MODULE 4 (UST NSTP)
Disasters are sudden accidents or natural catastrophes that cause damage or human casualties. After conducting an interview with the head of the committee on disaster risk reduction, barangay official KgD Edgar O. Estigoy of barangay 397 Zone 41, I found out that the most common event that could cause disasters are floods caused by heavy rains. However, Kagawad Estigoy claimed that although floods are the most typical calamity to occur, the barangay’s drainage system and other counter measures for the flood is effective which is why the water does not stay too long and subsides fairly quickly.
Aside from floods, another natural hazard that is familiar to the community of barangay 397 is an earthquake. Earthquakes are movements of the ground that could cause massive destruction depending on the intensity of the earthquake and has the potential to take the lives of many residents depending on the level of destruction it has caused. The interviewee said that the BIG ONE is mentioned by people almost everyday, which is why there is the necessity to be prepared when this happens. He also added that most if not all the people think that it could hit any time at any point of our lives.
From these statements, I have learned the importance of having knowledge regarding disaster risk reduction and having the means to counter specific hazards that could potentially cause great destruction and deaths. It is important in order to maintain stability and progress. If these interventions for when an earthquake happens and mechanisms in order to readily get rid of floods did not exist, then whenever a calamity hits a community they will all be back to zero in the sense that is similar to what happened to the victims of string typhoons such as Typhoon Yolanda. Businesses would close down, and infrastructures would crumble which means that residents would have to rebuild them. Also, we would not be able to bring back the lives that have been taken by the disasters. I have realized that DRRM exists to mitigate these potential effects and results of catastrophes.
Kagawad Estigoy also pointed out the usefulness of technology in relaying information and predicting the outcome of certain events such as the path of a storm. He explained that in the earlier times, cellphones were not yet prevalent, so communication was not as efficient as it is now. In the present time, almost everyone owns a cellphone. He said that organizations such as National Communications, Maynilad, MMDA, NAWASA, and MERALCO take advantage of that fact and inform people of upcoming dangers such as storm warning signals and earthquake intensities. I think innovative technologies have helped a lot in numerous fields of work including Disaster Risk Reduction and Management because they have played a huge role in the advancement regarding how we handle disasters.
I also learned in the interview that in the barangay, there exists 3 wooden houses. The rest of the shelters of the residents are made of cement. The interviewee claimed that these 3 houses would receive the greatest damage if a disaster with a high intensity occurs because, of example if winds are strong enough, it could blow away the roofs of the houses which could pose as a great danger for the people. I believe that knowing who are most vulnerable to disasters is important so that when planning preventive and management measures, we know the area to focus on and the residents that would most likely be involved.
Natural disasters like these have the capacity to leave people jobless for days or even weeks. However, the interviewee stated that if disasters could not be avoided, the community helps each and everyone get back on their feet. Citizens in the barangay would go hand in hand doing community service in order to once again maintain stability and progress. I believe that teamwork is key when it comes to situations like these where calamities strike, and many are affected. This is because I think that everyone has unique capabilities and thinking patterns that could be useful in the restoration of a community. If shared with the population, I think these talents could hasten the process of restoration.
It’s comforting to know that the barangay has tools such as volt cutters and others prepared in cases of emergencies. However, the barangay only has the barangay officials when a calamity strikes. Kagawad Estigoy expressed that he and the rest of the barangay officials are the only ones in charge of these events. But, he said that when in times of need, third party organizations offer their help in the rebuilding of the community. I believe that this is what we all need: the camaraderie and the unison of the people in a community and even with other communities. We are humans living as one in different communities within the confines of one life-sustaining planet.
