1

BRACING FOR DISASTER IN FOUR RIVERINE COMMUNITIES IN ILIGAN CITY

Dr. Liwayway S. Viloria

Dr. Nimfa L. Bracamonte

Dr. Myrma Jean A. Mendoza

Dr. Sulpecia L. Ponce

Amabelle A. Embornas

Jhona D. Landong

Department of Sociology

College of Arts and Social Sciences

MSUI-IIT, Iligan City

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the levels of vulnerability and disaster preparedness

among typhoon Sendong victims in four upland and lowland communities along the

Mandulog and Pugaan river systems. It tried to find out whether there were differences or

changes in the level of vulnerability and disaster preparedness between TS Sendong and TS

Pablo events. The results of this study are intended to inform and serve as a guide for

identifying areas that need appropriate disaster risk mitigation and prevention measures.

Using survey design, the study involved a total of 200 purposively chosen

respondents from four barangays. Aided by a structured questionnaire, the survey was

undertaken in May to July 2013. The quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive

statistics and t-test with the aid of SPSS.

With the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management System as framework,

the study revealed that there was a remarkable increase in respondents level of awareness of

the upcoming typhoons and their potential damages across the four barangay, from uncertain

in preSendong to high awareness in postSendong. A similar pattern was observed in their

awareness of climate change. Respondents preSendong high level of knowledge on

techniques of minimizing disaster risks likewise advanced to very high level.

Vulnerability was measured in terms of proneness to natural hazard, and level of

experiences in geo-hydro-meteorological hazard related losses and damages to properties

alongside family death, illnesses and injuries. Occurrences of flashfloods were perceived to

have increased from moderate in preSendong to high in post Sendong. However, storm surge

and sea level rise occurrences were relatively low as the barangays were mainly riverine.

Proneness of the communities to hazard due to nearness to river has significantly

increased after Sendong. Correspondingly, their houses have become significantly more

vulnerable to disaster given their proximity to a river and the predominantly single storey

design with light materials. With respect to infrastructures, the most vulnerable ones were the

bridges in the four barangays, all of which were damaged, followed by the drainage structures

and school buildings which were either heavily or partially damaged.

2

In terms of heavy-rains related losses or damages to properties, the four barangays

were perceived to have little experience in pre-Sendong but increased to moderate in post-

Sendong. Their estimated average cost of flash-flood related losses and damages to properties

were apparently much higher than what they could afford to immediately recover. Heavy-

rains and flashflood related family experiences in death, illnesses and injuries proved to be

significantly higher in post Sendong than in pre-Sendong.

Household disaster preparedness across the four barangays was significantly higher in

post Sendong than in pre Sendong. Similarly, the four barangay governments were better

prepared for Typhoon Pablo and for Typhoon Sendong, enabling them to achieve their goal

of zero casualty.

Keywords: disaster awareness, vulnerability, disaster preparedness, geo-hydro-

meteorological hazard

1. Introduction

In highlighting the need to uncover disaster risks as a way towards reconceptualizing

development, the “2011 Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction” underscores

that a country’s or community’s capacity to downscale its vulnerability and reinforce its risk

governance ability indicates the extent to which disaster risks can be increased or reduced

(United Nations, 2011:18). Implicit in this statement is the importance of determining

people’s or a community’s vulnerability to disaster along with its capacity to manage risks.

This way, entry points or areas for appropriate mitigation may be identified and

correspondingly addressed towards making them disaster and climate change resilient.

Why are certain people more at risk or vulnerable to disaster than others? Greg

Bankoff (2006:1) has succinctly answered this in saying, “It is assumed that people are put’ at

risk’ from hazards because they are in the wrong spot at the wrong time…” And he further

opined that this unequal exposure to risk is generally attributable to the power relations

existing in each society. This vulnerability perspective entails jointly assessing the risks to

which people and their communities are exposed along with their capacities to manage risk

outcomes. Among the communities that are undoubtedly vulnerable to flooding, in particular,

is the December 2011 typhoon Sendong hard-hit upland and lowland communities lying

closely along the Mandulog and Pugaan river systems in Iligan City. A considerable number

of them were, and still residing in the river delta, if not riverbed. Prior to Sendong, these

communities had been occasionally struck by flashflood since 1953, but these were mostly

triggered by heavy rains and not by typhoons. The only recorded typhoons that they

experienced so far in pre Sendong were TS Lando in 2009 and another in 2007. These

however, did not result in losses to human lives, although there were recorded damages to

certain infrastructures, properties and crops.

In general, it may be said that Iligan City had been relatively free from massively

destructive typhoons or typhoon-induced flooding until the onslaught of the killer TS

Sendong, being geographically located outside the so-called typhoon belt despite the fact that

the Philippines has been noted as among the countries that sit within the Pacific ring of fire at

the same time located along the typhoon path making it either an origin or a destination of

3

typhoons averaging 20 a year, resulting to frequent flooding in certain areas. This condition

coupled with apparent lack of preparation despite the mandate of the 2010 enacted R.A.

10121 calling upon local government units to prepare, allocate budget, and implement their

respective Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) plans, may be accounted for

the tremendous devastation which affected communities experienced during the onslaught of

TS Sendong, followed by Typhoon Pablo within a year’s time.

Unlike the communities frequented by typhoons such as those in the Bicol Region or

Batanes Island, the residents of Iligan had not fully geared themselves up to confront the

raging floodwaters brought by TS Sendong. That the effects of climate change is now being

harshly felt in Iligan City is a reverberating message that these two typhoons have released.

This is evident in the thousands of lives lost or unaccounted for and the millions of

infrastructure and private property losses, aside from biological and other environmental

damages which the TS Sendong related flash floods have brought about. By strengthening

adaptive capacities, the mortality risk, and various other forms or risks to economy, child

welfare and development, infrastructure, private properties and environment can be reduced

(United Nations, 2011:18). Addressing this issue certainly entails improvement in risk

governance capacity and reduction in vulnerability in low-and middle-income households and

communities. Imbedded in this approach is the need to identify underlying risk drivers such

as poverty or poor socio-economic conditions, badly planned development, or ecosystem

decline, and how these contribute to child welfare and development, as well as to internal

displacement. These links between risks and people’s and community survival and

development can be better understood when subjected to systematic investigation. It is

against this backdrop that this study was conducted, focusing on perceived disaster

vulnerabilities in relation to disaster preparedness of typhoon Sendong survivors in the four

upland and lowland communities along the Mandulog and Pugaan river systems in Iligan

City. This constitutes part of the project on DRRM in Iligan City. Results of this study can

serve as empirical input to crafting appropriate mitigating measures or adaptive strategies

towards attaining resilience to hazards and disasters.

There have been local studies on disaster vulnerability response, or impacts among

Sendong affected survivors in Iligan. Most of these, however, are undergraduate theses or

unpublished research. Besides, these studies were mostly focused on single affected

community. See for instance the undergraduate theses on a) Sendong preparedness and

vulnerabilities by Cuyno, Jimenez, and Lumpayao (2013) and Balabagan, Bodiongan, and

Romano (2013); b) Sendong response: through resource mobilization by the local and

international agencies undertaken by Amad and Tabada (2012), by the local government by

Anaya, Escuadra and Mamon (2012), Survivors’ response to humanitarian aid by Bao, Apal,

and Ampang (2013); c) Sendong effects on health, socio-economic and environmental

conditions by Lamoste, Patoy, and Solon (2012), Colance, Landong, and Manda (2012),

Cabartija, Jumamil, and Zuño (2012), Nellas, Panerio and Panerio (2012), Abundiente,

Gapor, and Santos (2013); d) Sendong recovery/ rehabilitation by Arsoler, Pagente and

Navales (2013), and Violanda and Cañares (2013)

On a higher academic plane, the dissertation of Judelyn M. Salon (2013) focused on

the empowerment of typhoon survivors and social legitimacy of social organizations in

disaster management.

4

Studying disaster risk or vulnerability necessitates a framework that integrates

management of geo-physical-chemical, living and human resources from the upland to the

lowlands and waters towards promoting conservation and sustainable resource use and

development. This is essentially what the “ridge-to-reef” approach mean, which anchors on

the ecosystem or watershed perspective (Climate Change Commission Philippines, 2013:21).

2. Objectives of the Study

Generally, this study aimed to determine the level of vulnerability and disaster

preparedness among typhoon Sendong victims in four upland and lowland communities lying

close to the Mandulog and Pugaan river systems. The results of this study are intended to

inform the affected residents, households and local government units and disaster risk

reduction and management councils and concerned people’s organization (POs),

nongovernment organizations, and other agencies and organizations in regard to areas that

need appropriate disaster risk mitigation and prevention measures. It tried to find out whether

there were differences or changes in levels of vulnerability and disaster preparedness between

TS Sendong and TS Pablo events.

3. Analytical Framework

The framework that has shaped and guided this study builds on the Philippine

Disaster Risk Reduction and Management System enshrined in Republic Act No. 10121

constituting a paradigm shift from disaster relief and response towards Disaster Risk

Reduction and Management (DRRM). This is an integrated, bottom-up and participatory

approach to disaster risk reduction process towards achieving genuine social and human

development. It mainly views disasters as a reflection of people’s vulnerability. In this sense,

determining people’s vulnerability becomes an imperative precondition to a systematic multi-

sectoral platform for disaster risk reduction. Thus, the National DRRM Plan for 2011-2028

has given priority to “identification of hazards, vulnerabilities, and risks…” The vision of the

country under the current long-term Philippine National DRRM Plan is “safer, adaptive and

disaster resilient Filipino communities towards sustainable development.” (NDRRMC

Secretariat, 2012). Four DRRM priority areas along with their long-term goals are crafted

toward achieving the vision, and there are a) Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, b) Disaster

Preparedness, c) Disaster Response, and d) Disaster Rehabilitation and Recovery. Each of

these areas is operationalized through its long-term goals, thus:

Disaster Prevention and Mitigation. Avoid hazards and mitigate their potential impacts by reducing

vulnerabilities and exposure and enhancing capacities of communities.

Disaster Preparedness. Establish and strengthen capacities of communities to anticipate, cope and

recover from the negative impacts of emergency occurrences and disasters.

Disaster Response. Provide life preservation and meet the basic subsistence needs of affected

population based on acceptable …

Disaster Rehabilitation and Recovery. Restore and improve facilities, livelihood and living conditions

and organizational capacities of affected communities, and reduced disaster risks in accordance with

the building back better principle.

These priority areas are not completely independent from one another, but rather tend

to come with certain overlaps with respect to their objectives or activities particularly

5

between two adjacent areas, such as between prevention and mitigation and preparedness,

between preparedness and response, between response and recovery, and between

rehabilitation and recovery and prevention and mitigation.

This study focuses on disaster vulnerability which is a component of prevention and

mitigation at the same time constitutes part of preparedness. It is assumed that success or

effectiveness in these areas form part of the success of the two other priority areas–disaster

response and disaster recovery and rehabilitation. These areas are thus inherently interlinked

with one another. Vital to each of these DRRM areas is disaster awareness among

individuals, groups or organizations that are affected or would be potentially affected by a

hazard. It is assumed that disaster knowledge and awareness can influence the nature and

extent of disaster vulnerability and preparedness.

Figure 1. Conceptual framework of the Study: Disaster vulnerability and preparedness in

relation to disaster awareness

4. Methodology

This study constitutes a component of a larger mixed methods research that may be

classified as sequential exploratory design comprising two phases. Phase one was a

combination of survey from February 26, 2013 to April 17, 2013 including entry protocols to

secure free prior and informed consent, key informant interviews in April to June 2013, and

collection of secondary data from February to June 2013. Phase two consisted of two main

parts – the capability building activities (lecture and fieldwork) on October 8 and 9, 2013 and

the community data presentation and validation in the four barangay research sites on

February 21 to 24, 2014.

Vulnerability

-exposure

-sensitivity

-adaptive capacity

Preparedness

-Disaster awareness

-Household disaster

preparedness

- Barangay disaster

preparedness

Disaster awareness

Implications to Disaster Risk

Reduction

6

In general, the larger research aimed to determine the disaster preparedness, response,

rehabilitation and adaptation strategies of four Typhoon Sendong affected lowland and

upland communities in Iligan City, particularly these located along the two river systems –

Hinaplanon (lowland) and Mandulog (upland) in Mandulog River, and Palao (lowland), and

Pugaan (upland) in Pugaan River.

This article focuses on the findings on disaster preparedness from the survey with 200

respondents from the said two lowland and two upland riverine barangay that were hit by

Typhoon Sendong. The hardest hit of the barangay was Hinaplanon, representing of the total

743 deaths, 635 missing, 6,577 houses totally damaged and 18,951 houses partially damaged.

Thus, in a Sangguniang Panglungsod Resolution No. 12-5815, 9 dated February 13, 2012 of

its purok and all purok in Bayug Island being wiped out by the typhoon have been declared

danger zones and thus unfit and unsuitable for residential settlement.

Fifty (50) household head respondents per barangay were ramdomly chosen among

residents of five purok worst-hit by Sendong. The twenty (20) purok involved are as follows

by barangay: Barangay Hinaplanon – Purok 1, 2A, 7, 10, 13, and 15; and Barangay Puga-an –

Purok 1A, 1C, 2A, 2B, and 5. The household head was either the husband or the wife who

was available at the time of the survey.

The survey questionnaire was constructed by the researchers themselves in light of the

concepts and principles of Disaster Risk Reduction and Management and Climate Change,

and instruments used by previous researchers. Prior to administrator in this survey, this

instrument was pretested and even used in other researches by students with the guidance of

the faculty. The questionnaire was translated to Cebuano to facilitate understanding and

interviewing respondents who most of whom were not articulate in English.

The survey was carried out with the assistance of ten data enumerators mainly

composed of Sociology Masteral and undergraduate students from MSU-IIT, Iligan City and

Central Mindanao University, Maramag, Bukidnon. For the purpose of leveling off, the data

enumerators underwent a pre-data gathering training conducted by the faculty researchers.

Two to three data enumerators were assigned to a barangay.

Within a month’s time (March to April 2013), the survey was accomplished. Since

most of the respondents were not capable of filling out the questionnaire by themselves,

individual interviews were conducted in their respective homes at their convenient time in

approximately one hour each.

Respondents who were not available at the time of the interview were immediately

replace through simple random sampling from the barangay list of Sendong survivors.

7

Figure 2. Geographic Map of Iligan City showing the research sites: Barangay Mandulog and

Hinaplanon along Mandulog river and Puga-an and Pala-o along Puga-an river

(see encircled four barangays).

5. Results

This section presents the findings of this study particularly on a) disaster awareness,

b) disaster vulnerabilities, and c) disaster preparedness.

Disaster Awareness

Disaster risk reduction efforts and readiness for effective disaster management hinges

on how substantially informed are governments, organizations, households, and individuals

on disaster and climate change. This section covers the respondents’ level of awareness of

upcoming typhoons, sources of information on typhoons, level of awareness of climate

change, and ways of reducing risks based on survey results. Analysis is guided by the

following fiduciary limit in five categories of values constituting the ranges of mean scores

on five point scaled measures: 4.3 -5.0 means Strongly Agree or very high, 3.5-4.2 means

Agree or high, 2.7-3.4 means Uncertain, 1.9-2.6 means Disagree or low and 1.0-1.8 means

Strongly Disagree or very low.

A remarkable increase is observed in respondents’ level of awareness of the upcoming

typhoons and their potential damages across the four barangay from pre-Sendong overall

8

mean score (ms) of 3.31 which means uncertain to pre-Pablo overall MS of 4.43 indicating

strong agreement or very high awareness. This is well substantiated by their average mean

score on items that capture a) the nature of typhoon (i.e., typhoon signal number with

corresponding speed in tropical cyclone winds, landfall location, date and estimated time

frame) at 3.22 (uncertain) in pre Sendong and 4.1 (agree or high awareness) in pre Pablo, and

b) the potential damages of typhoons under signal #2 and signal #3 at 3.21(uncertain) in pre

Sendong and 4.08 (agree or high awareness) in pre Pablo.

That direct exposure to a disaster event can enrich and thus awaken one’s disaster

consciousness is clearly shown in the findings. Indeed, direct experience in a phenomenon is

an effective way of acquiring and enhancing one’s knowledge and concern for disaster

resilience and resistance. Cuyno, Jimenez and Lumpayao (2013) have found a similar pattern

of leveling up the survivors’ disaster consciousness levels; in their undergraduate thesis in

Barangay Santiago, Iligan City. The positive role that direct experience plays in developing

learned responses to address difficulties during the disaster event was earlier explored and

confirmed, among other things, by E.M. Luna (2006) in a case study which he conducted in

Bula, Camarines Sur.

Sources of Information on Typhoons

Tropical Storm Sendong caused infrastructure damage, interrupted essential services,

and caused major public health risks and loss of lives. It is well understood that the level of

effectiveness of public communication strategies and the level of community disaster

preparedness can determine the success of disaster response. It was in this that the household

information sources accessed among the four barangay during the typhoons Sendong and

Pablo were determined.

Majority of the respondents from the four barangay were not aware about the storm

warning prior to Sendong landfall. Nevertheless, those who had prior knowledge about

Sendong used seven categories of communication media relative to the upcoming typhoon

Sendong on December 17, 2011, then typhoon Pablo on December 4, 2012: radio, television,

internet, Barangay/Purok officials, friends, relatives, and neighbors. The overall survey

results in terms of average percentages of responses across the four Barangay show that the

top four forms of communication media from which respondents learned about the upcoming

typhoon Sendong were as follows, in descending order: 1) friends (33.93%), 2) neighbors

(31.25%), 3) Internet (19.25%), and 4) television (9.48%). During Typhoon Pablo, a change

in the pattern of top four communication media can be seen from the following ranking: 1)

television (96.95%), 2) radio (93.94%), 3) relatives (93.83%), and 4) Barangay/Purok

officials (93.62%).

The influence of the traditional social network comprising friends and neighbors was

more pronounced during Typhoon Sendong followed by cyber network or internet, then by

the television. By contrast, dominance of the traditional social network waned during the

Typhoon Pablo with the ascendance of the most commonly used electronic mass media

which is television in the urban areas, followed by the radio, then relatives and Barangay and

Purok officials. After their experience in Sendong, the respondents may have gained trust in

the accuracy or reliability of weather reports through the television, then radio, relatives, and

Barangay/Purok officials. Remarkably, the media forms which did not surface among the top

9

four during the Typhoon Sendong, such as radio, relatives and Barangay/Purok officials have

become active during Typhoon Pablo.

Interestingly, the importance of traditional social network among Sendong Survivor

respondents has persisted in times of difficulties despite the emergence of electronic forms of

mass communication. And this traditional social network includes not only the kins by blood

but also friends and neighbors (with whom they can count on) who are residentially close or

available. In the studies of Lynch (1973, pp. 73-77, cited in Medina, 2001, p.34) on social

allies in Canama, Camarines Norte and in Miralao, Bulacan, this social network is referred to

as “clannishness”.

Perceptions on Climate Change

Fundamental to preparedness for hazards or disasters is one’s awareness of climate

change. Knowledge about why there is climate change and how this may affect weather

conditions, and thus potentially expose communities and environments to risks and/or

calamities can be an effective weapon to counteract vulnerabilities through increased

adaptation capacities.

How climate change aware were the respondents from the four barangay before

Sendong and after Sendong. Survey results indicate an overall trend from uncertain (ms=

3.49) to high (ms= 3.91) climate change awareness among respondents between Typhoons

Sendong and Pablo time periods, constituting an overall increase of .42 in mean score. This is

more evident in the mean scores on the following dimensions: 1) On geographic location of

the Philippines in the Pacific ring of fire (pre Sendong or pS = 3.72), pre-Pablo or pP = 4.41,

2) On global warming and climate change as causes of natural hazards (pS=3.66, pP=4.06),

and 3) On effects of climate change on weather conditions (pS=3.33, pP=3.75).

To what extent did respondents know about ways of reducing disaster risks? On the

whole, the respondents had high level of knowledge on techniques of minimizing disaster

risks (pS=3.68) in pre Sendong and very high in pre Pablo (4.31). These techniques include a)

accurate information (pS=3.72,pP=4.25), b) timely information dissemination (pS=3.64,

pP=4.44), and c) adequate preparation (pS=3.69, pP=4.24). Respondents were already

equipped with sufficient knowledge on the importance and role of correct and timely

information coupled with adequate disaster preparation even before the onslaught of

Sendong. And this was further enhanced when they experienced the wrath of Sendong, re-

echoing once again how a painful disaster experience could serve as an effective natural

learning episode.

Table 1. Summary of Mean Scores on Disaster Awareness Before and After Sendong

Dimension Before Sendong After Sendong Difference Interpretation

Mean Score Interpretation Mean Score Interpretation

1.Awareness of

upcoming

typhoons

3.31 Uncertain /

Moderate 4.02 Agree/ High 0.71 Increase

2.Awareness of

Climate Change 3.59 Agree/ High 4.00 Agree/ High 0.39 Increase

3.Awareness of

Reducing Risks 3.68 Agree/ high 4.31

Strongly Agree/

Very High 0.65 Increase

Overall 3.53 Agree/ High 4.11 Agree/ High 0.58 Increase

10

Vulnerabilities: Exposure to Hazard, Sensitivity and Adaptive Capacity

Vulnerability to hazard or disaster indicates the susceptibility of a given system to the

negative effects of a calamity or hazard, particularly when such effect goes beyond the

coping ability of the affected people or community utilizing its own resources. Republic Act

No. 10121, Section 3, has clearly defined vulnerability as the characteristics and

circumstances of a community, system or asset that make it susceptible to the damaging

effects of a hazard. Vulnerability may arise from various physical, social, economic, and

environmental factors such as poor design and construction of buildings, inadequate

protection of assets, lack of public information and awareness, limited official recognition of

risk and preparedness measures, and disregard for wise environmental management.

In essence, vulnerability is a combined function of these critical components:

exposure to hazard, impact and adaptive capacity. Viewed in the context of Rule 2 of the

Implementing Rules and Regulations of R.A 10121, exposure refers to the extent to which or

the chances that objects or elements at risk will get struck by hazard events in different

severity scales. These elements consist of communities, houses, or other elements in danger

zones. Impact means the degree of effect or change, whether direct or indirect, that disaster

may create on people’s lives, health, properties and environment. It is likewise referred to as

sensitivity. Basically, adaptive capacity is the capability of the human or natural systems to

adjust to actual or expected changes or effects of climatic stimuli or disaster to minimize

harm or exploit advantageous opportunities (RA 10121, Sec.3). This section focuses on

exposure and sensitivity to hazard; with an overview on adaptive capacity.

Exposure to Hazard

In this study, exposure to hazard among respondents is measured in terms of

proneness of elements that are subject to a specific hazard such as communities, houses or

other elements located in danger zones, experiences in geohydro-meteorological hazard

related losses and damages to properties alongside family death, illnesses and injuries. Heavy

rains, flashfloods, storm surge, sea level rise, and landslide comprise the hazards that this

study is concerned with.

The likelihood that communities, properties and environment will experience or will

be affected by hazards or disasters is referred to as proneness to hazard. Proneness was

determined on the basis of Likert-scaled items on the frequency of occurrence of natural

events, location and characteristics of the affected communities, properties and environment

before and after Typhoon Sendong.

Perceived Extent of Flashflood Occurrence Before and After Sendong. Flood occurs

when the water level of the stream/river overflows its banks or water discharge is high. This

may happen to a limited extent, as frequently as every two to three years in regions with

streams. Correspondingly, less severe floods happen more scarcely. Floods are mainly linked

to precipitation, either rain or snow (Montgomery, 1989:135).

Certain factors have been identified as mainly contributing to the occurrence of flood.

Topping these factors are the quantity of water involved (e.g. rain) and the rate at which it

goes into the stream system. “When the water input exceeds the capacity of the stream to

carry that water away downstream within its channel, the water overflows the banks” (Ibid).

11

Thus, the greater the water quantity and the faster it enters the stream system, the more likely

flood/ flashflood occurs when the carrying capacity of the stream is surpassed by the water

that goes into it (Espinueva, 2013).

Flashfloods before Sendong were perceived to be less frequent (m.s. =2.86 or moderate),

registering an overall increase of 1.06 in mean score or from “moderate frequency” to “high

frequency”. This increase can have unpleasant implications to people’s day to day activities,

occupation, livelihood, health, lives and properties, and environment among others.

Among the four barangays, Pala-o was highest in frequency of flashfloods with a

mean score of 3.14. Coming next was Puga-an (m.s.=2.93), then Mandulog (m.s.=2.8), and

lastly Hinaplanon (m.s.=2.53). Within a period of one year from Sendong, however, these

occurrence frequency levels have all increased in varying scale points ranging from 1.77

(Mandulog), 1.25 (Hinaplanon), 0.97 (Pala-o), then 0.29 (Puga-an).The barangay along

Mandulog river registered higher increase in flashflood occurrences than those in Puga-an

river.

Perceived Extent of Storm Surge Occurrence Before and After Sendong and Related

Losses and Damages. Similarly varying in frequent occurrences of storm surge hit the four

barangays before Sendong, although those along Puga-an River (Pala-o and Puga-an) were a

bit higher than those along the Mandulog River (Mandulog and Hinaplanon). After their

exposure to Sendong, slight increases were registered in terms of mean scores, with Pala-o

and Puga-an still garnering the first and second ranks.

Perceived Extent of Sea Level Rise Occurence Before. Perceived pre Sendong sea level

rise across the four barangays registered a low mean score of 1.89. Altogether, sea level rise

was scarcely experienced in these barangays because these are not generally coastal

barangays. These responses are the perceptions of the respondents regardless of their exact

household location at the time of the study. These perceptions may have come from relatives

or friends living in the coastal areas of the city.

After Sendong, the perceived sea level rise yielded an aggregate mean score of 2.04,

indicating an increase of 0.15, although Mandulog’s mean score has remained at 1.68

indicating no change whatsoever.

Botkin and Keller (2003) have stated that a sea level rise occurs primarily as a result

of the mix expansion of warming ocean water and secondarily due to the melting of glacial

ice. More serious consequences can result from sea level rise of about 1 meter or 3.3 feet.

With increased coastal erosion, communities would incur losses to properties and other

investments (Bother and Keller, 2003:476).

Community Hazard-Proneness Due to Location

Geographical proximity to hazard-prone areas puts the community at great risk of

various kinds of geo-hydro-meteorological hazards. Hazard proneness of the four barangay

and the respondents’ houses are examined in terms of their nearness to the river, sea, or

mountain.

12

Nearness to River. Both before and after Sendong all the four barangays were rated very

near a river – Barangays Mandulog (ms = 4.35, 4.57) and Hinaplanon (ms = 4.18, 4.34) were

very near the Mandulog River while Barangay Puga-an (ms = 4.42, 4.43) and Pala-o (ms =

4.16, 4.26) were very near the Puga-an River. Before Sendong, Puga-an was the nearest; but

after Sendong Mandulog turned out to be the nearest to the river and thus most prone to

flooding with a difference in mean score of 0.22. This means that after Sendong, the

Mandulog River widened, with silts flown from higher elevations. This increase in proneness

has been confirmed by t-test as significant at P-value = 0.010.

Table 2. Hazard-proneness due to geographic location of four barangays

Geographic Location

Before Sendong After Sendong

Difference Interpretation Mean

Score Interpretation

Mean

Score Interpretation

1. Near a river 4.28 High 4.4 Very High 0.12 Increase

2. Near the sea 1.87 Low 1.87 Low 0 No change

3. Both (Near the river and the

sea) 1.86 Low 1.88 Low 0.02 Increase

4. At the foot of the mountain 2.14 Low 2.08 Low -0.06 Decrease

5. On the mountain 2.14 Low 2.20 Low 0.06 Increase

Hazard Proneness of Houses

Propinquity of people to hazards can emerge from the location, structure and

materials with which their houses are constructed. In terms of these dimensions, this section

discusses the extent to which the houses where respondents dwelt were prone to hazard

events.

Hazard-Proneness of Respondents’ Houses Due to Nearness to River, Sea, Mountain

Potential exposure of people to hazard could be attributed to the geographic location

of the house where they reside. In this study, vulnerability of the respondents’ houses to

disaster is examined in terms of their nearness to river, sea, and mountain.

The houses of the respondents from the four barangay were highly vulnerable to disaster

before Sendong (ms = 4.21) in view of their proximity to a river. This condition became even

worse after Sendong with a mean score of 4.37 which is interpreted as “very high”. This

finding clearly converges with the data indicating the hazard proneness of the respondents’

barangay being located near a river.

With respect to proximity to a sea, to both river and sea, to the foot of the

hill/mountain, or on the mountain, the respondents’ houses were assessed as generally of low

vulnerability to hazard before Sendong and after Sendong. Vulnerability of their houses due

to nearness to sea obtained mean scores of 1.87 before Sendong and 1.86 after Sendong, due

to nearness to both river and sea posted mean scores of 1.85 before Sendong and 1.88 after

Sendong, due to location at the foot of the hill/mountain registered mean scores of 2.14

before Sendong and 2.08 after Sendong, and due to location on the mountain was rated with

mean scores of 2.11 before Sendong and 2.08 after Sendong.

13

Table 3. Hazard-proneness of houses due to geographic location by barangay

Barangay

Before Sendong After Sendong

Difference Interpretation Mean

Score Interpretation

Mean

Score Interpretation

1. Near a river 4.21 High 4.37 Very High 0.16 Increase

2. Near the sea 1.87 Low 1.86 Low -0.01 Decrease

3. Both (Near the river and the

sea) 1.85 Low 1.88 Low 0.03 Increase

4. At the foot of the mountain 2.14 Low 2.08 Low -0.06 Decrease

5. On the mountain 2.11 Low 2.08 Low -0.03 Decrease

These findings do not seem to corroborate with that of the location of the victims of

typhoon Pablo, in Compostela Valley and Davao Oriental where houses near the mountains

or on slopes, or near the seashore where the worst-hit, including the residents. This is even

worse in the case of typhoon Yolanda which devastated thousands of residents and structures

near the sea in Leyte, Samar, Bohol, Cebu, Iloilo, Negros, and other provinces in Visayas.

Hazard-Proneness of Respondents’ Houses Due to Structure and Building Materials

Like location, the structure and construction materials used can put houses at risk. In

the case of the houses of the respondents, the single storey design whether made with light

materials, concrete materials or mixed concrete and light materials were rated highly

vulnerable to hazard both before and after the occurrence of Sendong.

On the other hand, the two-storey house structures whether made with light materials

concrete materials, and mixed concrete and light materials were generally assessed with low

vulnerability to hazard/disaster before Sendong. After this disaster, however, their

vulnerability escalated to moderate level. This may be substantiated by the findings on

nearness to the river which likewise increased after the flood with the widening of the rivers

as a result of siltation and liquefaction based on on-site observation and interviews with

workshop participants during the community mapping phase of the study. This study

somehow corroborates with that of August 2012 Disaster Risk Assessment of Iligan City

conducted by the local government of Iligan with the technical assistance of the Region X

Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board and National Economic Development Authority

(cited in Iligan City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Plan 2013-2020).

In sum, the vulnerability to hazard or disaster of the respondents’ households both

before and after the occurrence of Sendong may be attributed to the nearness of their

communities along with their houses to a river. Information from on-site observation and data

from informal interviews with participants in community mapping further revealed that a few

Purok near the mouth of the Iligan Bay were almost wiped out by the floodwaters brought

about by typhoon Sendong, leaving only a few damaged houses to which victims who have

nowhere to go have been forced to go back. These were the areas covered by the Bayug

Island, which is now declared a no-built zone by the Iligan City Sanggunian and to

discourage rebuilding damaged houses, if not building new ones, the City Government has

prohibited the restoration of water and power facilities.

Hazard-Proneness of Infrastructures/Facilities. Among the infrastructure facilities which

are vulnerable to hazards in the four barangay studied, the bridges were the most vulnerable

considering that Mandulog, Hinaplanon, Pugaan, and Palao all their bridges were damaged

14

after Sendong. Next are the drainage structures and school buildings in all the four barangay.

Elementary school buildings in Mandulog were damaged after Sendong while that of

barangay Hinaplanon and Pugaan were reported partially damaged. Too, the barangay hall

and barangay health clinic were reported. Facilities which were less vulnerable to disaster

were the clinic of Hinaplanon were flooded. The Iligan City Hospital and the dam were found

less hazard-prone.

The community water system, electricity, transportation and communication systems

were among the facility assessed with uncertain or moderate vulnerability prior to Sendong.

After the onslaught of Sendong, this vulnerability level increased to high. The floodwaters

had destroyed the water connections or sources, thus depriving communities of water. The

same holds true for light and power connections in the flooded areas of Iligan City, and it

took four days to have these restored. With the total devastation of one of the two bridges in

Hinaplanon, transport services became a serious problem not only in this barangay but also in

the upper barangay of Mandulog. This difficulty was likewise felt in Barangay Pugaan.

Indeed, the vital community facilities being either partially or totally damaged by Sendong,

have been viewed as highly vulnerable to hazard or disaster thereafter.

Sensitivity to Hazards

Sensitivity to hazards refers to the degree to which an element (e.g. people, properties,

environment) are affected; either, negatively or beneficially by a hazard occurrence. It is

determined on the basis of perceived geohydro-meteorological hazard related losses and

damages to properties alongside family deaths, illnesses and injuries. Heavy rains,

flashfloods, storm surge, and sea level rise comprise the hazards that this study examines

through interviews with typhoon Sendong victim-respondents from the four riverine by

barangay of Iligan City before and after its occurrence.

Perceived Extent of Heavy Rains-Related Losses/Damages to Properties And Estimated

Amount Altogether, the four barangays covered in the study were perceived to have

experienced little (ms=2.53) quantity of heavy rains-related losses/damages to properties

before Sendong. An increase of 0.12, however, has been recorded after Typhoon Sendong

occurred in the localities with a mean score of 2.65 which is interpreted as moderate extent.

This presupposes that the occurrence and magnitude of heavy rains may have increased

within a span of one year.

Estimated Amount of Heavy Rains-Related Losses to Properties After Sendong. On the

average, the amount of losses to properties which respondents from the four barangays

incurred is Php38,976.00. Given their average monthly income of Php4,743.76 the amount of

such losses may be relatively high, requiring them to increase their income by about 800% to

be able to earn enough to recover their losses. Of the four barangays, it is Hinaplanon which

suffered the heaviest average losses in the amount of Php96,499.65 and Puga-an got the least

average amount of losses at Php 1,428.43. Although Hinaplanon registered the highest

average monthly income of Php5,625.20 among the four barangays, it is similarly low when

viewed in relation to poverty threshold that it would probably take the respondents to increase

their income by about 1,700%, which is apparently impossible within a one year-period to

enable them to recover the properties damaged by heavy rains before Sendong.

15

Estimated Amount of Heavy Rains-Related Damage to Properties before Sendong

The pattern in the estimated value of losses to properties due to heavy rains is

seemingly replicated in the estimated average amount of damages to properties before

Sendong, although the latter is slightly lower at Php 33,694.04 than that of the former which

is Php 38,976.90. By replicated pattern it means the distribution by barangay of the estimated

average amount.

Estimated Amount of Losses and Damages due to Flashfloods After Sendong. After the

occurrence of Sendong, the four affected barangays incurred an average estimated amount of

Php108,725.00 in losses to properties due to flashfloods. Hinaplanon suffered the highest

average amount of losses at Php 201, 666.00, followed by Mandulog at Php116,289.00, Pala-

o with Php62,727.00 and lastly by Puga-an valued at Php29,999.55. Notice that the barangays

(Hinaplanon and Mandulog) along the Mandulog river system suffered greater losses than

those along the Puga-an river system (Pala-o and Puga-an).

A similar pattern is observed among the four barangays concerning damages due to

flashfloods after Sendong. Their average damages in properties amounted to Php 90,924.00.

The adjacent barangays along the Mandulog river system, Mandulog and Hinaplanon, ranked

first and second in damages to properties in the amounts of Php144,464.00 and

Php120,800.00, respectively.

The trends in both losses and damages to properties after typhoon Sendong hit the

areas reflect the levels at which flashfloods occurred during the same period where barangays

along the Mandulog river system (Mandulog and Hinaplanon) more frequently experienced

flashfloods than those along Puga-an river system (Pala-o and Puga-an).

Only 2 or 1% of the total 200 respondents reported losses to their properties in the

aftermath of Sendong, one in Pala-o and one in Hinaplanon, with the average estimated

amounts of P79,999 and P5,000.00, respectively. These relatively low amounts of losses

should not come as a surprise since storm surge occurrences in the areas was quite rare or

infrequent.

With respect to damages to properties due to storm surge after Sendong, the average

estimated amount in Pala-o is Php204,999.00, which is four times as much as that in

Hinaplanon amounting to Php5,000.00. As with losses, only 2 out of the 200 respondents

reported to have suffered damages to their properties.

Perceived Extent of Sea-level Rise Related Losses and Damages. Of the four barangays,

only respondents from Hinaplanon reported losses attributable to perceived sea level rise after

Sendong, their values ranging from below Php 9,999.00 to Php 139,999.00, or an average of

Php 27,499.61. This could be due to the proximity of their community to the sea. Hinaplanon

ranked number one in terms of nearness to the sea, both before and after Sendong. In terms of

damage to property, sea level rise has affected only the respondents from Puga-an in the

average amount of Php 32,691.85.

16

Table 4. Aggregate mean score (AMS) on extent of geohydro-meteorological hazard – related

losses/damages to properties by barangay before and after Sendong

Geo-

meteorological

hazard

Mean Scores / Barangay Difference

in AMC

before

and after

Sendong

Before Sendong After Sendong

Pala-

o

Puga-

an

Hinaplanon Mandulog AMS Pala-

o

Puga-

an

Hinaplanon Mandulog AMS

Heavy Rains 3.37 2.16 2.54 1.95 2.53 3.62 2.14 2.32 2.44 2.65 0.12

Flashflood 3.14 2.53 2.93 2.8 2.86 4.11 3.78 3.22 4.57 3.92 1.06

Storm Surge 1.85 1.56 1.81 1.72 1.73 1.89 1.6 1.89 1.8 1.79 0.06

Sea-level Rise 2.48 1.61 1.82 1.68 1.89 2.76 1.9 1.85 1.68 2.04 0.15

Landslide 1.63 1.58 1.78 1.69 1.67 1.65 1.62 1.83 1.8 1.73 0.06

Earthquake 1.66 1.76 1.92 1.82 1.79 1.75 1.98 1.96 1.9 1.9 0.11

Drought 1.63 1.62 1.87 1.78 1.73 1.65 1.7 1.81 1.92 1.77 0.04

Aggregate

Mean

2.25 1.83 2.10 1.92 2.03 2.49 2.10 2.13 2.30 2.26 1.3

Heavy Rains - Related Family Experiences in Death, Illnesses and Injuries

Death, illnesses or injuries in humans are among the worst effects of hazards like

heavy rains. In the case of the four barangays, the overall mean score of 1.9 before Sendong

indicates that there were only few cases of these experiences that were considered to have

resulted from heavy rains. After Sendong, however, a slight increase of 0.25 is observed

across the four barangays.

Interestingly, among the four barangays, it is barangay Pala-o respondents that

garnered the highest score (2.1), followed by Puga-an (2.01, Hinaplanon (1.84), then

Mandulog (1.6). The same pattern is observed after Sendong, although slight increases were

registered in all four barangays. It seems disturbing, however, that the highest mean scores

before and after Sendong were reported by the Pala-o respondents, when barangay Pala-o

may be considered the more urbanized or more developed than the three other barangays.

Family experiences in death, illnesses and/or injuries due to heavy rains have been

found significantly different before and after Sendong in Barangays Pala-o, Mandulog, and

Hinaplanon. This is evident in the t-test analysis which yielded p-values that are less than α =

0.05, indicating significantly higher occurrences of death, illnesses and/or injuries among

families after Sendong than that before Sendong. In the case of Puga-an, however, the t-test

shows no significant differences at p-value .290 ≠ .05, suggesting similarly low level of

death, illnesses and/or injuries among family members.

Table 5. T- test for significant differences in heavy rains-related family experiences in death, illnesses,

and/or injuries before and after Sendong

Barangay T-test P value Interpretation

Puga-an 1.071 .290 Ns

Pala-o 2.640 .011 Significant

Mandulog 2.338 .024 Significant

Hinaplanon 2.165 .012 Significant

Certain implications may be derived from these significant findings. The barangay of

Pala-o, Mandulog and Hinaplanon may not have made improvements in their disaster

preparedness in terms of managing health impacts that heavy rains may have brought about.

Relevant disaster preparedness may include increased disaster and health knowledge,

financial capacity, health services support system, and shelter.

17

On the other hand, Barangay Puga-an may have maintained experiences in relatively

low death, illnesses and/or injuries and its disaster preparedness after the Sendong disaster,

although a positive difference in mean score is observed at 0.43. The lack of significant

differences in such family experiences may be accounted to the fact that shortly before the

typhoon Sendong struck the barangay, the local government unit already had some disaster

preparations as an offshoot of the training on disaster risk reduction and management which

the punong barangay and other officials underwent. This was revealed by the incumbent

punong barangay herself during the key informant interview in May 2013. Whatever

improvements there is on the preparations made in December 2011, however, did not prove

statistically significant.

Flash-flood Related Family Experiences in death, illnesses and/or injuries

The Philippines being a typhoon prone country has had a number of experiences in

flash flooding. Among which are the Marikina River flooding due to Tropical Storm Ondoy

in September 2009 and the Agno River flooding during the Typhoon Pepeng in October 2009

(Ibid.).

That the flash-flood which typhoon Sendong brought about was among the worst that

ever happened so far in the Philippines has been an established fact resulting in thousands of

death and damages and losses to properties. The extent to which Sendong flash-flood could

be attributed for death, illnesses and/or injuries of family members is the focus of this section.

Table 6. Mean score (MS) on flash flood - related family experiences in death, illnesses and/or injuries by

barangay

Barangay Before Sendong After Sendong

Difference Remarks

Mean Score Interpretation Mean Score Interpretation

Pala-o 2.02 Low 2.85 Moderate 0.83 Increase

Pugaan 2.06 Low 2.75 Moderate 0.69 Increase

Hinaplanon 1.96 Low 3.14 Moderate 1.18 Increase

Mandulog 2.29 Low 3.49 High 1.2 Increase

Overall Mean

Score 2.08 Low 3.06 Moderate 0.98 Increase

There is a slight increase (.98) from “low” to ”moderate” extent in family experiences

in death, illnesses or injuries between the periods prior and after the Typhoon Sendong hit the

barangays. The t tests have yielded highly significant results with p value = .001<α = .01 for

all the four barangays, indicating more family members who have experienced death,

illnesses or injuries as a result of flash-flood in the aftermath of Sendong.

Table 7. T- test for significant difference in family experiences in death, illnesses, and/or injuries before

and after Sendong

Barangay t-test P value Interpretation

Puga-an 4.313 <.001 Significant

Pala-o 4.068 <.001 Significant

Mandulog 6.614 <.001 Significant

Hinaplanon 5.779 <.001 Significant

Of the four barangays, Mandulog got the highest mean score of 2.29 before Sendong

and 3.49 after Sendong, and correspondingly registering the highest increase at 1.2. This may

18

be attributed to its location being near the Mandulog River. Comparing the flood plain before

and after Sendong, the latter has remarkably widened as the heavy water flow further eroded

the soil, expanding even more both sides of the river banks.

In the case of Hinaplanon, it obtained the lowest rating prior to Sendong mean score

1.96 but gained the second highest mean score of 3.14 after Sendong. Adjacent to Barangay

Mandulog, Hinaplanon sits along the tail-end of the Mandulog River towards the coastline of

the Iligan Bay. This is where the Bayug Island is located, comprising 9 puroks which were

either heavily damaged or totally washed out during the Typhoon Sendong, leaving hundreds

of residents dead (drowned or buried under heavy silts and debris that were brought along by

the great volume of water together with the huge logs that rolled down from the headwaters

in Kapai River, Lanao del Sur. Bayug Island comprising 9 puroks, is now declared a danger

zone where construction of structures (e.g., houses) and establishment of facilities (e.g.,

power lines, water system) are no longer permitted by the City government of Iligan,

consistent with the provision of City Ordinance No.12 5815.

Extent of Storm Surges – Related Family Experiences in Death, Illnesses and/or Injuries

Storm surges occur when a typhoon hits a sea or ocean. They take the form of huge

waves that hit lands along the coast, with width spanning several kilometers and height that

could reach as high as two or three floors of houses. Without pre-emptive evacuation to much

higher grounds, storm surges could be as deadly as any strong natural hazards, killing

thousands of lives and damaging even entire communities. This is what happened to

Tacloban City and other coastal areas in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao that were worst hit by

Super Typhoon Yolanda in November 7-8, 2013.

Fortunately, there were no strong storm surges in the aftermath of Sendong. Although

previous to Sendong, there may have been storm surges; those that occurred when Sendong

had a landfall in Iligan City, were not strong enough to cause destruction in the communities

that were located near the sea, such as a portion of Barangay Hinaplanon.

Sea Level Rise – Related Family Experiences in Death, Illnesses and Injuries

Sea level rise is another problem that may result from global warming (Botkin and

Keller, 2003, pp. 475), particularly when the glaciers and sea-ice melt and the temperature

rises or thermal expansion of ocean water. Other factors that may act together with global

warming and lead to sea level rise are land subsidence and compaction, and ground water

depletion. This phenomenon will be experienced by coastal regions where an estimated half

of the people of the Earth lives (Ibid., pp. 475-476).

In the case of the four barangays, sea level rise had been scarcely experienced before

Sendong. There was, however, a significantly little increase in sea level rise after Sendong as

experienced in Pala-o and Hinaplanon. Correspondingly, losses were incurred only in

Barangay Hinaplanon at an average of Php 27, 499.61 even as damages were experienced

only by Barangay Puga-an at an average of Php. 32, 691.85. Interestingly, these losses and

damages were found significantly higher than all other three barangays. These respondents

who claimed damages of properties due to sea level rise may have owned properties located

along coastal areas and not in the Barangay they are residing in at the time of the study.

19

With respect to sea level rise – related experiences in death, illnesses, and/or injuries,

the four barangays have very little experiences. In general mean score is 1.74, with very

slight variations in mean scores of Barangay Mandulog, Hinaplanon and Pugaan. It is only in

Barangay Pala-o which registered a significant difference before and after Sendong, with p-

value = .034 at α = 0.05. This means that families from Barangay Pala-o have been more

greatly affected by sea level rise after Sendong in terms of death, illnesses and/or injuries. It

is possible that these deaths, illnesses and/or injuries may have been incurred when they were

residing along the coastal areas and moved to Pala-o at the time of the study. Additionally,

the question on the effects of sea-level rise does not only report the respondents’ nuclear

family but may also include their relatives living along coastal areas.

Table 8. Aggregate mean score (AMS) on extent of geohydro-meteorological hazard – related family

experiences in death, illnesses, and/or injuries by barangay before and after Sendong. Geo-

meteorological

hazard

Mean Scores / Barangay Difference in

AMC before

and after

Sendong

Before Sendong After Sendong

Pala-o Puga-an Hinaplanon Mandulog OMC Pala-

o

Puga-

an

Hinaplanon Mandulog OMC

Heavy Rains 2.1 2.04 1.84 1.6 1.9 2.5 2.15 2.12 1.81 2.15 0.25

Flashflood 2.02 2.06 1.96 2.29 2.08 2.85 2.75 3.14 3.49 3.06 0.98

Storm Surge 1.75 1.83 1.56 1.71 1.71 1.77 1.92 1.67 1.78 1.78 0.07

Sea-level Rise 1.87 1.79 1.58 1.71 1.74 2.19 1.83 1.7 1.69 1.78 0.04

Landslide 1.59 1.81 1.6 1.71 1.68 1.58 1.87 1.7 1.73 1.7 0.05

Earthquake 2.1 2.04 1.84 1.6 1.9 2.53 2.15 2.12 1.81 2.15 0.25

Drought 1.59 1.79 1.62 1.69 1.68 1.58 2.27 1.64 1.8 1.83 0.15

Aggregate

Mean 1.86

low

1.91

Low

1.71

very low

1.76

very low

1.81

very

low

2.15

low

2.13

low

2.01

low

2.02

low

2.06

low

.26

very low

Table 9. T –test for significance of differences in geo-meteorological hazard – related family experiences

in death, illness and/or injuries before and after Sendong.

Barangay T-test P value Interpretation

1. Heavy rains

Puga-an 1.071 .290 ns

Pala-o 2.640 .011 significant

Mandulog 2.338 .024 significant

Hinaplanon 2.165 .012 significant

2. Flashflood

Puga-an 4.313 <.001 significant

Pala-o 4.068 <.001 significant

Mandulog 6.614 <.001 significant

Hinaplanon 5.779 <.001 significant

3. Sea level rise

Pala-o 2.183 .034 significant

Section Two: Disaster Preparedness

In the context of disaster risk reduction and management, preparedness consists of the

knowledge and capabilities which have been developed by various government and non-

government response and recovery entities, communities and individuals “to effectively

anticipate, respond to, and recover from, the impacts of likely imminent or current hazard

events or conditions.” Founded on formal, legal and budgetary framework and capacities,

disaster preparedness actions and activities are designed to reinforce the institutional,

community and individual capabilities required to adequately manage various sorts of

emergencies to allow for systematic transition processes towards sustained recovery (R.A.

10121, Sec. 3.j). Three levels of disaster preparedness are presented in this section –

20

household disaster preparedness, Barangay disaster preparedness, and government agencies/

humanitarian organization disaster preparedness.

Household Disaster Preparedness

The household disaster preparedness of the respondents from the four barangays was

determined in two time periods – before and after the occurrence of Sendong, in terms of

activities done or things prepared for the upcoming typhoon along information dissemination,

emergency survival readiness, and structural/environmental initiatives. As preconditions to

these sets of preparedness actions, are the questions whether or not they undertook

preparatory activities and their reasons for their affirmative or negative response. Findings

were based on survey results.

The respondents’ households were generally better prepared for disaster after

Sendong than before Sendong hit their barangays. Overall, they obtained “very low” ratings

before Sendong for the three composite disaster preparedness activities and remarkably

“moderate” (structural/environmental initiatives) to “very high” (emergency survival

readiness and information/dissemination after the occurrence of Sendong. It is only, however,

post Sendong higher preparedness through information/dissemination which has been t-test

confirmed as highly significant.

Confirmation of Disaster Preparation/Non-preparation and Reasons. Their very low

disaster preparedness before Sendong is supported by their admittance that they and their

families did not make the necessary preparatory activities (88.50%), with Mandulog

registering the highest confirmation of non-preparedness (98%), followed by Hinaplanon

(92%), then by Puga-an and lastly Pala-o (74%). Their lack of disaster preparation was

mainly because they did not expect it to happen (70%). Other reasons advanced include: a)

presumption that it was just a normal heavy rain, b) not having heard any warning, c) being

too busy to attend to weather reports, and d) disbelief in weather reports. For the very few

who prepared for Sendong (10.50%), their preparatory activities were based on a) the

information they themselves obtained from watching weather reports, b) their desire to ensure

the safety of their family, c) observation of the river level rise, d) both informed by watching

weather reports and observation of the river level rise, and e) being convinced by neighbors

to evacuate. These factors indicate the influence of mass media, concern for family,

neighborhood social network, and direct observation of potential hazard event or element.

Before Pablo, a much heightened confirmation of disaster preparation was indicated

by an overwhelming majority (97%) of the respondents across the four barangays; with Pala-

o taking the lead at 100%, followed by Puga-an (98%), Mandulog (96%), then Hinaplanon

(94%). Among the four barangays, Pala-o respondents stood out to have successfully

registered a full admission of their own household disaster preparedness for typhoon Pablo.

Yet, the apparently dramatic change in outlook from disaster unpreparedness to disaster

preparedness among the respondents from Puga-an, Mandulog and Hinaplanon equally

deserves a recognition. Being among the worst-hit by typhoon Sendong and are still in the

process of rehabilitation and recovery, they must have learned enormously from their painful

experiences in lives lost, illnesses or injuries incurred, and/or property losses or damages. The

data on impacts of flood along with their perceived vulnerabilities could provide further

insights and possible support of the findings on their household disaster preparedness.

21

Interestingly, the reasons that motivated them to prepare for typhoon Pablo were

seemingly different from those that influenced them to prepare for typhoon Sendong. The

former include a) listening to news report, b) warning from barangay officials regarding the

upcoming typhoon, and c) warning from certain NGOs such as the CFSI concerning the

approaching typhoon. These reasons bring to the forefront the positive role of mass media,

alongside that of the Local Government Officials and The Concerned NGOs in disaster risk

reduction and management. In the case of the local government officials, these findings

suggest that they have now taken on the lead responsibility which the Hyogo Framework to

which Philippines is one of the signatories and the R.A. 10121 have mandated them to

perform; an information which did not surface before Sendong. Similarly, concerned NGOs

have now become an active player in barangay early warning system.

Emergency Survival Readiness, Structural/Environmental Initiatives and Information

Dissemination.

The disaster preparedness of respondents’ households in the four barangays were

examined before Sendong and before Pablo along these dimensions: a) emergency survival

readiness, b) structural/environmental mitigation initiatives, and c) information/

dissemination.

Before the typhoon Sendong hit the areas, the respondents rated their household “very

low” in emergency survival readiness as expressed in terms of a) discussing among their

families as to what things to do, b) securing important papers/valuables, c) preparing

emergency kit enough for survival days (containing food, water, children’s milk, clothes,

flashlights/candles, and medicines/first aid kit), d) charging emergency lamps, e) transistor

radio, f) preparing transportation get-away and g) pre-empted evacuation. Note that the item

“charge cellphones” has no response (see table 5.54b, item 4.5), suggesting that the

respondents did not have cellphone units through which communications or contacting

people may be fast-tracked.

In regard to structural and environment aspect, the respondents had very little effort in

preparation for Sendong. The bulk of their preparatory activities were on cleaning drainage

(20%), and trimming trees (11%). Some of them fortified certain parts of their houses (9%)

and protected themselves from potential flood through sand bagging (3%). Of the total

respondents an average of only 11% (very low/little) did some structural and environmental

initiatives to reduce the potential adverse impacts of the upcoming flood.

Just as the respondents rated households “very low” in emergency survival readiness

and structural and environmental mitigation initiatives, they assessed their households “very

low” as well in disaster information/dissemination activities.

Comparatively speaking, their household level of disaster preparedness for Pablo

constitutes a remarkable improvement over that before Sendong. In preparation for the

landfall of typhoon Pablo, they obtained “very high” ratings for emergency survival readiness

with 81%, registering an increase of 65.5% from that for Sendong and for information

dissemination activities at 68% with an increase of 56% which has been confirmed

statistically significant by the t-test results. The respondents’ structural and environmental

preparatory activities were rated “moderate” (54%), which was 43% higher than that of

Sendong.

22

One more encouraging note , the respondents’ household disaster information and

dissemination preparedness for Pablo was proven significantly higher in the following

specific activities: a) alerted neighbor on the upcoming typhoon (p-value = .015), b)

discussed with neighbors about the need to help each other in cases of flood/landslide (p-

value = <.001), c) secured important telephone numbers/hotlines (p-value = <.001) and d)

informed relatives/friends of the possible disaster (p-value = .037).

Looking closer at the level of their household by barangay, Pala-o respondents’

households were more prepared than the three other groups for Sendong, whereas, Mandulog

respondents’ households were consistently lowest during the same period along the three

dimensions of household disaster preparedness. For Pablo, there seems to have no pattern in

their rank of disaster preparedness by barangay. In terms of river system, the data indicate

that households in barangays along the Puga-an River were more prepared (Pala-o and Puga-

an) both for Pablo and for Sendong than the households in barangays along the Mandulog

River (Hinaplanon and Pala-o).

Post Sendong/ Pre-Pablo Barangay Disaster Preparedness

Nearly a year after Sendong devastated Iligan City, another typhoon of stronger

magnitude that is Typhoon Pablo hit Mindanao on December 4, 2012, including Iligan City.

Comparatively, the four barangay were better prepared for Pablo than for Sendong enabling

them to achieve their goal of zero casualty.

BDRRM Plan. Fundamental to disaster preparedness is the formulation of Barangay Disaster

Risk Reduction and Management (BDRRM) Plan with corresponding budget allocation as

mandated by RA 10121. This was an output of the BDRRM planning workshop which the

City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office conducted with the Department of

Interior and Local Government among the officials of the 27 flood-prone barangays in 2012.

Among the activities outlined in their BDRRM Plans were disaster awareness, organization

of BDRRM committee, information dissemination/ communication mobilization, DRRM

trainings, rescue/ response equipment provision, evacuation preparation activities, and

structural and non-structural mitigation measures, among others.

Consistent with the provisions of RA 10121, the BDRRM committees were organized

in the four barangay. In the case of Mandulog, its BDRRMC was further subdivided into sub

committees on warning system, evacuation management, transportation, communication,

medical, relief distribution and management.

Disaster Preparedness Trainings. Capability building training activities were conducted

among the BDRRMC Officials and members, including purok presidents and community

volunteers in the areas of disaster risk reduction and management, community risk mapping

that involved identifying hazards and hazard-prone areas, response and rescue drills, and

climate change and impacts awareness, among others. These activities were organized and

conducted by the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, either singly or

jointly with certain NGOs or humanitarian aid groups such as the CSFI. In the case of

Pugaan, Hinaplanon and Palao, the CDRRMC played the role, while that in Mandulog was

conducted by the CSFI.

23

Community Mobilization Activities. At the purok level, mobilization activities have been

undertaken to intensify information/ dissemination drive on disaster awareness and

preparedness, especially in cases of heavy rains, flood, and landslide.

In Mandulog and Hinaplanon and Palao community disaster awareness activities were

beefed up through the purok presidents and other officers as frontliners. Local forms of early

warning and communication system were set up such as river water gauge, kuratong or

bamboo gong, and empty acetylene tank as improvised bell. These were reinforced with

hand-held radio sets issued to individuals or officials who were assigned to mobilize the

residents during emergency situations, including the barangay tanod, kagawad and the

punong bayan. Mobile phones were likewise used as a more advanced communication system

especially in more urbanized community like Palao.

Rescue/ Response Equipment. Certain equipment for disaster response/ rescue were

likewise made available in the four barangay. Among these are ropes, flashlights, whistle,

raincoats, and boots, as well as rescue vehicles.

Evacuation Preparation/ Activities. In their quest for zero casualty, the flood-prone

Barangay Mandulog and Pala-o conduct pre-emptive evacuation with vehicle provision.

Hinaplanon, on the other hand, prepared each evacuation center before the expected typhoon

could become very strong enough to hinder them from moving to safer grounds.

Structural/Non-Structural Mitigation. While hazards may not be totally eliminated, their

impacts can be minimized, if not avoided. Some structural and nonstructural mitigating

measures were resorted to by the four barangay. Mandulog undertook drainage cleaning and

implemented no build zone policy. Houses that were located in flood-prone areas were

dismantled and the residents thereof were relocated to the GMA Kapuso Village. Barangay

Hinaplanon, Puga-an, and Pala-o constructed river riprap and reconstructed the dilapidated

ones to minimize inundation. Tree-growing was likewise undertaken to minimize flooding.

6. Conclusion

This paper has shown how direct experience in disaster can reinforce knowledge,

concern, commitment to making the necessary actions towards better preparation and

response to potential hazards or disaster. In the context of the Philippine DRRM Plan which

has been adopted as the framework for the local DRRM plans at the city and barangay levels,

disaster awareness is further viewed as a foundation to all other dimensions of DRRM,

including disaster prevention and mitigation as well as disaster recovery and rehabilitation. It

is in furtherance of disaster knowledge and awareness that the Hyogo Framework, the

blueprint for the DRRM and Climate Change plans and programs of the Philippines along

with the other signatory countries (to the Hyogo Framework), the RA 10121 has mandated

the mainstreaming of the DRRM along with Climate Change adaptation into the school

curricula. Although there are already initial efforts along this direction more concrete and

relevant actions continue to challenge the academic institutions at all levels. With knowledge

on disaster vulnerabilities among the at risk households and communities, greater political

commitment and more appropriate and timely mitigating measures can be developed and

institutionalized at the purok and barangay levels, aside from making disaster preparedness as

a way of life. And this can be jointly pursued at the individual households as well. The

challenge therefore to the local governments is to ensure that their respective DRRM plans be

24

carried out at the larger level (purok and/or barangay) at the household level. At the larger

level, these plans must be integrated into their local development plans with corresponding

budgetary allocation from the local calamity fund. Monitoring and evaluation mechanisms

must likewise be made integral components of the local development plans to ensure that

desired outcomes are realized in the right quality, quantity, and time.

With respect to the process or manner by which DRRM would be practiced or

operationalized, households must be the focus with local government support, if possible

technically, administratively and even financially. The small steps that households take to

reduce risk and/or manage hazard or disaster would have far-reaching implications within a

larger barangay or social context. After all, it is the households and their practices that they

perform that constitute larger component of any community.

As Gibson Farbotko, Gill, Head & Waitt (cited in Elgar, 2013:582) connect the

household level issues and actions on sustainability to the wider social sphere, so with this

paper’s focus on household level as micro-level approach to barangay DRRM. In the words

of the same authors, “home spaces and the people and things that live in them are inextricably

linked into the social, technological and regulatory networks that make up suburbs, cities,

regions and nation.” (Ibid. p.582)

References

Books/ Journals

Bankoff, Greg .2006. Cultures of Coping: Adaptation to Hazard and Living with Disaster in

the Philippines. Philippines: Philippine Sociological Society, Inc.

Botkin, Daniel B. and Edward A. Keller. 2003. Environmental Science: Earth as a Living

Planet, 4th Edition. New York: John Wiley and Sons.

Elgar, Edward. 2013. Household Sustainability: Challenges and Dilemmas in Everyday Life

by C. Gibson, C. Farbotko, N. Gill, L. Head & G. Waitt (A Book Review). Journal of

Environmental Policy & Planning. Vol. 15, no. 4., pp. 582-584, Routledge-Taylor &

Francis Group.

Espinueva, Susan R. 2013. Hazard 102: Hydro-meteorological Hazards (Part 1) – Intro.

Lecture presented during the Training of Trainers on DRR/CCA for Local Partners,

January 8-11, 2013, Tagaytay City. A project on Enabling Cities in Cagayan de Oro

and Iligan City to cope with Climate Change/Project Climate Twin Phoenix.

Goco, Joyceline A. 2013. National Climate Policy Developments: Philippines. Paper

presented at Training of Trainers on DRR/CCA for Local Partners. January 8-11,

2013. Tagaytay City.

ICDRRMO, Iligan City Disaster Risk-Reduction and Management Plan 2013-2020

Iligan City Ordinance No. 12-5815

25

Luna, Emmanuel M. 2003. Endogenous System of Response to River Flooding as a Disaster

Subculture: A Case Study of Bula, Camarines Sur. Philippine Sociological Review.

Vol. 51. January-December.

Medina, Belen T.G. 2001. The Filipino Family. 2nd Ed. Diliman, Quezon City: The

University of the Philippines Press.

Montgomery, Carla W. 1989. Environmental Geology, 2nd Edition. Dubuque, Iowa: Wm. C.

Brown Publishers.

Republic Act 10121: The Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010

and its Implementing Rules and Regulations. Cagayan de Oro City: Office of Civil

Defense-Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council Regional Center

No. 10, Department of National Defense, Republic of the Philippines.

Tauli-Corpuz, Victoria; Raymond de Chavez, Eleanor Baldo-Soriano, Helen Magata,

Christine Golocan, Maribeth Bugtong, Leah Enkiwe-Abayao, and Joji Carino. 2009:2.

Guide on Climate Change and Indigenous Peoples, 2nd Edition. Baguio City:

Tebtebba Foundation.

United Nations, 2011:18. United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction

(UNISDR 2011) Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction: Revealing

Risk, Redefining Development. Geneva, Switzerland: United Nations International

Strategy for Disaster Reduction.

United Nations. 2011. 2011 Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction:

Revealing Risk, Redefining Development. International Strategy for Disaster Risk

Reduction: Online Edition. Geneva, Switzerland: United Nations Publication.

Webster’s Third New International Dictionary. 1961. Springfield, Massachusetts: GIC

Merriam Company.

Dissertation

Salon, Judelyn M. 2013. Empowerment of Environmental Migrants and Social Legitimacy of

Organizations in Disaster Management: The Case of Typhoon Sendong Victims in

Northern Mindanao. Doctoral Dissertation for Doctor in Sustainable Development

Studies. MSU-IIT, Iligan City. March.

Undergraduate Theses

2013

Abundiente, Romena T., Gapor, Lalainee L., Santos, Modest Febrazul B. Disaster Impacts

and Adaptation Practices among internally-displaced households as perceived by

Married men and women in Barangay Santiago, Iligan City. Undergraduate Thesis

for AB Sociology, October 2013.

26

Alferez, Georgette B., Estor, Aica Marie P., Paña, Alyanna Marie P., “Household Disaster

Preparedness, Response and Impact as Perceived by Fathers and Mothers: The Case

of Typhoons Sendong and Pablo Affected Purok 10, Upper Hinaplanon, Iligan City”.

An Undergraduate Thesis for AB Sociology, October 2013.

Arsoler, Hedda Ann, Pagente, Teddy, Navales, Jansen. “Living Condition of the Typhoon

Sendong Survivors: The Case of GMA Kapuso Village Beneficiaries in Mandulog,

Iligan City”. An Undergraduate Thesis for AB Sociology, October 2013.

Balabagan, Sittie Aina M., Bodiongan, Cherry Faith P., Romano, Charell R., “Vulnerability

to Sendong and Pablo Among Households in Barangay San Roque, Iligan City”.

Undergraduate Thesis for AB Sociology, October 2013.

Bao, Michael D., Jr., Apal, Jed Karlo D. & Ampang, Rica O.R. 2013. Social Response of

Sendong Survivors Towards Humanitarian Aid in Barinaut, Barangay San Roque,

Iligan City. Undergraduate Thesis for AB Sociology. MSU-IIT, Iligan City. March.

Cabartija, Davie Ross C., Jumamil, Jonemie A., Zuño, Ma. Janica D., “The Immediate and

Intermediate Health Effects of Typhoon Sendong in Iligan City”. An Undergraduate

Thesis for AB Sociology, October 2013.

Cuyno, Jeseryl L., Lovely Kimberly Lou J., Lumpayao, Redgie S., “Level of Awareness,

Preparedness, Vulnerability and Extent of Damages in Barangay Santiago, Iligan

City: A Comparative Study Between Typhoon Sendong and Pablo”. An

Undergraduate Thesis for AB Sociology, October 2013.

Violanda, Viena Mae D., Cañares, Lalaine L. 2013. Perceived Adaptive Capacity Among

Sendong Relocates in Barangay Sta. Elena, Iligan City. Undergraduate Thesis for AB

Sociology. MSU-IIT, Iligan City. October.

2012

Amad, Mary Rose R., and Phoebe Joy W. Tabada. Resource Mobilization during Tropical

Storm Sendong Disaster in Iligan City. Undergraduate Thesis. AB Sociology. MSU-

IIT. October 2012.

Colance, M.D.B., Jhona Landong, Hanah Manda. Effects of Tropical Storm Sendong Among

the Flood Victims in Rogongon, Iligan City: An Upland Experience. AB Sociology.

MSU-IIT. October 2012.

Lamoste, Patoy and Solon, Keisha. Living and Health Conditions among Selected Residents

in Sendong’s Worst Hit Puroks in Iligan City. Undergraduate thesis for AB Sociology.

MSU-IIT. October 2012.

Nellas, Catherine Jean A., Panerio, Frencis Joy A., Panerio, Ramil S., “Tropical Storm Washi

in Iligan City: Its Impacts on the Flood Survivors in Barangay Upper Hinaplanon”.

An Undergraduate Thesis for AB Sociology, October 2012.