CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

‘It was not raining when Noah built the ark’

-Howard Ruff-

Background of the Study

Disaster threats play along with people practically

everywhere and often caught them unconscious of the fact that

one day a disaster may strike and change their lives dramatically.

Disasters somehow appear to be like prowling lions waiting for

someone to devour. Disasters are just around the corner and

can cause potential harm to anyone anywhere at anytime.

Disaster occurrences today are on the rise. Hundreds of

disasters take place every year in any part of the globe,

particularly in developing countries, affecting thousands if

not millions of people and causing the loss of lives and

properties. In all cases, disasters cause hardship to

everyone’s life and the onset of disasters bring out all sorts

of faith-stretching and varied agonizing questions as people

are caught up in the horror of the unfolding stories of death

or devastation ranging from a God-given desire to do something

practical to help to thoughts as to why God created a world in

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which these forms of tragedies happen. For a believer of the

Supreme Being, disasters would not simply come and go without

valuable lessons for people to learn. Disasters may serve as

reminders of how much people should value human relations and

be grateful for all the blessings or a wake-up call that material

possessions can be lost when mother earth unleashes her wrath.

Disasters can either be natural or human-made and our

country is no stranger to both of these types. In fact, it ranks

among the world’s most disaster-prone countries. With most

communities situated at low-lying coasts, located along the

“Pacific Ring of Fire” and surrounded by bodies of warm ocean

waters and lying in the typhoon belt, the Philippines is highly

prone to natural disasters. Indeed it suffered from

inexhaustible number of deadly typhoons, floods, volcanic

eruptions, earthquakes, landslides,tsunamis and storm surge

which usually reaped a heavy toll on human and animals and left

the country’s agriculture, infrastructure and economy in

tatters. On the other hand, thousands are also displaced by

human-made disasters like deforestation, fire, terrorism,

insurgency, poverty, armed conflict and development aggression.

At the local setting, the Eastern Visayas region had

experienced the fury of nature when it was struck by the most

destructive and deadliest typhoon ever recorded in history in

2013. Typhoon YOLANDA (international name: Haiyan)destroyed

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Tacloban City and other cities and municipalities in the country

and claimed a mystifying thousand lives, displaced thousands

of families, damaged a million houses and left up to billions

worth of damages. This probably happened due to people’s

insufficient knowledge and understanding of disaster

terminologies like “storm surge” and so most of them were caught

unprepared of the worst scenario. Nevertheless, the province

of Northern Samar was not spared by Typhoon NONA (international

name: Melor)in 2015 though with less casualty (perhaps because

of the Yolanda experience)but left many homeless and ravaged

people’s primary source of income in agriculture. Also on the

following year, many municipalities were submerged by flood due

to continuous heavy rains.

Past experiences have demonstrated that lack of

preparedness can result to many problems at the time of disasters

and afterwards. Regardless of what kind of catastrophe may

occur, it is vital to be prepared because the impact of disasters

largely depend on people’s mental and physical preparedness

and the capacity to cope with the aftermath. Disaster

preparedness can prevent a bad situation from becoming worse.

In an emergency situation, it is easy to be afraid and worried

over what is happening. However, disaster preparedness reduces

these feelings and helps an individual knows what to do and where

to take refuge thereby reducing the impact of disaster.i With

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the right knowledge, attitudes and skills, it is possible to

survive a natural or human-made disaster.

The schools before, during and after a disaster plays a

gargantuan task. They usually serve both as evacuation centers

and likewise temporary shelters thereafter. With this in mind,

a comprehensive assessment of schools’ safety with regard to

all risks must be conducted. The schools ought to carry out

comprehensive assessments; otherwise it may overlook

potentially dangerous issues. The school has a tangible role

in building community resilience. Schools, have to plan and

commit in making effort to create a conducive learning

atmosphere and process to enable the students to develop their

potentials actively. Pertaining to this, the school still

gains trust as an effective institution to build the culture of

disaster preparedness in societies, particularly students,

teachers, education practitioners, other stakeholders as well

as to the public.ii

The schools are influential channels for awareness

raising and education about health, safety and emergencies and

children’s understanding of risks and how to manage them can

be reinforced through the curriculum. This can be done through

simulation drills and video presentations during classroom

discussions. The schools also need to work closely with

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families to enable children to achieve their full potential

because the family environment can reinforce health and safety

messages learned at school. Conversely, children are potential

vehicles for introducing ideas about good practice in health

and safety into the family.iii Through this concept, disasters

become manageable and a greater chance of reducing the risks

of disasters is possible to happen.

Objectives of the Study

The general purpose of this study is to conduct a

school-based preparedness strategies in managing disaster and

reducing its risks to Grade 12 Senior High School students of

Galutan National High School and Polangi National High School

through simulation drills and presentations of disaster related

videos.

This study specifically aims to:

1. Assess the capacity of the students in reducing Disaster Risk

both at home and in the school.

2. Resource map the local and indigenous materials useful for

disaster preparedness.

3. Enrich and maximize local and traditional disaster

preparedness practices.

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4. Produce localized/contextualized disaster preparedness

module for Grade 12 students and Senior High School teachers

handling Disaster Risk Reduction subject.

Scope of the Study

This study will focus on teaching disaster preparedness

by conducting a school-based disaster preparedness strategies

through simulation drills and presentations of disaster related

videos at Galutan National High School, Barangay Galutan,

Catarman, Northern Samar and Polangi National High School,

Barangay Polangi, Catarman, Northern Samar. The target

clientele of this proposal will be the Grade 12 Senior High School

students of the aforementioned institutions. A Senior High

School teacher handling Disaster Risks Reduction subject or the

School-Based Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Coordinator

will be responsible for the testing of the proposed strategy.

The disaster preparedness of this study will only center

on typhoon, flood, tsunami, storm surge, earthquake and fire

which Ninorte-Samarnon students may experience in the not so

distant future. Researches on historical background of

disasters affecting the province of Northern Samar, the

indigenous materials and traditional practices used before,

during and after a disaster will also be conducted through an

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interview with the elders of the province. The responses of the

interview will be validated through a focused group discussion

(FGD). The findings of which will then be incorporated in the

simulation drills and video presentations as innovations to the

usual activities conducted at the school usually by the Office

of the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management. This

will be done first in Galutan National High School and later on

will be tested in Polangi National High School for best result.

Situation Analysis

Schools are highly vulnerable to different kinds of

disasters. Sadly, disaster awareness and preparedness at the

schools is very low. In most cases, teachers and students may

be aware of a potential disaster but they have low knowledge on

how to prepare for it. More than the role of a typical teacher,

teachers can save lives when disaster takes place in the school.

When this happens, most likely;

“the students would turn to their

teachers,the adult they trust and see as
knowledgeable. They will expect their teachers to
be part of everything that is happening to them, and
wait for them to tell them what to do, help them get
to safety, comfort them, support their understanding
of what is happening, help to reunite them with their
family, and so on. Even if teachers personally know
what to do in the face of a disaster, it would still
be very challenging to take charge of an entire class
— especially since everything happens so fast,
meaning that decisions and actions have to be made
in a matter of seconds.”iv

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 Current trends at the international level necessitate the

integration of disaster management education in school

curriculum because “school children are important agents of

change, they transfer information about DRR to their parents and

guardians, who in turn circulate it throughout the community.

A solution-centric curriculum reduces disaster risk

remarkably because it promotes a ‘we-can-do’ attitude.”v Not

to be left behind, our country is making a progress in integrating

disaster preparedness in the Elementary and Junior High School

curricula. In fact, the Department of Education has developed

modules and lesson exemplars containing methods and strategies

in teaching disaster risk reduction to be used by teachers and

students. More so, the advent of the K to 12 curriculum requires

Senior High School students to take Disaster Risk Reduction

subject to complete their academic requirements lest they could

not be considered graduates.

As a member of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and

Management Council (NDRRMC), the Department of Education issued

a policy framework to guide schools in assessing, planning, and

implementing their specific prevention and mitigation,

preparedness, response and recovery and rehabilitationvi as its

commitment to implement DRRM in basic education. All schools

are even mandated to create, upgrade and institutionalize

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Disaster Risk Reduction and Management within the basic

education system.vii Unfortunately, these are just in papers and

submitted for the sake of compliance. This may sound as a sweeping

statement but reality bites. This is what really happening in

school the forefront of education.

Presently, the mainstreaming of disaster preparedness in

the curriculum has not yet come to its full blast of

implementation. Many school have not yet adapted this approach

simply because of the lack of teaching techniques in explaining

to the learners the concept of DRRM and DRR subject will still

be taken by senior high school students in the coming school year.

Many schools also do not have teachers with skills in conducting

simulation drills and facilitate discussions for the

presentations of disaster-related videos.

Hence, there is no urgency yet to reinvent the wheel and

replace the old practices.

“You don’t need to be a specialist on DRR to

teach it. DRR learning can happen in any
subject. Facilitating DRR learning does not
require you to go back to university or burn the
midnight oil with study. It will of course take some
preparation and you should get familiar with some
of the key concepts and facts. Other than that,
you’re ready to go in no time.”viii

The school will just have to encourage teachers and

students to be active advocates of DRR. What is needed here also

is just a reinforcement of these old practices by supplementing

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local and traditional disaster preparedness practices and

pioneer the use of indigenous materials during simulation drills

and video presentations to be more effective and efficient in

reducing disaster risks. In times of disaster, many people tend

to question God’s wisdom and goodness. Others would just leave

everything including their fate to God, come what may, a

manifestation of the “bahala na” attitude. But if prepared for

any eventuality, people would simply rise and shrug off their

shoulders and tell the whole world with pride that they can

survive.

Recency of the Proposal

The inclusion of local and traditional disaster reduction

practices and the value of indigenous materials during

simulation drills and presentation of disaster-related videos

coupled with the use of modern technology like mobile phone

applications will be the novel teaching technique in this

proposal. This will be the the first of its kind since simulation

drills are simply done in a customary manner and disaster related

videos mostly presented concepts on the nature of a disaster and

its fatal effect to mankind. In so far as colloquium studies

are concerned, nothing of the same nature had ventured the

importance of local and traditional disaster reduction practices

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and the use of indigenous materials before, during and after the

disaster.

Due to its novelty, the proponent will conduct research

interviews to the elders of the province in order to gather

valuable information related to indigenous materials they used

and local and traditional preparedness practices to survive a

disaster. The individual responses will be validated through

focus group discussions and the findings of the research will

be the prime materials to be used during simulation drills and

video presentation. The SDRRM coordinators or the DRR subject

teacher will be the first to use this new technique.

In so far as disaster is concern, Former President Gloria

Macapagal Arroyo signed into a law the Republic Act No. 10121

otherwise known as an act strengthening the Philippine disaster

risk reduction and management system, providing for the national

disaster risk reduction and management framework and

institutionalizing the national disaster risk reduction and

management plan, appropriating funds therefore and for other

purposes. This law became the country’s framework on Disaster

Risk Reduction and Management. Any move therefore relative to

DRRM must be inline always with aforementioned framework.

In line with the law, the Department of Education

formulated a School Disaster Risk Reduction and Management

Manual to serve as a common template for localization,

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contextualization and adaptation at the sub-national context.

it provides guidance to division and school’s DRRM coordinators

in the implementation of the comprehensive DRRM in Basic

Education Framework. This manual also explains the framework

and identifies the tools to be used by the school with a focus

on School Disaster Management. It is expected then that the

content will be reviewed by education and disaster management

authorities and education sector partners working on disaster

and risk reduction and who have adapted policy and practices for

the school environment as this manual is beneficial in

strengthening the safety and resilience of schools.

Dhruba Gautam (2010) in his book Good Practices and Lessons

Learned: Disaster Risk Reduction through Schools promoted the

the right to education by making schools safer from the impacts

of disasters, creating awareness about disasters, and imparting

life skills to students. It has also enhanced the right to

education in a safe environment by making schools

earthquake-resistant. By advocating for a change in the

national school curriculum, it will successfully provide

students across the country with disaster education an assurance

of safety and security.

In the handbook of Carter (2008) entitled, Disaster

Management: A Disaster Manager’s Handbook, stated that disaster

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preparedness refers to measures which enable governments,

organizations, communities, and individuals to respond rapidly

and effectively to disaster situations. This entails the

formulation and maintenance of counter-disaster plans, special

provisions for emergency action, provision of warning systems,

emergency communications, public education, and awareness and

training programs.

CHAPTER II

METHODOLOGY

Theoretical Background

This study will employ Albert Bandura’s Social Learning

Theory postulating that people learn from one another, via

observation, imitation, and modeling. People learn through

observing others’ behavior, attitudes, and outcomes of those

behaviors. Most human behavior is learned through modeling:

from observing others, one forms an idea of how new behaviors

are performed, and on later occasions this coded information

serves as a guide for action.

Social learning theory explains human behavior in terms

of continuous reciprocal interaction between cognitive,

behavioral, and environmental influences. In the context of

disaster preparedness, the schools are conditioned to prepare

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for the worst and are becoming ready to face any eventuality

because of the learning they get from frequent simulation drills

and interactive disaster related video presentations. When

disaster preparedness is being practiced, modeled and observed

in schools, there is no doubt for students including their

families to be guided on what to do in times of calamities.

When developing social learning, William Crano in his

Vested Interest Theory asserts that an attitude object that has

important perceived personal consequences for the individual

will be perceived as highly vested. Highly vested attitudes will

be functionally related to behavior. Vested Interest Theory

therefore refers to the amount that an attitude object is

deemed relevant by the attitude holder.is the special interest

in an existing system, arrangement, or institution for

particular personal reasons. Simply put, when people in times

of disasters have more at stake with the result of an object that

will greatly affect them, they will behave in a way that will

directly support or defy the object for the sake of their own

self-interest. Hence, people need to be prepared for disasters

to protect their priced positions namely lives and properties.

A Fear Appeal Theory as introduced by Kaylene C. Williams

posits the risks of using and not using a specific product,

service, or idea such that if you don’t “buy,” some particular

product dire consequences will occur. That is, fear appeals rely

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on a threat to an individual’s well-being that motivates him or

her toward action. It is easy to motivate people to be active

advocates of disaster preparedness when consequences of their

indifference will be explained to them with the use of threat

and pressure especially when they already experienced one form

of misfortune.

Materials Needed

The following materials are needed to test the

applicability of this proposed study;

1. Research Instruments

The realization of this proposal lies very much on the

output of the research based on the responses of the interviewees.

The researcher greatly relies on the knowledge of some elders

ages 70-90 years old in the municipality of Catarman to

supplement his stored knowledge on local and traditional

disaster preparedness practices and indigenous materials used

in times of calamity. Their responses will be validated in a

form of focus group discussion.

2. Laptop and LCD

21st Century learning implies the usage of advanced

technologies for an effective teaching and learning process to

happen. Hence, DRR subject teacher or the SBDRRM Coordinator

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will be encouraged to make use of laptop and LCD in the

presentations of disaster related videos. Computer room can

also be used whenever Laptop and LCD are not available.

3. Television and DVD Player

In the absence of laptop and LCD and in case of worst

situation where computer room can not be utilized, the teacher

of the DRR subject or the SBDRRM Coordinator can use TV and DVD

player to proceed with the video presentations.

4. Disaster related videos

The DRR subject teacher or the SBDRRM Coordinator will be

provided with disaster related videos to be used in the conduct

of video presentations. Effective learning could also happen

when students are exposed to visual presentations.

5. Megaphones

Aside from the bells/buzzers used in the schools,

megaphones will be utilized as warning signals during simulation

drills and execution of evacuation plans. It is imperative to

employ an unfamiliar siren to awaken students’ alertness in all

sorts of drills conducted within the school.

6. Whistle

This is useful for the DRR subject teacher and the SDRRM

Coordinator to regulate the behaviors of the students during

simulation drills. Whistle can also be used as warning signals.

7. Indigenous materials identified by the Interviewees

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 Whatever indigenous materials that will be identified by

the respondents of the interview will be used in simulation drill

and be introduced during video presentation.

Participants of the Proposed Study

The primary target participants of this proposed study

will be the Grade 12 senior high school students and subject

teachers of Disaster Risk Reduction subject and/or School-Based

Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Coordinators of Galutan

National High School and Polangi National High School

respectively. There will also be at least 20 elder respondents,

from the municipality of Catarman, ages ranging from 70-90 years

old who shall participate in the interview and focus group

discussions with regard to the local and traditional disaster

preparedness practices and indigenous materials used before,

during and after the disaster.

The expertise of the provincial and municipal office of

the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, the Philippine Red

Cross, the Fire Marshals of the Catarman Fire Central Station

and the Northern Samar Emergency Response Team will also be

utilized during the conduct of simulation drills.

Participation also of some international non-government

organization with area offices in the province will also be

17
encouraged as most of their staff are trained on disaster

preparedness.

Data Gathering Procedure

Foremost is the conduct of random interview to at least

20 elders (ages 70-90 years old)in the municipality of Catarman

who can best identify and share local and traditional disaster

preparedness practices and indigenous materials used before,

during and after the disaster. Their responses will be validated

through a focused group discussion. The findings of the research

will serve as supplement to the stored knowledge of the

researcher in terms of disaster preparedness which will be shared

to the DRR subject teacher or the SBDRRM Coordinator ans

integrate them in simulation drills and video clips presentation.

Technology nowadays has replaced the use of indigenous materials

before, during and after disaster. Although there is nothing

wrong with technology, local and traditional practices and the

use of indigenous materials have still proven as effective means

in saving lives in times of calamities. Such being the case,

introduction of indigenous materials during simulation drills

and video presentation will be treated with utmost importance.

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END NOTES

iRustico Biňas, Making Community Managed Disaster

Risk Reduction Operational at the Community Level: A Guide
(Czech Republic: Caritas Czech Republic, 2009) p. 7

iiA
Framework of School-Based Disaster Preparedness
(Indonesia: Consortium for Disaster Education, 2010) p. 1

iiiComprehensiveSchools Safety Practices in Asia

(Thailand: World Vision International-East Asia 2015) p. 9

ivStay
Safe and Be Prepared: A Teacher’s Guide to
Disaster Risk Reduction (Paris, France: United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, 2014) P.6

vDhruba
Gautam PhD, Good Practices and Lessons Learned:
Disaster Risk Reduction Through Schools (Kathmandu: National
Disaster Risk-Reduction Center Nepal, 2010)P.21

19
 viDeped Order # 37, series of 2015

DepEd Order # 50, series of 2011 and DepEd Memorandum

vii

# 112, series of 2015

viiiOp. Cit., Stay Safe... p.4

BIBLIOGRAPHY

20
Biňas, Rustico. Making Community Managed Disaster Risk
Reduction Operational at the Community Level: A Guide.
Czech Republic: Caritas Czech Republic, 2009

Carter, W. Disaster Management: A Disaster Manager’s Handbook.

Japan. Asian Development Bank, 2008

Gautam, Dhruba PhD. Good Practices and Lessons Learned: Disaster

Risk Reduction Through Schools. Kathmandu: National
Disaster Risk-Reduction Center Nepal, 2010

A Framework of School-Based Disaster Preparedness.Indonesia:

Consortium for Disaster Education, 2010

Comprehensive Schools Safety Practices in Asia. Thailand: World

Vision International-East Asia, 2015

School Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Manual.

Philippines: Department of Education, 2016

Stay Safe and Be Prepared: A Teacher’s Guide to Disaster Risk

Reduction. Paris, France: United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization, 2014

Deped Order # 37, series of 2015

DepEd Order # 50, series of 2011

DepEd Memorandum # 112, series of 2015

21
Republic Act No. 10121

22