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srirachawings · 4 years

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Inside: Local Disaster Preparedness

Photo with Kgd. Edgardo Estigoy, Committee on Disaster November 30, 2019

Earlier that day, we asked the people at the barangay hall if we could set up an appointment for an interview some time the following days, but they were very accommodating and told us that we could conduct the interview as early as later in the afternoon.

Screenshot of the location of the barangay hall

We were greeted by the barangay with eager smiles, and we were told that we’ll be able to interviewi the officer in charge for the day, Kagawad Edgardo Estigoy. It was very fortunate to be able to interview Ka Ed since he was also the head of the Barangay 397’s Committee on Disaster, meaning he’ll be on top of things when it comes to disasters.

Upon entering the barangay hall, we were surprised to see that the interior was also a computer shop that catered to mostly children and residents of the local area. Regarding the ownership of the internet café, I’ll never know. When I looked at the barangay portion of the interior, it was mostly radio and surveillance equipment stashed together in a single corner to make room for the café’s computers. There were multiple screens that displayed the vision of the multiple CCTV’s scattered around the barangay. It gave me a vague map of what the barangay’s jurisdiction reached, which is minute compared to its counterparts in other Metro Manila cities.

We started the interview by introducing ourselves then proceeding to ask Ka Ed about what kinds of disasters hit the barangay in the past. He told us that floods are the most common type of hazards around the barangays from Morayta to Welcome Rotonda which is brought about by the seasonal Habagat and tropical storms, to which he added isn’t that much of a problem now because of the cities more advanced flooding system which quickly drains much of the floodwater compared to the previous decades. He added that rarely, earthquakes do happen, which has a different impact on the people since it’s highly anticipated, especially the Big One.

The formal interview with the kagawad

He stated that today, hazards can easily be detected because of the prevalence of today’s information technology which quickly helps in the dissemination of information across the grid. He added that information about incoming hazards are one of the most vital parts of preparing the citizens about them, like the regular advisory warnings that buzz our phones.

Ka Ed told us that the presence of multiple business and establishments around their barangay is proof that the barangay is safe since businessmen study the location of their planned businesses to ensure the safety of both their customers and employees.

We asked the kagawad about the places in the barangay which are more vulnerable to disasters, and he quickly replied that he couldn’t really pinpoint exact locations for us but that it’s highly improbable since most of the buildings in the vicinity are already made of concrete. He also added that there are only three last buildings in the barangay which are made of wood, and thus more prone to disasters but are already on the process of being demolished to further the safety of its residents.

Ka Ed told us that since the barangay is near UST, disasters are more likely to affect the multiple businesses accumulating around the university, which could hit the local economy hard if a serious disaster was to strike. He also noted that the local community services are kept afloat by the local barangays if it were to be affected by disasters.

He told us that the safest place around the barangay was around the barangay hall since it was near the authorities and that there is appropriate lighting around the area and that severe floods are to occur, they can communicate with the local high-rising buildings and public schools with wide spaces to aid in evacuating the locals.

Barangay 397 Hall at night

The kagawad made us took note of the different equipment that the barangay had but made no iterations about current earthquake drills or evacuation plans. He also told us that the barangay has already established connections with residents who are ready to volunteer if ever a disaster was to strike. He also added that the barangay personnel are trained in first-aid and treat each other as family and help each other. Ka Ed told us that, as of the moment, the barangay has no formal or concrete programs that seek to aid the community (i.e. earthquake drills) but is mainly dependent on the go with the flow action, which is unstructured and allows them to be more flexible depending on the current needs of the community.

After we concluded the interview, we took a formal photo with the kagawad and went on our little trip to see the different hazards around the vicinity. Just a few meters from the barangay hall was an example of how the local authorities encourage the people to aid in the segregation of trash, particularly plastic bottles, which can later on be used for recycling.

After turning a corner, we noticed one of the barangay’s advocacies that is buried deep into the hearts of every Filipino, Tapat ko, Linis Ko, which implies that everyone must do their own part in maintaining the cleanliness of the neighborhood. Regular cleaning of the streets greatly aids in reducing the risk of sewer clogging which is an antecedent to floods. But there was still numerous garbage littered around the streets which can be attributed to the laxity of the authorities in enforcing the no littering policies of the local government. Another factor which could aid in the cleanliness of the community would be to place convenient trash bins to ease the burden of pedestrians who are carrying waste with them.

Photo of Material Recovery Facility along P. Noval

Tapat ko, Linis ko

We reached a small street along España which housed a large condominium, and in front of it was a large road construction full of concrete slabs and steel that could prove harmful to the locals who aren’t too careful. The absence of barricades increases the risk of children to cross over to the construction and fall into a large man-hole dug by the workers. This pit is especially dangerous when large amounts of rain fill the hole and obscure the presence of the man-hole where pedestrians and may accidentally fall into.

Since the local government (barangay) has zero formal educational programs for their residents about disasters, this would prove fatal when a disaster does eventually strike the area. It would be best for the local authorities to immediately come up with concrete plans to aid in the awareness of the residensts on what to do during a disaster. The simple posting of advocaices and guidelines are already a big help in guiding people what to do and remind them of how they can prepare themselves for a possible disaster. Nationally, I think the Philippines is ready for whatever disaster strikes it since typhoons happen to us multiple times a year, but on the local level, the bahala na attitude is still evident because of the lack of programs and drills that will further fortify the resilience of the residents to a disaster.

Road Construction along Galicia

It has come to my mind that the modernization of technology has put a great burden off the local authorities since they don’t have to exert that much effort into disseminating information. However, it is imperative that we maintain a high standard in disaster risk preparedness since our country is very prone to disasters, given that we’re in both the Pacific ring of fire, and SEA typhoon belt. We must always do what we can to inform others on the knowledge that we have about disasters because even the smallest details can save a life if used correctly. We must encourage the government, both local and national, to push for more DRRM programs that could further the knowledge and skills of the Filipinos that can ultimately render us an impregnable disaster fortress. As a student, it is my part to raise concerns and communicate with those around me to mitigate the effects of a disaster on my community.

#drrm #nstp #ust

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