Harvard center says access to disaster info needs boost in earthquake-prone Philippines

MANILA, Philippines — A Harvard Humanitarian Initiative official repeated Wednesday the need for accessible and comprehensible information on earthquake preparedness for Filipino households.

In a release, HHI Resilient Communities Program Director Vicenzo Bollettino stressed that “timely access to disaster information is essential as are plans for what to do in the event of an earthquake.”

“Filipinos should be aware of the Department of Interior and Local Government’s guidelines on disaster preparedness and acquaint themselves with evacuation routes, evacuation shelter locations and should have emergency kits prepared,” Bollettino added.

Parts of the country were rocked by earthquakes in the past week. On April 22, a magnitude 6.1 quake jolted Luzon. Its epicenter was traced to Castillejos, Zambales and it claimed at least 18 lives.

Days later, a magnitude 5.5 earthquake jolted Surigao del Norte on April 26. The following day, five earthquakes struck General Luna town in that province.

The Philippines lies on the so-called “Ring of Fire,” where many quakes and volcanic eruptions occur.

EXPLAINER: How much stronger? Upgraded magnitudes of powerful Eastern Samar, Zambales quakes, explained

2017 survey

In the same statement, HHI recalled that a 2017 survey conducted in the country showed that “generally, all households have very low planning for earthquake.”

Meanwhile, households with “more highly educated members” were more likely to have a quake disaster plan (10%) prepared as compared to those with less educated ones (below 5%).

The poll also showed that 62% of those with family members who attained tertiary education were more familiar with the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology Earthquake Intensity Scale.

The PEIS is a scale used to measure the intensity of an earthquake.

“Familiarity with PEIS among households with a member who completed tertiary education was at 62 percent, 49 percent for those with a member who finished secondary education, 35 percent for those with a member who graduated from primary school, and only 24 percent for households without members who either reach or finish any school level,” the HHI added.

The same survey also showed that those aged 18-35 are more familiar (51%) with PEIS than older Filipinos.

Only 48% of those among ages of 36-55 were aware of PEIS while only 43% of those who are 56 years old and older were aware of the seismic measure.

The poll also showed that Central Luzon and Western Visayas were among the regions with the lowest earthquake preparedness planning at the household level with only 3%.

Porac town in Pampanga was the hardest hit in the magnitude 6.1-quake that jolted Luzon on April 22.

Ilocos Region and Cagayan Valley meanwhile had the lowest disaster preparedness at 1%, followed by Bicol, Zamboanga Peninsula and Soccsksargen at 2%.

Central Visayas recorded the highest level of preparedness at 15%, while Metro Manila came in second with 13%.

The survey also showed that “households in Central Luzon reported less experience at only 40%, while Central Visayas and Caraga reported most experience of earthquakes at 98% and 97% respectively.”

“Households dependent on agriculture or fishing as their main livelihood are also less likely to have earthquake management plan (3%), than skilled/unskilled workers (8%),” according to the survey.

The poll was conducted through DisasterNet-Philippines, between March and April 2017. — Kristine Joy Patag