im-ar-curan - Tumblr blog

[im-ar-curan]

DISASTER RISK REDUCTION AND MANAGEMENT Mira (C-ARC-4) Brgy. 733

How can a community be prepared for an incoming calamity? What are the things that they do to prevent further damages to the people and their lifestyle in the community? How can the barangay help those people who were affected by a certain calamity?

 These questions were answered when I conducted a casual interview or “kwentuhan” with the secretary of barangay 733, Mr. Randy Dig, last December 7, 2019.

Mirabelle F. Curan                              Mr. Randy Dig

He told me a lot of things regarding the barangay, its preparedness, practices, programs, etc. that can help prepare for an incoming calamity.

 Based on the answer of Mr. Dig about the hazard identification, he stated that one of the calamities that hit the barangay is the typhoon Ondoy that hit the Philippines last September 26, 2019. Other than the typhoon the barangay also experienced fire and earthquake that are not frequently experienced by the community. He said that their are a lot of ways for them to be advised if there are any calamities incoming, which are given by the different government agencies such as PAG-ASA (Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration ), PHIVOLCS (Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology), etc.

Mr. Dig also assessed the vulnerability, elements and people at risk of the barangay 733, he mentioned that the houses near the river is considered to be mostly harmed when a calamity hit the barangay, because their houses are built along the river bank. He also mentioned about the drills they practice, so that the people living in the community knows what to do whenever these calamities hit the barangay.

Mr. Dig also stated that in order for their barangay to be prepared they always make sure that there are available first aid kits and also evacuation sites that can be readily used if there are calamities. He also expound about the ways how they help the affected people in the community by providing them relief goods and also giving them temporary shelters which are given by the local government. BDRRM ( Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction Management) is the one that the barangay follows for them to provide safety to the community.

Me and Mr. Dig went on a walk to identify which places in the barangay can be considered safe and hazardous.

He said that the river near the barangay hall is considered as the hazardous place of the barangay since the water level of the river rises quickly during a rainstorm or typhoon.

 He mentioned the Dagonoy street as the safest place in the barangay since it is an open area.

 I also witnessed their best practices in the community, which is regular cleaning of the barangay. 

  I learned that the preparedness of the barangay is very efficient, because everyone in in the community participates on the different programs of the barangay. I also realized that there are a lot of things that are considered as hazardous in the community, since they have informal settlers near the river bank, they are more exposed on the threats of calamity such as flood and also fire because they don’t have electricity that’s why they use candles or lamps that can be the cause of fire. Even though there are hazardous places in the barangay, they’re very prepared not just about preventing the calamity but also about acting to the effects of a certain calamity that