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West Visayas State University

COLLEGE OF COMMUNICATION
Ililo City

Chapter I
I.
Background of the Study
Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) activities are
activities aimed at strengthening the capacity of the national
government and the local government units (LGUs) together with
partner stakeholders and all vulnerable groups, to build the disaster
resilience of communities and to institutionalize arrangements and
measures for reducing disaster risks, including projected climate risks
and enhancing disaster preparedness and response capabilities at all
levels.
The activities are part of the NDRRM Plan that highlights, among
others, the importance of mainstream disaster risk reduction and
management (DRRM) in the development processes such as
information dissemination and socioeconomic development planning,
particularly in the area of environment, agriculture, water, energy,
health, education, poverty reduction, land-use and urban planning and
public infrastructure and housing among others. (PreventionWeb)
Disaster risk reduction is the concept and practice of reducing
disaster risks through systematic efforts to analyse and reduce the
causal factors of disasters. Reducing exposure to hazards, lessening
vulnerability of people and property, wise management of land and the
environment, and improving preparedness and early warning for
adverse events are all examples of disaster risk reduction.
In 2011 alone, almost 30,000 people were killed in 302
disasters, and 206 million people were affected. Beyond the toll on
human life, the costs of disasters were estimated at more than US$ 2
trillion over the last two decades. Earthquakes and violent weatherrelated catastrophes helped make 2011 the costliest year ever for
response and recovery from disaster.
Yet, many countries are still not investing enough in prevention
and preparedness, and many development actors are not prioritizing
enough such support to poor countries. The result is another stark
reality of our times that striking inequalities persist, with global

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West Visayas State University
COLLEGE OF COMMUNICATION
Ililo City
disaster risk disproportionately concentrated in poorer countries with
weaker governance.
From a development perspective, therefore, disaster risk
reduction is vital for building a more equitable and sustainable future.
Making investments in prevention and preparedness, including through
civil defense exercises, is a necessary part of systematic efforts to
increase resilience to disaster. Responsibility for disaster risk
management does not lie with disaster managers alone. It is rather a
concern for everyone - from citizens who must be empowered to make
decisions which reduce risk, to political leaders, government
institutions, the private sector, civil society organisations, professional
bodies, and scientific and technical institutions. (Helen Clark)
Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) aims to reduce the damage
caused by natural hazards like earthquakes, floods, droughts and
cyclones, through an ethic of prevention.
Disasters often follow natural hazards. A disaster's severity
depends on how much impact a hazard has on society and the
environment. The scale of the impact in turn depends on the choices
we make for our lives and for our environment. These choices relate to
how we grow our food, where and how we build our homes, what kind
of government we have, how our financial system works and even
what we teach in schools. Each decision and action makes us more
vulnerable to disasters - or more resilient to them.
Disaster risk reduction includes disciplines like disaster
management, disaster mitigation and disaster preparedness, but DRR
is also part of sustainable development. In order for development
activities to be sustainable they must also reduce disaster risk. On the
other hand, unsound development policies will increase disaster risk and disaster losses. Thus, DRR involves every part of society, every
part of government, and every part of the professional and private
sector.
The communication theory used was Kincaids convergence
model where the ultimate goal of human communication is to achieve
mutual understanding. It is defined as a process in which participants

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West Visayas State University
COLLEGE OF COMMUNICATION
Ililo City
create and share information with one another. When information is
shared with individuals or groups taking part in the communication
process, it leads collective action towards mutual agreement and
mutual understanding. Before this can happen, the information is
understood, interpreted and effectively perceived by individuals.
Communication in the context of this model is viewed as a
transactional process rather than a single event. The model
emphasises information exchange and networks that exist between
individuals (Thang, M. 2014)

DRRM is the systematic process of using administrative

directives,organizations, and operational skills and capacities to
implement strategies,policies and improved coping capacities in order
to lessen the adverse impacts of hazards and the possibility of disaster.
Prospective DRRM refers to risk reduction and management activities
that address and seek to avoid the development of new or increased
disaster risks, especially if risk reduction policies are not put in place.
The need for institutionalizing DRRM policies, structures, coordination
mechanisms and programs with continuing budget appropriation on
DRRM from national down to local levels. Thus, several activities will
strengthen the capacity of the personnel of national government and

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West Visayas State University
COLLEGE OF COMMUNICATION
Ililo City
the local government units (LGUs) and partner stakeholders, build the
disaster resilience of communities and institutionalize arrangements
and measures for reducing disaster risks, including climate risks.
Disaster management involves a system composed of large
numbers of diverse interacting agencies, a complex web of interlinked
bi-directional power relationships among stakeholders with widely
differing characteristics. Sound governance is critical in ensuring
effective functioning of the different government agencies all
throughout the various stages of disaster management. The NDRRMC
is on top of this, being the highest policy-making body on disaster risk
reduction and management of the country. It likewise advises the
President on the status of disaster preparedness, prevention,
mitigation, response and rehabilitation undertaken at the national and
local levels.
Disasters can strike anytime, anywhere. It can cause irrevocable
damage to life and property if the right measures are not put in place
to avoid the same. This can also bring out the best and worst of human
nature. The manner in which action is taken goes a long way to
determine how people fair from the experience. Hence, there is need
for disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM).
The recent disaster that hit the Philippines, a 7.1-magnitude
earthquake that struck the provinces of Bohol and Cebu, resulted in
185 deaths, 583 injuries, and 78,585 displaced families. It also
destroyed buildings, homes, and historical churches that are tourist
attractions. This event once again highlights the susceptibility of
developing countries such as the Philippines to the impacts of natural
hazards. Disaster response requires a comprehensive approach that is
embedded in a much wider context because such events are
unavoidable, and responding to them should be done in a manner that
does not diminish state capacity in other areas of responsibility. For a
developing country, this will always remain a challenge.
disaster management measures such as increasing community
awareness as well as contingency planning can now be implemented

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West Visayas State University
COLLEGE OF COMMUNICATION
Ililo City
more effectively and without institutional restrictions. There is also a
realization and call to act on underlying conditions that increase
disaster risks through the identification and mapping of hazard-prone
areas. In many instances, decisions on programs and initiatives are
now based on risk assessment, which is encouraged, if not mandated,
by the law.
Disaster Risk Reduction plan to reduce the incidence of poverty
and reduce the number of people and assets vulnerable to natural
disasters. the damage caused by natural hazards like earthquakes,
floods, droughts and cyclones, through an ethic of prevention.
Disaster Risk Reduction includes disciplines, disaster mitigation
and disaster preparedness, but DRR is also part of sustainable
development. In order for development activities to be sustainable
they must also reduce disaster risk. On the other hand, unsound
development policies will increase disaster risk - and disaster losses.