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao or BARMM (15.1), however, reported the bottom levels of such preparedness.
The Philippine capital of Metro Manila ranked 11th in level of disaster preparedness (19.1) and barely below the national average (19.2). It is usually considered one of the regions with the least progress in disaster preparedness over time, with a rise in preparedness rating by 22%, or 3.4 points from 15.7 in 2017.
“The [National Capital Region] is the guts of the Philippine economy and residential for a big a part of the country’s population, yet it’s routinely hit by natural hazards,” Mr. Bollettino said. “Increasing its disaster preparedness is crucial.”
The Philippines has the highest disaster risk on the planet, based on the 2024 WorldRiskReport.
As Patrick Vinck, HHI’s director of research, said: “enhancing the Philippines’ disaster preparedness requires investing in local leadership and leveraging technology to enhance early warning systems and community engagement, amongst other critical measures.”
“This ought to be accompanied by investments in resilient infrastructures, local capacities, and anticipatory actions,” he said in the identical November 7 press statement. – Patricia B. Mirasol
