Family preparedness in the Zamboanga Peninsula still needs work, CDP study finds
To understand family or household participation in DRRM initiatives in Region IX, the Center for Disaster Preparedness has undertaken a baseline study from November 8-29 in Zamboanga Del Norte, Del Sur, and Sibugay, including Zamboanga City last year. This is also to assess the capacities and awareness of families including their roles in times of disaster; and their understanding of the enabling policies for households and the level of family preparedness of CDP's focus provinces, city, municipalities, and barangays. The study also provided the opportunity for CDP to gauge the schools’ awareness on preparedness, the current DRR structure, and their capacity development activities and existing competencies in DRRM.
The baseline study conducted had validated that although the municipal and barangay governments have already formulated contingency and BDRRMC plans, these plans are not yet cascaded down to the purok and family level. There's also a need to strengthen school DRR and capacitate the school DRR focal persons and children to ensure the safety of children during disasters. Likewise, the implementation government's family preparedness programs like "Listo si Kap and Listong Pamilya" still need to be fully realized with proper monitoring by the community to make it more sustainable. And while the DSWD’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) had helped raise disaster preparedness awareness among its beneficiaries, the 4Ps beneficiaries only represent a small percentage vis-à-vis the total population of the community.
A total of 1,189 individuals were reached out to participate in Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and Key Informant Interviews (KII) using tools that were translated into the local languages used in the areas such as Cebuano and Chavacano. Participants were mainly members of households, BDRRMC, key personnels from Municipal Local Disaster Risk Reduction Officers (MDRRMO), Municipal Welfare and Development Officers (MSWDO), Municipal Links for "Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino" Program (4ps), Municipal Local Government Operations Officer (MLGOO), and representatives from the vulnerable sectors and Indigenous people to ensure inclusion.
Read the full report here.