THE INTEGRATION OF DISASTER RISK REDUCTION IN SCHOOLCURRICULA IN SELECTED SECONDARY SCHOOLS

IN LEGAZPI CITY DIVISION

A DissertationPresented to

The Faculty of the Graduate SchoolBicol University

Legazpi City

In Partial Fulfillmentof the Requirements for the Degree

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

by

ROMMEL R. REGALA

March 2014

ii

Republic of the PhilippinesBicol University

GRADUATE SCHOOLLegazpi City

RECOMMENDATION FOR DISSERTATION ORAL EXAMINATION

This dissertation entitled, THE INTEGRATION OF DISASTER RISKREDUCTION IN SCHOOL CURRICULA IN SELECTED SECONDARYSCHOOLS IN LEGAZPI CITY DIVISION, prepared and submitted byROMMEL R. REGALA, M.A.P.A., in partial fulfillment of the requirements for thedegree of Doctor of Philosophy in Public Administration is hereby submitted to theDissertation Committee for consideration and approval.

ATTY. ALEX B. NEPOMUCENO, Ph. D.Adviser

______________________________

Date

Dissertation Committee

This dissertation entitled, THE INTEGRATION OF DISASTER RISKREDUCTION IN SCHOOL CURRICULA IN SELECTED SECONDARYSCHOOLS IN LEGAZPI CITY DIVISION, prepared and submitted byROMMEL R. REGALA, M.A.P.A., in partial fulfillment of the requirements for thedegree of Doctor of Philosophy in Public Administration is hereby recommended for oralexamination.

MELINDA D. DE GUZMAN, Ed. D.Chairman

RAMESIS M. LORINO, Ph. D. JOSEPH L. BARTOLATA, Ph. D.Member Member

CEDRIC D. DAEP, Ph. D. ROWENA L. ONDIZ, Ph. D.External Member External Member

iii

Republic of the PhilippinesBicol University

GRADUATE SCHOOLLegazpi City

RESULT OF THE ORAL EXAMINATION

Result of the Oral Examination for ROMMEL R. REGALA, M.A.P.A.,candidate for the degree, Doctor of Philosophy in Public Administration.

Dissertation : THE INTEGRATION OF DISASTER RISK REDUCTION INSCHOOL CURRICULA IN SELECTED SECONDARYSCHOOLS IN LEGAZPI CITY DIVISION

Date : January 18, 2014

Place : Bicol University, CBEM Office

Time : 8:00 11:00 A.M.

This is to certify that ROMMEL R. REGALA, M.A.P.A. has passed the oralexamination with a final rating of ______________.

PANEL MEMBERS ACTION TAKEN

MELINDA D. DE GUZMAN, Ed. D. _____________________________

RAMESIS M. LORINO, Ph. D. _____________________________

JOSEPH L. BARTOLATA, Ph. D. _____________________________

CEDRIC D. DAEP, Ph. D. _____________________________

ROWENA L. ONDIZ, Ph. D. _____________________________

iv

Republic of the PhilippinesBicol University

GRADUATE SCHOOLLegazpi City

APPROVAL SHEET

Upon recommendation of the Oral Examination Committee, this dissertationentitled, THE INTEGRATION OF DISASTER RISK REDUCTION IN SCHOOLCURRICULA IN SELECTED SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN LEGAZPI CITYDIVISION, prepared and submitted by ROMMEL R. REGALA, M.A.P.A., ishereby approved in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor ofPhilosophy in Public Administration.

NORA L. LICUP, Ed. D.Dean

HELEN M. LLENARESAS, Ed. D.Vice President for Academic Affairs

FAY LEA PATRIA M. LAURAYA, Ph. D.SUC President IV

vDEDICATION

This study is unconditionally and sincerely dedicated to my parents, relatives,

friends, and above all, God Almighty, our Master Teacher, the Source of the true wisdom

and knowledge and with whom nothing is impossible.

R.R.R.

vi

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The researcher would like to express his sincere appreciation and gratitude to the

following individuals who in one way or another contributed in making this study

possible:

Atty. Alex B. Nepomuceno, Ph.D., the researchers adviser, for his guidance, his

scholarly suggestions and ideas, which led to the betterment of this research;

Dr. Melinda D. De Guzman, Dr. Ramesis M. Loreno, Dr. Joseph L. Bartolata, Dr.

Cedric D. Daep, and Dr. Rowena L. Ondiz for sharing their educational inputs based on

experience;

Dr. Agnes J. Nepomuceno, for her willingness and generosity to help the

researcher in recording and editing his thesis;

Ms. Josefa V. Losaes for her motherly care and unselfish support given to the

researcher;

Ms. Begonia R. Argamosa-Buella, Ms. Annie B. Balbin and Ms. Erlinda M.

Malmis and Mr. Alfredo M. Narito for believing that the researcher could move on with

the study;

Ms. Vanessa D. Banico, Ms. Shane B. Llabore, Ms. Sally L. Din and Mr. Asset B.

Balin for their motivation and thought-nourishing suggestions, which inspired the

researcher to pursue this study;

Mr. Joseph F. Lopez and Miel Jhoance T. Lopez for the encouragement given to

the researcher;

The librarians of Bicol University for their willingness to help the researcher

particularly in searching for the appropriate references for the study;

vii

The DepEd personnel, particularly Dr. Cesar H. Medina, Ms. Fatima D. Buen,

Dr. Ricardo Ll. Llaneta, Ms. Erma Theresa G. Tabuena and Ms. Maria Teresa M.

Ruivivar for the support and coordination they have extended to the researcher during

the data gathering essential for the accomplishment of this study;

Ms. Liezl S. Bitancur, for inspiring the researcher as he goes on with the study;

To his close friends and classmates, Ms. Lisa P. Opea, Ms. Amy R. Bello,

Ms. Carmelita L. Collada, Mr. Alden Galan, Ms. Nera Galan, Mr. Jeric Glenn Carrascal,

Ms. Ylanie Zuniga, Ms. Eda Paje, Ms. Erlinda Cabanela and other classmates, truly his

post graduate study would not be the same without you.

To his late biological parents, Minerva and Rodrigo, uncles and aunts, Papa Pons,

Papa Jun Rios, Mama Azun and Papa Jun Ursua, for the virtues they have taught when he

was younger. Their memories will stay forever in his heart;

To his Family, Mama Cit, Mama Ghie, Manoy Entong, Manay Eden, Manay

Siony, other cousins and relatives for their love and moral support that served as

inspirations in writing this study;

And most of all, God Almighty, who provides a better place on earth to enjoy and

explore each ones life.

viii

ABSTRACT

Regala, Rommel Rios The Integration of Disaster Risk Reduction in SchoolCurricula in Selected Secondary Schools in Legazpi CityDivision

Summary

This research determined the integration of Disaster Risk Reduction in the School

Curricula in selected secondary schools in Legazpi City Division. Specifically, the study

sought answers to the following sub-problems: 1. What is the status of the integration of

Disaster Risk Reduction in the schools curricula?; 2. What are the factors that influence

the integration of Disaster Risk Reduction in school curricula along the following:

a. Policies; b. Teachers Learning Program; c. Instructional Materials; and d. Facilities?;

3. What are the school policies and practices adopted for the integration of Disaster

Risk Reduction in terms of: a. Manpower; b. Funding; andc. Technical?; and 4. What

recommendations may be advanced to improve the Disaster Risk Reduction integration in

the school curricula?

The study highlighted concerns about the integration of Disaster Risk Reduction

into school curricula recognizing the role of education in addressing disaster problems:

(a) to evaluate in a reflective way, policies, methods and strategies for ensuring the

integration of disaster risk reduction focus within the context of the Philippine laws

concerning environmental issues; (b) to evaluate the opportunities for the implementation

of disaster risk reduction transformation initiatives within Legazpi City and as well to the

province of Albay; and (c) to evaluate the opportunities for the implementation of disaster

risk reduction transformation initiatives within the schools in the City Division of

Legazpi. Three complementary theories in the literature explore disaster risk and

ix

vulnerability and are taken into account in this study such as the Risk-Hazard (RH)

Model, Disaster Pressure and Release (PAR) Model, and Access Model.

The descriptive evaluative methods of research was used in this study.

Questionnaire and analytical tool for documents were the instruments used in this study.

The statistical tools used were weighted mean and percentage techniques. A total

enumeration of 165 teacher respondents from the three schools selected including the

respective school heads constitute the main source of data.

Findings

Based on the analyses and interpretation of the data, the following are the

findings:

1. On the status of integration of Disaster Risk Reduction in the schools curricula.

The integration of DRR foci in English, Filipino and Mathematics were all found

to be very low indicating that it was not integrated in the selected secondary schools in

Legazpi City Division. Meanwhile, the integration of DRR concepts in the Sciences was

moderate demonstrating that mainstreaming DRR in the selected schools are moderately

integrated. In the subject, Araling Panlipunan, integration of DRR was low indicating that

it was partially integrated in the curricula of the three selected schools. Mainstreaming

DRR topics in MAPEH was moderate signifying that in the selected secondary schools in

Legazpi City it was moderately integrated. Consequently, most of the teachers percieved

that the integration of DRR in Values Education was very low revealing that it was not

integrated in their respective schools. On the otherhand, the respondent-teachers agreed

that the integration of DRR in T.L.E. was very low indicating that it was not integrated.

The same result for the DRR integration in the Citizens Advancement Training, the CAT

xOfficials and Cadettes being incharge with the Organization of School Disater Risk

Reduction Management Group, was perceived very low by the teachers stating that in

their schools it was not integrated.

2. On the factors that influence the integration of Disaster Risk Reduction in school

curricula.

a. Along Policies. The policies for the integration of Disaster Risk Reduction in

the school curricula particularly the DepEd Order No. 55, s. 2007 was institutionalized

and been disseminated in the three respective schools surveyed, however the same policy

statements were found to be unclear. Incidentally, it was found out that more than half of

the respondents were not aware of the Republic Act No. 10121 stating that it was not

institutionalized and not been disseminated. Most of the respondents perceived that the

policy objectives were unclear to them. However, measures were undertaken by

Department of Education in the implementation of DRR Management Project as

identified by the teachers in the selected secondary schools in Legazpi City Division.

b. Along Teachers Learning Program. Most of the teachers, as part of DRR

integration in school curricula, are required to make lesson plan everyday. Earthquake

and fire drills were the method used to discuss DRR that is apparent in the learning

program. However, most of the teachers did not put into application the knowledge

gained from the teachers training on how to integrate DRR in their learning program.

c. Along Instructional Materials. The factors influencing the integration of DRR

in school curricula in terms of instructional materials are assessed through the use of the

DRR Manual, availability and accessibility of the instructional materials, and the

discussion of contents of the manual in respective subjects assigned for mainstreaming.

xi

d. Along Facilities. DepEd standards for disaster resilience must be considered in

designing and and constructing school buildings. Safety and risk reduction measures

should always be considered.

3. On the school policies and practices adopted for the integration of Disaster Risk

Reduction.

a. In Terms of Manpower. For the school level, to ensure the mainstreaming of

DRR Concepts provided in the Resource Manual, the duties and responsibilities as are

specified provided in DepEd Order No. 55, s. 2007 for particular authorities such as

school head or principal, head teachers, CAT facilitators, teachers and other school

personnel in order to protect the lives of the members of the school community and

property.

b. In Terms of Funding. The funds were used for various activities, through

coordination with the Technical Working Group (TWG) and the Education Working

Group (EWG), to effectively implement the mainstreaming of Disaster Risk Reduction in

the Education Sector (MDRD-EDU).

c. In Terms of Technical. The Technical Working Group (TWG) undertakes

various techniques for Priority Implementation Partnerships (PIPs) in the mainstreaming

of Disaster Risk Reduction into school curricula.

4. On the recommendations that may be advanced to improve the Disaster Risk

Reduction integration in the school curricula.

The teachers who are at the forefront of the implementation of DRR in various

subjects recommended that DRR integration in the school curricula should be fully

institutionalized and be disseminated in all schools nationwide. According to the

xii

teachers, the DRR Resource Manual should be made accessible to all teachers, students,

vis--vis to effectively integrate DRR, the Technical Working Group and DepEd need to

institutionalize training and program on the DRR Manual.

Conclusions

Based on the foregoing findings, the following conclusions are drawn:

1. On the status of integration of Disaster Risk Reduction in the school curricula,

because of lack of political will in the enforcement and institutionalization of DRR by

DepEd personnel, who are supposed to monitor and evaluate the integration, it resulted to

very weak integration of DRR foci by teachers in their lesson. The results pose a big

threat not only to the students but also to the entire community that lack the awareness

and preparedness about disasters and its risks to the community being vulnerable to the

hazards of disasters.

2. On the factors influencing the integration of DRR in school curricula along

policies, since DepEd Order No. 55, s, 2007 and Republic Act No. 10121 were found not

to be fully institutionalized in the selected secondary schools in Legazpi City Division;

therefore the policy objectives, measures and statements were not clear to the majority of

the respondents.

Along teachers learning program, the teachers are all required to make daily

lesson plans. Supposedly, it was imposed that DRR foci were integrated in the teachers

lesson plans on the respective learning areas they are assigned for mainstreaming, but

since the integration was very weak it can be construed that there is no integration of

DRR foci on teachers learning program. Unluckily, most of the teachers fail to put into

application the knowledge they have gained from the training concerning the integration

xiii

of DRR, or worst there is no training at all concerning DRR integration.

Along instructional materials, the uses of DRR manual had been identified and

enumerated. With the DRR manual available online in the official website of DepEd. But

the same document, the DRR manual was not available and not accessible for use by the

teachers and students in their respective schools. Aside from Sciences, MAPEH and

Social Sudies; DRR topics in other subjects were not discussed because of the absence of

integration of DRR.

Along facilities, there is a need for DepEd to conform to the disaster standards for

resilience in designing and constructing school buildings in giving due considerations to

the ergonomics, anthropometrics, thermal comfort, illumination, acoustics and colors and

most importantly the safety and risk reduction measures.

3. On school policies and practices adopted for the integration of DRR in terms of

manpower, in order to ensure mainstreaming of DRR Concepts, DepEd Order No. 55, s.

2007 provides the duties and responsibilities to be assumed by particular persons in the

school level such as the school head or principal, the head teachers, the CAT facilitators,

and the teachers.

In terms of funding, the DRR budget was spent on various activieties to

effectively implement the Mainstreaming of Disaster Risk Reduction in the Education

Sector (MDRD-EDU) undertaken by Technical Working Group (TWG) together with the

Education Working Group (EWG) in order to improve the integration of DRR foci in the

school curricula.

In terms of technical, the individual member of Technical Working Group assume

definite roles to perform in thintegration of DRR in school curricula. Evidently based

xiv

from data it was DepdEd together with NDRRMC that occupies most of the functions

throughout the process of integration.

4. The teachers recommended that in order improve the integration of DRR in the

school curricula, the Technical Working Group especially DepEd should fully

institutionalize and disseminate the existing policies about DRR integration in the school

curricul, ensure the availability and accessibility of the DRR Resource Manual for the

teachers, students and other school personnel, and training of teachers and other persons

concerned is a must.

Recommendations

In the light of the foregoing findings and conclusions, the following

recommendations are hereby forwarded, to wit:

1. The implementation of DepEd Oder, Republic Act and other existing laws

should be intensified and enforced extensively for the integration of DRR in the school

curricula throughout the country. Monitoring by DepEd officials should be done

religiously in all schools through evaluation checklist to conform if they enforced the

mainstreaming of Disater Risk Reduction.

2. The policies concerning DRR integration in the school curricula should be

thoroughly institutionalized and disseminated. Learning program should be done by

teachers everyday concerning DRR foci. The knowledge gained from trainings, seminars

and workshops attended, if there is, should be put into application by teachers. The

availability and accessibility of the DRR Manual in DepEd Division Offices, in all

schools and in the bookstores nationwide should be ensured. The public should be

informed about the availability of the DRR Manual to be downloaded in the official

xv

website of the Department of Education. Designing and constructing school buildings

should be done in accordance to the safety and risk reduction measures.

3. The duties and responsibilities to be assumed by the head of school/principal, head

teachers, teachers, CAT facilitators and other school personnel as provided in the Implementing Rules

and Regulations of the DepEd Order and other laws concerning DRR integration in the school

curricula should be clearly identified and defined, and be delegated to concerned personnel.

The funds should be allocated through linkages in order to undertake all activities

concerning the integration of DRR in the school curricula. The techniques for

undertaking Priority Implementation Partnerships (PIPs) for mainstreaming DRR should

be familiarized by every school personnel, teachers and students.

4. The recommendations by teachers in the respective schools surveyed for this

study particularly intensifying the institutionalization and dissemination of DepEd Odrer

and other existing laws concerning the integration of DRR in school curricula should be

considered. According to the teachers, the availability and acessibility of the DRR

Resource Manual should be ensured. Also, teachers and other personnel concern should

be trained regarding the mainstreaming of Disaster Risk Reduction.

5. There should be a need to put up an office for Disaster Risk Reduction in every

school to ensure that integration is implemented, monitored, and evaluated.

xvi

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAGE

Title Page..i

Recommendation for the Oral Examination....................................................................ii

Result of the Oral Examination..........................................................................................iii

Approval Sheet.......iv

Dedication....v

Acknowledgement..vi

Abstract.........viii

Table of Contents..xvi

List of Tables....xix

List of Figures........xx

CHAPTER

1. THE PROBLEM

Introduction......1

Statement of the Problem.......11

Scope and Delimitation..12

Significance of the Study.......12

Notes......15

2. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

Related Literature..17

Related Studies..39

Synthesis of the State-of-the-Art.......62

xvii

PAGE

Gap Bridged by the Study.....63

Theoretical Framework......63

Conceptual Framework......72

Definition of Terms...74

Notes..........79

3. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY

Research Methods.........85

Sources of Data.............86

Respondents..87

Instruments Used...........88

Data Collection Procedure.....90

Statistical Treatment of Data.91

Notes..93

4. THE INTEGRATION OF DISASTER RISK REDUCTION IN SCHOOLCURRICULA IN SELECTED SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN LEGAZPICITY DIVISION

Status of the integration of Disaster Risk Reduction in the Schools curricula.95

Factors Influencing the Integration of DRR in School Curricula

Policies.107

Teachers Learning Program113

Instructional Materials.....114

Facilities...124

xviii

PAGE

School Policies and Practices Adopted for the Integration of DRR

Manpower....129

Funding...133

Technical.....136

Recommendation that may be Advanced to Improve the Integration of DRRin the School Curricula143

5. SUMMARY, FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Summary..146

Findings...............147

Conclusions..154

Recommendations....156

BIBLIOGRAPHY......159

APPENDICES

A Questionnaire...166

B Letters to the Schools Division Superintendent and Principals toConduct the study...178

C Certification from the Editor.......182

D DepEd Order No. 55, s. 2007......183

E Monitoring and Evaluation Tools....198

F Curriculum Vitae.207

xix

LIST OF TABLES

Table Page

1 Countries with hazards teaching in primary or secondary schools30

2 Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015 (HFA)-Five Priority Areasand Key Activities..66

3 Distribution of Respondents..88

4 Status of Integration of Disaster Risk Reduction in School Curricula..96

5 Factors Influencing the Integration of DRR in School Curricula alongPolicies.110

6 Factors Influencing the Integration of DRR in School Curricula alongTeachers Learning Program114

7 Factors Influencing the Integration of DRR in School Curricula alongInstructional Materials.116

8 Factors Influencing the Integration of DRR in School Curricula alongFacilities...125

9 School Policies and Practices Adopted for the Integration of DRRin Terms of Manpower131

10 School Policies and Practices Adopted for the Integration of DRRin Terms of Funding134

11 School Policies and Practices Adopted for the Integration of DRRin Terms of Technical.137

12 Recommendation to Improve the DRR Integration in the SchoolCurricula.144

xx

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure Page

1 The Number of Natural Disaster Recorded Worldwide in 1900-2010..18

2 Economic Damage Caused by Natural Disaster in 1900-2010......19

3 Mortality Risk for Tropical Cyclones in Two Countrieswith Similar Exposure: Japan and Philippines...21

4 Risk-Hazard (RH) Model...64

5 Disaster Pressure and Release (PAR) Model.65

6 Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR)...67

7 Paradigm of Theoretical Framework.71

8 Paradigm of the Conceptual Framework...........73

9 Graph Showing the Status of Integration of DRR in English97

10 Graph Showing the Status of Integration of DRR in Filipino...98

11 Graph Showing the Status of Integration of DRR in Mathematics...99

12 Graph Showing the Status of Integration of DRR in Science.100

13 Graph Showing the Status of Integration of DRR in AP....101

14 Graph Showing the Status of Integration of DRR in MAPEH103

15 Graph Showing the Status of Integration of DRR in ESP......104

16 Graph Showing the Status of Integration of DRR in TLE..105

17 Graph Showing the Status of Integration of DRR in CAT..106

18 Suggested Activities for Disaster Risk Reduction Integration....140

Chapter 1

THE PROBLEM

Introduction

Disaster, natural or man-made, has always been the consequence of interactions

between human and nature, technology and other living entities. Etymologically, disaster

is derived from the Middle French word dsastre and from Old Italian disastro, which in

turn comes from the Greek pejorative prefix (dus) bad, (aster) star, which means

bad star in Greek. The root word of disaster comes from an astrological theme in which

the ancient people used to refer to the destruction or deconstruction of a star as a disaster.

A disaster is a hazard resulting in an event of considerable degree that triggers significant

physical damage or destruction, loss of life, or drastic change to the environment.

Disasters being inevitable and recurring very frequently continuously affecting the way

man live his daily life.1

A sudden calamitous event, a disaster seriously unsettles the way of life of the

society and causes, human, material, and economic or environmental losses that is

beyond the ability of the society to cope using their own resources. Disaster is oftentimes

caused by nature, sometimes by human origin. A disaster occurs when a hazard impacts

on vulnerable people. The combination of hazards, vulnerability and inability to reduce

the potential negative consequences of risk results in disaster that can be best illustrated

through this formula: (Vulnerability + Hazard) / Capacity = Disaster.2 In this context,

vulnerability can be defined as weakened capacity of an individual or group of society to

anticipate, cope with, resist and recover from the impact of a natural or man-made

hazard. Oftentimes vulnerability is related to poverty, but vulnerability also arises when

2people are isolated, insecure and defenseless in the face of risk, shock or stress. Risk

Exposure differs on various group of society as a result of their ethnicity, gender, age,

and other factors. Vulnerability also varies on its forms: poverty, for an instance, may

imply that housing is unable to endure an earthquake or a hurricane, or lack of

preparedness may result in a slower response to a disaster, leading to greater loss of life

or prolonged suffering. On the other hand is capacity, which can be described as the

resources available to individuals, households and communities in order to cope with the

danger that they may encounter and or to resist the impacts of a hazard. Resources can be

physical or material in form, but they can also be found in a way the community is

organized or through the skills or attributes of individuals and organizations in the

community.

In order to determine the peoples vulnerability, there are two question need to be

asked: (a) To what threat or hazard are they vulnerable? (b) What makes them

vulnerable to that threat or hazard? Counteracting vulnerability requires: (a) Reducing the

impact of the hazard itself where possible through mitigation, prediction, warning and

preparedness; (b) Building capacities to withstand and cope with hazards; (c) Tackling

the root causes of vulnerability, such as poverty, poor governance, discrimination,

inequality and inadequate access to resources and livelihood. Peoples level of

vulnerability and the extent of their capacity to resist, cope with and recover from hazards

are determined by physical, economic, social and political factors. Evidently, poverty

contributes much to vulnerability. Poor people are more likely to live and work in an

areas exposed to potential hazards, while they are less likely to have the resources to cope

with disaster when it strikes.3

3Oftentimes caused by nature, disasters are sometimes instigated by human origins.

Triggered either by rapid or slow onset events, natural hazards are naturally occurring

physical phenomena which can be geophysical, hydrological, climatological, and

biological. Geophysical disasters are earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis and volcanic

activities. Avalanches and floods are hydrological disasters. Climatological disasters are

the following: extreme temperatures, drought, wildfires, and cyclones, storms, wave

surges which are characterized meteorologically. Disease epidemics and insect or animal

plagues are examples of biological disasters. These phenomena causes damage to life,

property and destroy the economic, social and cultural life of people. Technological or

man-made hazards are the events caused by humans and occur in or close to human

settlements. This includes environmental degradation, pollution, conflicts or complex

emergencies, famine, displaced populations, industrial and transport accidents. There are

a range of challenges that will shape humanitarian assistance in the future. These

aggravating factors include climate change, unplanned urbanization, under-development

or poverty as well as the threat of pandemics that will result in increased frequency,

complexity and severity of disasters.4

In a modern academic world, disasters are seen as consequences of inappropriate

risk management. Disaster Risk Management, What is it anyway? What is Disaster Risk

Reduction? Aimed to reduce the socio-economic vulnerabilities to disaster as well as

dealing with the environmental and other hazard that triggers them, Disaster Risk

Reduction is a systematic approach to identify, assess and reduce the risk of a disaster.

Disaster Risk Reduction aims to reduce the damaged caused by natural hazards like

earthquakes, floods, droughts and cyclones through an ethic of prevention. Frequently

4following natural hazards, disasters severity depends on how much impact a hazard has

on society and the environment. In turn, the scale of impact of disaster depends on the

choices we made for our lives and for our environment. Wherein , these choices relates

on how we grow our food, where and how we build houses, what kind of government we

have, how our financial systems work and even what we teach in schools.

The decision and action that we make lead us to be more vulnerable to disasters or

more resilient to them. So therefore, disaster risk reduction is about choices, the choices

that we made. The concept and practice of reducing disaster risk is disaster risk

management, which is through the systematic efforts to analyze and reduce the factors

causing disasters. Examples of disaster risk reduction are the following: (a) reducing

exposure to hazards; (b) lessening vulnerability of people and property; (c) wise

management of land and the environment; and (d) improving preparedness for adverse

events. Since Disaster has always been the consequences of interactions between human

and nature, technology and other living entities, therefore, disaster risk reduction is

everyones business. Although part of sustainable development, Disaster Risk Reduction

includes disciplines like disaster management, disaster mitigation and disaster

preparedness. In order for development activities to be sustainable they must also reduce

disaster risk. Conversely, unsound development policies will increase disaster risk and

disaster losses. Thus, disaster risk reduction involves every part of society, every part of

government, and every part of the professional and private sector.5

The Republic of the Philippines is a member country of the Regional Consultative

Committee on Disaster Management (RCC) under its program on Mainstreaming

Disaster Risk Reduction into Development (MDRD), with other 25 member Asian

5countries. Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction in the Education Sector was in support

to the implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action through mainstreaming of

DRR into Development Planning and Implementation by the United Nations

International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UN-ISDR). The roles of the RCC were the

following: (a) Identification of disaster-related needs and priorities of Asia and Pacific

countries, (b) Promotion of regional and sub-regional cooperative programs, and

(c) Development of regional action strategies for disaster reduction.6

The Department of Education took a lead through the issuance of DepEd Order

No. 55, s. 2007 prioritizing the mainstreaming of Disaster Risk Reduction Management

in the School System and implementation of programs and projects relative to it. The

issuance of the memorandum was in support in building schools, nations and

communities resilient to disaster as one of the objectives of the Hyogo Framework for

Action 2005-2015 which is now considered as priority policy for implementation by the

Department. The Hyogo Framework for Action is a global blue print for disaster risk

reduction efforts which aims to reduce disaster loses in lives, properties, social, economic

and environmental assets of communities and countries by year 2015.

One of the activities undertaken by DepEd under the Non-Structural component

of the Safe Schools Program is the preparation of the Disaster Risk Reduction Resource

Manual (DRRRM) which will serve as a source of information to be used by school

administrators, school heads/principals, supervisors, and teachers relative to the

implementation of disaster risk reduction management projects. Integration of Disaster

Risk Reduction Focus on the lessons was done through the existing subjects, which are

6already taught thinking it would be more effective than creating a new subject. It was felt

that this approach would make it easier for the children to understand the subject.7

On May 27, 2010 after President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo had signed Republic

Act No. 10121, the integration of Disaster Risk Reduction Education into the School

Curricula was strengthened. Provisions under Section 14 of the said law indicated that the

Department of Education (DepEd), the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and

the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), in coordination

with the other agencies shall integrate Disaster Risk Reduction and Management

Education in the school curricula of secondary and tertiary level education, including the

National Service Training Program (NSTP), whether private or public, including formal

and non-formal, technical-vocational, indigenous learning, and out-of-school youth

courses and programs.8

The status of mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) in the education

sector in the Philippines in some extent, DRR concepts can be found in existing subjects

but there was no formal curriculum related to DRR. The DRR module, developed under

MDRD-Education Project in 2007, is for Grade 7. The Department of Education (DepEd)

has refined the lessons exemplar on the basis of the inputs made by the other agencies of

the government, which has expertise on the field, in order to develop the DRR module.

The chapters on Civil Disorder and Civil Unrest have been removed. Climate change and

Global warming has been added. The final DRR module was integrated into (3) chapters

with (12) lessons in Science-I and (4) chapters with (16) lessons in Social Studies of 1st

year of secondary school (Grade 7). The units cover: Natural Hazards, Climate

Change/Global Change, Family Disaster Plan, Volcanoes, Heat Wave, Tornado, and Fire.

7Each unit shows the chapter into which the lesson is to be integrated. This tells the

teacher the topics that have to be covered while teaching the lesson and chapter. The

lesson includes group activities that are to be coordinated by the teacher in the class

room. It also includes questions to be asked to the students, the topics that the teacher

should cover in the lecture, an application of the knowledge that the teacher will conduct

with the students (learning activity) and methodology for evaluation of learning by the

students. Each lesson has similar components.9

Albay, the place we call home, is among the provinces in the Philippines which

are often beat by typhoons. Albay is prone to calamities like volcanic eruptions,

typhoons, floods, landslides, storm surges, droughts and earthquakes where millions of

pesos worth of damages to both economic and social infrastructures have most often

reported during such calamities. Naturally, when the place we call home is prone to

disaster, we are compelled to undertake precautionary measures to be prepared when the

next disaster strikes. Such is the situation of Albay taking measures to reduce the impact

of natural disasters on its community. In 1995, the Province of Albay institutionalized the

Albay Public Safety and Emergency management Office (APSEMO) which was tasked

to design and implements a disaster risk management and reduction program. APSEMOs

main objective was to developed more pro-active and disaster resilient communities. The

institution was able to attain its objective by pursuing a community based disaster risk

management approach. The program involves the local communities in formulating early

warning markers and by disseminating alarm information and advisories in order to avoid

or reduced the impact of disaster. Also, they are involved in planning activities which are

essential in disaster management before, during and after an emergency. The institution

8also undertakes family disaster preparedness activities so that people will be more aware

of what to do before, during and after a disaster. To make evacuation more organized,

there are assigned roles for everyone and designated pick up points have been identified.

There is empowerment upon the people to decide when to undertake pre-emptive

evacuation because they are properly equipped with early warning devices and tools. The

Barangay Disaster Coordinating Councils with the help of the evacuees assumes the

management of evacuation centers during the initial onset of a disaster. Drills and

exercises are conducted quarterly by the communities. The program enabled the province

to chalk-up almost zero casualties from typhoons and volcanic eruptions.10

Albay Public Safety and Emergency management Office acknowledged that

evacuating and rebuilding affected communities is costly and that they remain at risk. In

order to solve the issue APSEMO devices a better solution which it refers to as

geostrategic intervention (GUICADALE), wherein it identified communities and areas

that are prone to disasters through risk mapping and identified safe areas and drew up

comprehensive land use plans. Through relocation of the disaster prone communities and

commercial centers to safe areas, Albay Province hopes to reduce the impact of natural

disasters on its people. Since there is community involvement in the planning and

implementation of the program, the families willingly rendered their labor as their

counterpart in the construction of their relocation homes. With this program, Albay

managed to integrate disaster preparedness with economic development and had been

enticed more entrepreneurs to invest around the area. The Department of the Interior and

Local Government recognizes the success of the Province of Albay in institutionalizing

the APSEMO for them to be included in the DILGs Good Practices in Local

9Governance. Today, the Province ensured the Albayanos to be well ahead in guaranteeing

climate-proofed and disaster prepared communities.11

The province of Albay, in partnership with the Department of Education had set

the integration of DRR lessons in the curricula of public education institutions where

over 6,000 public school teachers undergo Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) training.

According to Governor Joey Salceda, the inclusion of DRR in the curricula is important

as the province is always under recurrent threats from Mount Mayon, lahar and flash

floods and inundations brought by torrential rains due to the adverse impact of climate

change and weather disturbances. The Albay Provincial Government and the Department

of Education Region V initiated climate change adaptation as part of the major subjects.

Its objective is for the students to be fully aware of DRR and climate change adaptation

strategies. Climate change was finally added into major subjects through the partnership

of Albay and DepEd from Grade 4 pupils in the elementary to secondary levels under the

K to 12 Curriculum. The Governor wants to make sure that school children grasp their

Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation strategies out of their lessons

from English, Science, Social Studies, Arts and even Mathematics so that they become

fully aware of our zero casualty goals every time there is a disaster. Cedric Daep, Albay

Public Safety and Emergency Management Office (APSEMO) chief and concurrent head

of Center for Initiatives and Research on Climate Adaptation (CIRCA) said the training

of more than 6,000 public school teachers across the province was done at Climate

Change Academy. The climate change adaptation strategies will be integrated to public

school syllabus in English, Science, Social Studies, Arts and even Mathematics. This new

scheme and strategy in all public school levels are in consonance with Salceda's "zero

10

casualty goal" every time a disaster happens. The governor also expressed hope that the

new curriculum exemplars for public schools in Albay on DRR could be integrated

throughout the region and in the country as a whole as the adverse impact of climate

change is getting extreme. Bicol Region specifically Albay province, is considered as the

"one-stop-shop" of disasters due to its geographical location that makes it prone not only

to volcanic eruption, but also to flash floods, typhoons, landslide, earthquakes and

tsunami threats.12

This study assessed the integration of Disaster Risk Reduction into school

curricula recognizing the role of education in addressing disaster problems. Specifically,

the research is guided by the objective of evaluating in a reflective way, policies, methods

and strategies for ensuring the infusion of disaster risk reduction focus within the context

of the Philippine laws concerning environmental issues; the opportunities for the

implementation of disaster risk reduction transformation initiatives within Legazpi City

and as well to the province of Albay; and evaluating the opportunities for the

implementation of disaster risk reduction transformation initiatives within the schools in

the City Division of Legazpi.

Disaster risk reduction begins at school wherein all places of learning, especially

on the basic education, must integrate disaster management into their curriculum across

all subject matters and ensure that they have educators with relevant training to discuss

disaster management topics. The researcher believes that educating the public concerning

disaster risk reduction would contribute helping build a future where Filipinos live in

harmony with nature.

11

Statement of the Problem

This study determined the integration of Disaster Risk Reduction in the School

Curricula in selected secondary schools in Legazpi City Division addressing the local

communitys disaster issues.

Specifically, the study sought answers to the following sub-problems:

1. What is the status of the integration of Disaster Risk Reduction in the schools

curricula?

2. What are the factors that influence the integration of Disaster Risk Reduction in

schools curricula along the following:

a. Policies;

b. Teachers Learning Program;

c. Instructional Materials; and

d. Facilities?

3. What are the school policies and practices adopted for the integration of Disaster Risk

Reduction in terms of:

e. Manpower;

f. Funding; and

g. Technical?

4. What recommendations may be advanced to improve the Disaster Risk Reduction

integration in the school curricula?

12

Scope and Delimitation

The time and financial constraints prevented the researcher from conducting an

extensive study. Hence, the study was only focused on the three secondary schools within

and nearby the metropolis of Legazpi City, such as: Pag-Asa National High School, Oro

Site High School, and Taysan Resettlement Integrated School High School Department.

A total enumeration of 165 teacher respondents from the three schools selected including

the respective school heads constitute the main source of data.The locale of the study was

made on the basis that the three secondary schools within Legazpi City Division are

frequently affected by floods and soil erosion during heavy rains and typhoons, and even

exposed to the risk of shack fires during the hotter months.

The time frame of the study is within the first semester of School Year 2013-

2014. Moreover, the schools were selected due to the vulnerability of the same to natural

disasters. However, the risks faced by each school differ based on the geophysical

characteristics of each site, to wit; Pag-Asa National High school poses danger towards

shack fire, flood and volcanic eruption; Oro Site High School is prone to extensive

flooding and shack fires; and Taysan Resettlement Integrated School, on the other hand,

faces flash flood, soil erosion and earth quake.

Significance of the Study

This study is deemed important for it would benefit the following people and

agencies:

The Government. The results of this study will provide the administrators and

personnel of the city of Legazpi, the province of Albay and other local government units

across the Philippines together with the national government, with additional information

13

and insights regarding the importance of education among the public concerning disaster

risk reduction management by reviewing the current policies and programs of the

government and the promulgation of the amendments on disaster management policies.

The government should learn to manage and maintain a true response to disasters caused

by natural hazards and make most effective use of its resources. The more the

government and people understand risk and vulnerability, the better equipped they will be

to mitigate disasters when they strike, and thus, saving more lives. The idea

The Department of Education. The study will supplement the Department by

strengthening the disaster risk reduction in the school curriculum to develop future adults

who are responsible and able to identify hazardous situations within their own

community and ways of reducing disaster risk through proper application of sustainable

development practices.

The Community. For the local community and as well the whole nation, this

study will help them realize and address the risk and vulnerability they confront being

exposed to unsafe conditions under the circumstances of calamities. This study asserts the

development of a world population that is aware of, and concerned about disasters and

their associated problems, and which has the knowledge, skills, attitudes, motivations and

commitment to work individually and collectively toward solutions of current disaster

problems and prevention of new ones. The study opens opportunities to improve the

living standards of the communities by granting social groups and individuals an

opportunity to be actively involved at all levels in working towards the resolution of any

localized problems like disaster risk management.

14

The Academe. Recognizing the role of education in protecting and conserving

nature and as well managing the disaster risk reduction, this study will be contributory for

the schools, being the better place of institution, to address environmental concerns

through the development of education that can maintain and improve the quality of life

and prevent future disaster problems, a type of education striving towards sustaining

future generations.

The Researchers and Readers. To the researcher himself, being a public

administration student as well other social researchers, this study will give them insights

about the nature of disaster risk-related problems as well as to give meaning to the

complexities and dynamics around disaster issues brought about by the interaction of

socio-economic and political factors to which peoples vulnerabilities are attributed.

Furthermore, this will also indicate key opportunities and options provided by both

education and disaster management policies respectively, with particular emphasis on

inclusion of a disaster risk reduction focus and disaster risk management into teachers

lesson planning. The researcher will enlighten the mind of the readers and inculcate the

wisdom that he had learned along the way while doing this research.

The Field of Public Administration. This study provides for public

administration researchers and practitioners, the data on the efforts of the government

regarding disaster risk management and the education reform through the promulgation

of disaster management legislation and its related policies.

15

NOTES

1WIKEPEDIA The Free Encyclopedia. Disaster. Retrieved from:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disaster (accessed 2013, May 27).

2International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. What is adisaster? Retrieved from: http://www.ifrc.org/en/what-we-do/disaster-management/about-disasters/what-is-a-disaster/ (accessed 2013, June 2).

3International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. What isvulnerability? Retrieved from: http://www.ifrc.org/en/what-we-do/disaster-management/about-disasters/what-is-a-disaster/what-is-vulnerability/ (accessed 2013,June 2).

4International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Types ofdisasters: Definition of hazard. Retrieved from: http://www.ifrc.org/en/what-we-do/disaster-management/about-disasters/definition-of-hazard/ (accessed 2013, June 2).

5UNISDR-The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction. What isDisaster risk reduction? Retrieved from: http://www.unisdr.org/who-we-are/what-is-drr(accessed 2013, June 4).

6Regional Consultative Committee on Disaster Management (RCC). February2010 Brochure. Retrieved from:http://www.adpc.net/v2007/Downloads/2010/Feb/RCCBrochure.pdf (accessed 2013, July25).

7DepEd Order No. 55, s. 2007. Prioritizing the Mainstreaming of Disaster RiskReduction Management in the School System and Implementation of Programs andProjects Relative Thereof. Republic of the Philippines, Department of Education, August10, 2007.

8Republic Act No. 10121. An Act Strengthening the Philippine Disaster RiskReduction and Management System, Providing for the National Disaster Risk Reductionand Management Framework and Institutionalizing the National Disaster risk Reductionand management Plan, Appropriating funds Thereof and for other Purposes, Republic ofthe Philippines, Congress of the Philippines, May 27, 2010.

9Luna, Emmanuel M. et al., April 2008. Mainstreaming disaster risk reduction inthe education sector in the Philippines. Retrieved from:http://www.adpc.net/v2007/programs/dms/PROGRAMS/Mainstreaming%20DRR/Downloads/Philippines.pdf (accessed 2013, September 9).

16

10Galing Pook. Albay Disaster Risk Reduction. Retrieved from:http://www.galingpook.org/main/component/content/article/132-albay (accessed 2013,June 4).11Ibid.

12Science.ph. 6,000 public school teachers in Albay set to undergo disaster riskreduction training Retrieved from:http://www.science.ph/full_story.php?type=News&key=6960:6000-public-school-teachers-in-albay-set-to-undergo-disaster-risk-reduction-training (accessed 2013,September 9).

Chapter 2

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

This chapter presents the review of related literature and studies. The researcher

gathered pertinent documents published on print and online, locally and abroad, in order

to provide a theoretical background and comprehensive review on the extent of disasters

globally and on how the world addresses disaster risk reduction through education.

Related Literature

Why teach Disaster Risk Reduction in School? Compared to adults, children

are more vulnerable to disasters, yet these children can be influential and effective

communicators of disaster problems and disaster risk reduction. In this instance,

whatever the students have learned at school are later transmitted to their parents and

siblings at home. There are many instances that had been documented when the safety of

a family, or the protection of an important element of the household, had been traced

back to a safety lesson learned at school. In Thailand, young Tilly Smith, whereby

seeing the receding water before the tsunami was able to save the lives of 100 tourists

from a beach in December 2004, by mere remembering her lessons on geography

concerning tsunami. Another example is in Indonesia, highlighting the value of children,

teaching their parents about what to do in case of an earthquake. To foster better

understanding among the children and the teachers about the immediate environment

wherein they and their families live, disaster awareness and risk reduction education

should be introduced in the school curriculum that would help reduce the risk faced by

the community.1

18

On the contemporary time, natural disasters risk is reaching an increasingly

global nature as shown in Figure 1. The risk in one region which is the formation and

occurrence of such may easily impact another region and vice-versa. The worlds future

economy, population and sustainable progress of developing countries may endangered

by unplanned urbanization, environmental degradation, global climatic changes and a

deficit of resources.2

During the last decade, statistically, about 240 million people had suffered from

natural disasters annually as shown on Figure 2. The economic losses caused by these

natural disasters have tripled over the last 30 years where the economic damages that

resulted from these disasters have reached US $ 90 billion.3

Figure 1The Number of Natural Disaster Recorded Worldwide in 1900-2010

(Source: National Curriculum andAssessment Centre. TeachingDisaster Risk Reduction withInteractive Methods-Book for Head ofClass Teachers, Grade V-IX, 2011)

19

Natural disaster risks occur when the following factors such as physical, social,

economic, and environmental vulnerability are affected by hydro-meteorological,

geological and other dangers. About nine-tenths of the worlds natural disasters that arise

belongs to four categories floods (40%), tropical cyclones (20%), earthquakes (15%),

and droughts (15%). Based on two main features, the classifications of disasters are the

following: causes, and scale of propagation and damages. Disasters are caused by natural

phenomena such as: climate conditions, geological processes, soil, and relief or by

anthropogenic factors such as human activities. Negatively, the main consequences of

disaster of any type are the loss of human lives, mass resettlement of populations,

collapse of mountain slopes, block-up of canyons, reduction of useful land area,

epidemics, death of cattle, destruction of crops, increase of underground water level,

destruction of communications, destruction of residential houses and other buildings, and

contamination of soil, water and air. The main factors that caused natural disasters are the

Figure 2Economic Damage caused by Natural Disasters in 1900-2010 (in billion USD)

(Source: National Curriculum andAssessment Centre. TeachingDisaster Risk Reduction withInteractive Methods-Book for Head ofClass Teachers, Grade V-IX, 2011)

20

degradation of the environment, uneven distribution of the infrastructure, global climate

changes, densely populated territories and territories prone to natural disasters, irrational

distribution of the economy, violation of land use rules, lack of information and

knowledge, construction of cities and big engineering structures, development of new

territories, selection of inappropriate areas for residence, unsustainable extraction of

mineral resources, and economic development. In parallel to scientific and technical

achievements, population growth and complicated social structure, mankind becomes

more and more vulnerable to natural disasters with extreme-subsequent damages of

which depend not only on their propagation area but also the unexpectedness. Human

activity has changed the environment much more than during the whole history of

mankind over the last 50 years, in which the primary reason is population growth. In

2050, by approximation, the total number of the worlds population will reach 8.9 billion.

Naturally, growth of population increases the demand for natural resources like food,

water, timber, fuel, etc. On the one hand, the intensive and frequent uncontrolled impact

on the environment has promoted economic welfare, but on the other hand, it leads to

degradation of mostly irreversible environmental processes that pose a real threat to

peoples social and economic welfare.4

In terms of vulnerability, people living in developing countries are more

susceptible to natural disasters risk and carry the biggest losses in human lives and

livelihood as shown in Figure 3. Currently, the number of deaths resulting from natural

disasters in the third world countries is 13 times higher compared with the first world

countries. On the Richter scale, the fact that a 6.7 points earthquake causes the deaths of

2 people in the United States, while 20,000 people die in India as a result of the same

21

earthquake, demonstrates unequal distribution of the risks and correlation between a

countrys development level and its disaster consequences.5

Unfortunately, we cannot fully prevent natural disasters to happen, however, we

can reduce the effects of them by undertaking relevant mitigation measures. This is why

it is important to carryout relevant mitigation measures which significantly reduce natural

hazards and their associated damages. Everyone is vulnerable to disasters. Nevertheless,

damages and significant economic losses can be avoided with the development and

implementation of proper risk reduction measures. For this reason, many states initiated

the management of the disaster risk reduction and have adopted the Hyogo Framework

for Action. Objectively, the program aims to achieve by the year 2015, a significant

reduction of damages caused by natural disasters namely to reduce considerably the

risk of deaths and the destruction of social, economic and environmental resources. Out

of five priority actions within the Hyogo Framework for Action, one of the most

Figure 3Mortality Risk for Tropical Cyclones in Two Countries with Similar Exposure: Japan and Philippines

(Source: NationalCurriculum andAssessmentCentre. TeachingDisaster RiskReduction withInteractiveMethods-Book forHead of ClassTeachers, GradeV-IX, 2011)

22

important is the Use of knowledge, innovation and education to build a culture of safety

and resilience at all levels program. Education provides the best instrument for

disseminating the information necessary to reduce disaster risks and to facilitate the

development of strong social values.6

One of the most urgent challenges of modern society is the development of

Disaster Risk Reduction among children and adult. Children, being the most vulnerable

members of the population, especially during the occurrence of disasters, are often do not

have an access to information and lack knowledge and skills that would enable them to

protect themselves and make correct decisions during these difficult situations.

Significantly, being a center of community life, schools can play a very important role in

Disaster Risk Reduction. The school environment can determine the students future,

since the majority of the childrens time is spent in school.

Therefore, schools have a direct impact not only to the lives of teachers, students,

parents and their relatives, but also to the community as a whole. Being the most

effective Disaster Risk reduction tool, changing human behavior through dissemination

of knowledge and obtainment of necessary skills for personal and collective safety is the

best way to avoid disaster risk. In order to achieve this goal, some very important

pointers must be considered such as: (a) to disseminate Disaster Risk Reduction

information at all levels, especially among populations living in the high risk zones; (b)

to develop educational programs in Disaster Risk Reduction; and (c) to develop a safe

behavior model and skills among students. Society, as well as schools, has a great moral

responsibility to create a safe environment for their students and teachers. The greater the

level of self-organization that exists within society, the greater its potential becomes to

23

avoid or mitigate the negative consequences of disasters. The school administrators,

teachers and student in close cooperation with the emergency management authorities

implemented all initiatives targeted to increase the level of safety and disaster

preparedness. It is necessary to understand the responsibility the school has for the

students lives. It is mandatory to take initiative to reduce the risk posed to the students.

Due to psychological and age-specific features, it is true that students are usually passive

in seeking out information about disaster risk reduction and do not fully grasp the gravity

of the problem entirely. However, even the youngest ones can become important

messengers of critical information to their families around them as result of proper

efforts. During the teaching process, the students do not only perceive the essence of the

potential dangers posed to them from disasters, but also realize that Disaster Risk

Reduction is a collective responsibility and most importantly, a way of saving their own

lives. In an easily understandable format, one of the biggest challenges that the society

face today is providing the children with information about the complex cause and effect

relationship between mankind and the environment. The main goal is to help students

develop vitally important skills and enable to make correct decisions in critical

situations.7

On January 18-22, 2005 in Kobe, Hyogo, Japan, the World Conference on

Disaster Reduction was held and the gathering able to come up with the present

Framework for Action 2005-2015: Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities

to Disasters, wherein, here after referred to as the Framework for Action. The

Conference provided a unique opportunity to promote a strategic and systematic

approach to reducing vulnerabilities and risks to hazards. It underscored the need for, and

24

identified ways of, building the resilience of nations and communities to disasters. The

World Conference identified challenges posed by disasters. Disaster loss is on the rise

with grave consequences for the survival, dignity and livelihood of individuals,

particularly the poor and hard-won development gains.

Increasingly of global concern, disaster risk and its impact in one region can have

an impact on risks in another, and vice versa. Disaster risk is compounded by increasing

vulnerabilities related to changing demographic, technological and socio-economic

conditions, unplanned urbanization, development within high-risk zones, under-

development, environmental degradation, climate variability, climate change, geological

hazards, competition for scarce resources, and the impact of epidemics such as

HIV/AIDS, points to a future where disasters could increasingly threaten the worlds

economy, and its population and the sustainable development of developing countries.

On the average of more than 200 million, people have been affected every year by

disasters in the past two decades. Disaster risk arises when hazards interact with physical,

social, economic and environmental vulnerabilities. What constitute the large majority of

disasters were the events of hydro-meteorological origin. Despite the growing

understanding and acceptance of the importance of disaster risk reduction and increased

disaster response capacities, disasters and in particular the management and reduction of

risk continue to pose a global challenge. Internationally acknowledged, efforts to reduce

disaster risks must be systematically integrated into policies, plans and programs for

sustainable development and poverty reduction, and supported through bilateral, regional

and international cooperation, including partnerships. Sustainable development, poverty

reduction, good governance and disaster risk reduction are mutually supportive

25

objectives, and in order to meet the challenges ahead, accelerated efforts must be made to

build the necessary capacities at the community and national levels to manage and reduce

risk. Such an approach is to be recognized as an important element for the achievement of

internationally agreed development goals, including those contained in the Millennium

Declaration. In the past few years, the importance of promoting disaster risk reduction

efforts on the international and regional levels as well as the national and local levels has

been recognized in a number of key multilateral frameworks and declarations.8

The Regional Consultative Committee on Disaster Management (RCC), an

institution affiliated to the Republic of the Philippines, works with persons in key

Government positions in the national disaster management systems of countries of the

Asia and the Pacific region and was established at the initiative of the Asian Disaster

Preparedness Center (ADPC) in 2000. Its role as a consultative mechanism for regional

cooperation is recognized and affirmed by the Charter of ADPC. The roles of the RCC

were the following: (a) identification of disaster-related needs and priorities of Asia and

the Pacific countries, (b) promotion of regional and sub-regional cooperative programs,

and (c) development of regional action strategies for disaster reduction. The RCCs

meetings are convened annually by the Government of a host member country in

collaboration with ADPC, wherein, the meetings are attended by more than 50 RCC

delegates comprising of heads of national disaster management offices from 26 countries

in Asia and Pacific region and observers from UN Agencies, donors and ADPC partners.

At present, all RCC meetings have been supported by the Government of Australia.

ADPC serves as the secretariat to the RCC. Each meeting of the RCC has a special theme

as selected by the host country. In this theme session, presentations are made by selected

26

member countries, on achievements, challenges, good practices in the countries on the

said theme. The meeting also has a separate session showcasing the achievements,

practices on disaster risk reduction (DRR) of the host country. In terms of providing

response as well as planning for recovery and reconstruction, lessons learned by the

member countries from the recent disasters in the region are presented at the meeting. In

the context of strengthening regional cooperation, RCC also has been organizing a

special session on progress on the implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action

(HFA) in Asia. Group discussions are also held on various issues related to regional

cooperation for disaster risk reduction apart from the presentations by the countries.9

Disaster risk reduction should be systematically treated across the curriculum and

through the grade levels, wherein, treatment must extend beyond the basic science of

hazards and safety measures to consider prevention, mitigation, vulnerability and

resilience building. To integrate disaster risk reduction in the curriculum, there are a

range of different approaches, each with its own merits and each with its own downsides.

Creating a hybrid approach out of the several approaches has much to commend it.

Disaster risk reduction curriculum delivery calls for active, interactive and action-

oriented learning that places a premium on in-community learning experience and

rescues emotional learning from the marginal position it presently occupies. Assessing

learning brings curricular status but assessment of disaster risk reduction learning is, so

far, an incomplete project. Imaginative forms of assessment that match with active,

action-oriented and competency-based learning are largely notable by their absence.

Upskilling teachers for effective delivery of disaster risk reduction curriculum involves a

combination of training in hazard- and disaster-related content and training in facilitation

27

of active forms of learning. This is happening in some cases. However, thus far such

training happens as a one-off event with no follow-up or teacher aftercare. The global

picture of disaster risk reduction curriculum provision reveals a failure to engage

comprehensively with the question of learning outcomes. Learning outcomes are heavily

weighted towards knowledge with little attention given to skills and attitudes. A

prerequisite of quality DRR education is a comprehensive enumeration of learning

outcomes. Proponents of disaster risk reduction education need to be clearer about the

roadmap they will follow in movement to scale. To start a journey without thinking

through the route to follow and the obstacles to avoid can be exciting, but carries the risk

of the journey never being completed.10

The curriculum and teaching practice is the key elements of a complex system.

There is much interest in curriculum and teaching practice as vehicles for transmitting

disaster-related knowledge. Wisner report explores both in some detail. But first, a

caveat: curriculum does not exist in a vacuum. The primary and secondary systems of

education in the world today are precisely that: systems, where such depend on the

strength and functionality of every component part. Therefore, the overall condition of

education systems must be taken into account if recommendations to promote risk

reduction education are to be realistic and feasible. For instance, there must be teachers in

order to use the curriculum. And these teachers need to be trained, paid a decent salary,

respected and supported. The teaching and learning materials must also be available and

affordable which is not a given. One study found that key text-books in southern Africa

cost up to four times what they do in the UK or the US. Physical infrastructure is also

vital. Some of the most innovative curricula available worldwide are computer-based.

28

Does the school have a computer? Is there an internet connection? Is there a reliable

electricity supply? Are there enough desks for the students? Above all, is the school itself

a safe place to be? For example, one expert interviewed for this review remarked: in

some Latin American countries the consequences of marginalization, poverty and

inequity are reflected at the school level. In many cases, schools (a single classroom

school) with a single teacher have to provide the training curriculum to students that are

between first to six grades. All of them receiving education at the same time by one

teacher... [An] other common condition is overcrowding of the classrooms. In some

cases, public schools host more than 50students per classroom. In some other cases,

mostly private sector, schools are functioning in houses that were transformed into

schools. Additionally, the systems of administration, supervision, evaluation and

promotion must be consistent with the goal of using education for risk reduction. In

educational systems with standardized examinations, for instance, it may be difficult for

teachers to innovate and take class time for valuable, hazard-related experiential learning

exercises. This review will not explore most of these prerequisites in depth. Here, the

emphasis will be on curriculum and its use.11

Pedagogy, the art of teaching, is crucial. Arguably, a well-trained or highly-

motivated teacher can do a good deal with a mediocre curriculum, and a poorly-trained or

unmotivated teacher will make little impact even with a good curriculum. Therefore,

initial teacher training and in-service training are essential if education is to result in

increased hazard knowledge and changed risk behavior that ripples from the classroom

into the community. As a rule, hands-on, experiential learning is the most effective way

to educate. Therefore, ideally, a disaster relevant curriculum would not only impart

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knowledge of the natural hazards themselves, but also would involve students in

inspecting the school buildings, going outside to map the surroundings, and even

interviewing elders about extreme natural events in the past. Such learning could be done

in ways that reinforce basic skills in listening, writing, reporting and mapping. It could be

integrated into the study of history, geography and natural science. Age-appropriate math,

from simple arithmetic to statistics, geometry and trigonometry, could be used. The real-

life teaching and curricula reviewed here vary greatly. Few approximate this ideal. Some

examples provide excellent training in earth and climate science, but do not focus on

locally experienced hazards. In other cases, like generals who tend to re-fight the last

war, education planners have focused exclusively on one recent disaster. Turkey, for

example, within its all hazards school curriculum, has an impressive program of

earthquake-risk awareness that has reached perhaps five million students. On the tsunami

affected coast of Thailand, there are new curricula that focus exclusively on tsunami

even though the most common hazards in the region are coastal storms, floods and forest

fire.12

Currently, children and youth in primary and secondary schools around the globe

benefited from a wide variety of treatments of natural hazards, disaster preparedness and

prevention. Curricula and teaching practices vary greatly in approach, intensity and

quality. Taken as a whole, these diverse efforts raise the possibility of a rapid spread of

good practice. To realize this possibility, however, relevant actors must devote focused

attention and resources to sharing experience, translating and adapting curricula, and

networking the most effective pedagogical practices. One can get an impression of the

range of existing activities by examining the numbers brought to light at the World

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Conference on Disaster Reduction (WCDR). Slightly more than half of the countries

reporting on disaster reduction in advance of the WCDR confirmed that their education

systems included some form of disaster related teaching. The type of effort varies.

Overall, 113 countries sent information for the WCDR. Some 33 countries reporting (40

per cent) claimed to have national efforts to teach disaster-related subjects in primary

and/or secondary school. The distribution of these countries breaks down as shown table

1 below:13

Other countries, such as Brazil and Venezuela, reported significant primary and

secondary teaching at municipal or state level. Others, in advance of the WCDR,

mentioned plans underway to begin teaching in schools (specifically Haiti, Nicaragua,

Zimbabwe and Israel). Still other nations reported either teaching without support of a

curriculum (Papua New Guinea, Canada and Austria); teaching integrated into other

subjects (Cote dIvoire); or narrowly-focused teaching (e.g., fire safety in Germany,

Table 1Countries with hazards teaching in primary or secondary schools

Asia and thePacific

Latin Americaand the

Carribean

Africa OECD Central andEASTERN

Europe, andCIS

Other UNMembers

Bangladesh Bolivia Algeria France Czech Rep. MonacoIran Br. Virgin

IslandsKenya Greece Hungary

India Colombia Madagascar Japan LithuanaMongolia Costa Rica El

SalvadorMauritius New Zealand Macedonia

Philippines El Salvador Senegal Portugal RomaniaTonga Montserrat Uganda Sweden Russian Fed.,

Tonga USAAbbreviations: Br. Virgin Isl., British Virgin Islands; CIS, Commonwealth of Independent States; Czech Rep., the Czech Republic;OECD, Organization forEconomic Co-operation and Development; Russian Fed., the Russian Federation

(ISDR System Thematic Cluster/Platform on Knowledge and Education, July 2006)

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practical preparedness exercises in Ecuador). In addition, Mexico, Romania and New

Zealand mandate by law the teaching of disaster-related subjects in their schools. In the

year and a half since these reports were collected by the ISDR secretariat, South Africa

and Mexico have begun some pilot teaching programs, and have put considerable energy

into the development of teaching materials. One hundred and sixty eight nations were

represented at the WCDR. Information from those whose reports were not summarized in

the preconference study review shows primary and secondary schools teaching on a large

scale in Cuba, the UK and China, among others. Much effective disaster-related teaching

is taking place in many parts of the world. It is estimated that half the worlds nations

provide some form of teaching about natural hazards and safety in at least some of their

schools. A good deal of additional practice exists beyond what is revealed in table 1; this

review explores some, but has uncovered only the tip of the iceberg. Additionally, a great

deal of important activity happens below the national level. In many places, educational

policy and the commission and supply of teaching materials is decentralized to the sub-

national stage. In addition, NGOs, international organizations and agencies of the UN

system provide teaching material that is accessible electronically, which may well be

used in individual schools at the initiative of a keen teacher. In other cases, parents come

into class to supplement and enrich teaching with their own experiences and material.

The challenge is to build on all these laudable practices, to promote them in neighboring

schools, and to encourage such teaching in nations where it is rare or absent. These

practices provide a starting place from which to build.14

Children are among the most vulnerable population group when a natural hazard

strikes, especially those attending school in times of disaster. Disasters such as the

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October 2005 earthquake in Pakistan, where over 16,000 children died in schools that

collapsed, or the recent mudslide on Leyte Island in the Philippines, where more than 200

school children were buried alive, are just a few tragic examples of why more needs to be

done to protect our children before disasters strikes. In all societies, children represent

hope for the future. By extension, schools, because of their direct link to youths, are

universally regarded as institutions of learning, for instilling cultural values and passing

on both traditional and conventional knowledge to younger generations. Protecting our

children during natural hazards, therefore, requires two distinct yet inseparable priorities

for action: disaster risk education and school safety. Making disaster risk education part

of national primary and secondary school curricula fosters awareness and better

understanding of the immediate environment in which children and their families live and

work. We know from past experience that children who are taught about natural hazard

risks play an important role in saving lives and protecting members of the community in

times of crisis. On a beach in Thailand, when the December 2004 Tsunami struck, British

schoolgirl Tilly Smith saved many lives by urging people to flee the shore: her geography

class in Britain had enabled her to recognize the first signs of a tsunami. At the same

time, Anto, a young boy on the Indonesian island of Simeulue had learned from his

grandfather what to do when an earthquake strikes. He and all the other islanders ran to

higher ground before the tsunami struck, sparing all but eight members of the

community. In most societies, in addition to their essential role in formal education,

schools also serve as a communitys central location for meetings and group activities, in

normal times, and as makeshift hospitals, vaccination centers or places of refuge and

shelter in times of disaster. Yet, several hundred million children across the developed

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and developing world attend schools in buildings that are unable to withstand the forces

of nature. To inform and insure the future of our communities, the UN/ISDR secretariat

and its partners have made disaster risk education and safer school facilities the two key

themes of the 2006-2007 World Disaster Reduction Campaign. The campaign, entitled

Disaster risk reduction begins at school, aims to inform and mobilize Governments,

communities and individuals to ensure that disaster risk reduction is fully integrated into

school curricula in high risk countries and that school buildings are built or retrofitted to

withstand natural hazards. As disaster risk reduction is everybodys business and in

everybodys interest. Together, we can help children build - with us and for all of us - a

safer world. Schools make the difference between despair and hope. They can also make

the difference between life and death.15

In Nepal, as climate changes effects are more and more frequent and visible, the

need to educate young people about the risks of natural disasters increases. In order to

mainstream Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) into Nepals school curricula, the UNESCO

Office in Kathmandu jointly with the Nepal National Commission for UNESCO and the

Curriculum Development Centre of the Ministry of Education, are organizing a national

workshop on Integrating Disaster Risk Reduction into the School Curriculum in

Kathmandu on Sunday, 26 May 2013. The workshop is based on UNESCO guidelines

entitled Towards the Learning culture of safety and resilience, a Technical Guidance for

Integrating DRR in the School Curriculum, which has been piloted in several countries

including Nepal. The event aims at presenting the guidelines and providing suggestions

for their adaptation to the specific Nepali context. Participants of the workshop will also

present a draft review report of school and teacher training curriculum by using

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Technical Guidance for Integrating DRR in the School Curriculum for its further

improvement. The workshop will bring all together around 45 participants, including

curriculum developers, teacher trainers and teachers, education policy makers and

programme implementers including representatives from UN agencies and INGOs. In

addition to presenting the technical guidelines, the participants will also discuss the

activities of the Education Cluster, a group of representatives of national institutions and

development partners addressing the role of education in humanitarian crises, and the

national framework for Education for Sustainable Development. The recommendations of

the workshop will be used for the further improvement of the technical guidelines and

draft review report.16

In Lesotho, as part of mainstreaming DRR into Education Sector, Integrating

Disaster Risk Reduction into School Curriculum in Lesotho Workshop (IDRR

Workshop) was held on September 05-09, 2011 in Maseru, Lesotho. Disaster risk

reduction begins at home, in schools, and at communities. Education is a vital in

nurturing a culture of disaster resilience among students and in societies. Thus, the

central theme of the workshop was providing shared understanding among curriculum

developers, in Lesotho, on the concept of DRR and facilitating the integration of DRR

into school curriculum, particularly in the primary and secondary levels. A common and

shared understanding of the subject, with structured approach, could be extremely helpful

in guiding integrating disaster risk reduction efforts into national curriculum at different

levels in the schools, wherein such understanding