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The barangay tanod Showing me the camera monitoring equipment :) 

THIS :

Makes me feel more secure.

Makes me thankful for people who serve us. 

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Through the Lens of a Thomasian: DRRR in Brgy.471

I’ve been in the comforts of Dapitan in the past three years. Away from my parents, family, and home. I reside in a 4-cornered room at Navarra Street- part of Brgy. 471 zone 46. Although I can draw a photo of this small Brgy. in my head, I have never really looked at it as a place of permanence. To me, it is only a temporary sanctuary as I live out my college years, but to the families who stay here and the students who plan to stay here, this is their lives; and the safety, security, and comfort within these streets are more than a necessity. So I explore the disaster risk reduction that Brgy. 471 implements, in the process, learning about our local government, the people of the barangay, and my role as a Thomasian in this community.

I approached a small office just along Navarra street. The place was smaller than my room. It had two desks, one side table with snacks, and two large television screens that gave the officer on duty a clear street view of the barangay. I approached the sir in the orange shirt, introduced myself as a student of the university. The officer was kind enough to let me interview him and as generous with detailed answers. 

Sir Ron “Ronron” Lapil had lived his whole life here. He is currently the barangay tanod and at that time, was the only one on duty. He explains to me that the barangay conduct seminars for their officials every year from earthquake drills, self-defense, psychology classes to detect suspicious movements, and others. 

In the past, Brgy. 471 has dealt with a lot of flooding issues from heavy rainfall but since the streets have been elevated a few years ago, it has not been a problem anymore. Recent earthquakes are the issue the barangay is more concerned about as the structures around the area are built very closely together, but for Sir. Lapil, any disaster can be avoided through preparedness; this is exactly why the local barangay conducts earthquake drills within their staff and post awareness materials on their Facebook page. 

One main concern of the barangay is not the natural or man-made calamities that may occur, but the violence around the area. Although it has highly decreased in recent years, there are still some reported cases. The cases of riding-in-tandems remain an issue with the last report coming from one month ago. For sir Lapil, it should always be self-awareness that should be employed when it comes to these situations, especially late at night. Although the barangay does make rounds to ensure everyone’s safety, it is better to keep our valuables secured too. 

Walking around Brgy. 471

On regular days, the streets are crowded by students and working adults but on holidays, they are quiet as everyone is either at home in the province or resting quietly in their rooms. The population consists mostly of students, only a few families live in the area. It could also be observed that the place has no bars or smoking areas - this is a direct implementation of the city ordinance, the barangay makes sure that the order of the city is followed. 

The buildings around the area are indeed all cramped, some were also very old which only confirms’ Sir Lapil’s statement on the area prone to earthquake damage. 

The barangay makes sure that the sewages are kept clean, on Saturdays, trash collectors are deployed to keep the streets free of garbage as to not clog the drainage of the area- this is important as UST is a very flood-prone area. 

In the end, it is important to remember that risk reduction should not only come from our local governments but also within our actions through our cooperation and active involvement in government activities. As sir Lapil would say “Lahat may kapasidad upang protektahan ang sarili, kami [barangay officials] ay nandito lang para mabawasan ang ‘risk’”

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Lahat may kapasidad upang protektahan ang sarili, kami [barangay officials] ay nandito lang para mabawasan ang 'risk' na tinatawag

RonRon Lapil, Brgy. 471 Tanod

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A natural disaster recorded at the barangay a few years ago 

link to the full report : 

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/video/balitanghali/408087/pagyanig-sa-brgy-471-zone-46-manila-nakunan-ng-cctv/video/

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Barangay Hall Location

Address: Zone 46, Navarra St, Sampaloc, Manila, 1008 Metro ManilaPhone: (02) 8742 1780

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The facade. 

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Sir Lapil pointing to where the CCTV equipment are installed according to each screen view. 

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Sir Lapil on natural disasters and what to do during these events. 

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Sir Lapil on crime, crime visibility, and other related topics.