MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines needs to improve access to information and education, as well as provide more training and skill-building opportunities in disaster risk reduction (DRR) to boost youth participation, a United Nations poll revealed.
Following the devastation caused by Typhoon Carina (with international name Gaemi), which claimed at least 40 lives in July 2024, UNICEF conducted a U-Report poll via SMS to gauge Filipino youth engagement in DRR efforts.
According to the poll, one in three Filipino youths believe better access to information on DRR is needed, while 26% stated that developing their skills further is a key requirement for greater involvement.
The U-Report gathered responses from 657 participants, most of whom are aged 20 to 24 years and 15 to 19 years.
Respondents were asked six questions regarding the impact of disasters, their involvement in disaster preparedness activities, challenges hindering their participation and their views on what is needed to increase engagement in DRR.
The finding also stems from the Filipino youths’ perspective of the biggest challenge they face.
Lack of information and knowledge
The poll saw that one in four young Filipinos cited the lack of information and knowledge (26%) and opportunities to participate (25%) as the two biggest challenges that hinder them from engaging in DRR activities.
While most age groups have shown that these two are the top obstacles they face, some age groups have another perspective.
For youth in the oldest age group (35 years and older), the primary challenge is limited opportunities for participation, cited by 50% of respondents, rather than a lack of information which only 17% of them indicated as their greatest concern. The challenge that a third of the oldest age group cited is how activities are not open to everyone.
Meanwhile, a third of respondents aged 31 to 34 years said that the lack of support from adults is their biggest challenge alongside the lack of information.
In contrast, for the youngest age group (0 to 14 years), 35% view school responsibilities as their primary obstacle, while 24% cite a lack of information as a barrier to participating in DRR activities.
DRR activities rarely practiced beyond emergency drills
More than half or 55% of the respondents said they participated in emergency drills.
Other DRR activities such as preparing an Emergency Go Bag, tree planting, evacuation planning, first aid training, risk assessment, learning about the climate crisis, distribution of relief goods and engaging in family discussions were barely practiced by young Filipinos.
Not even 10% of the respondents cited any of these as an activity they participated in.
This aligns with the poll’s finding that skill-building opportunities are the second most sought-after form of support for Filipino youth. Among those aged 35 years and above, 67% identified it as the most important resource needed to become more involved in disaster risk reduction efforts.
Educate to prepare for disasters
Nearly two in five Filipino youths preferred to help the country better prepare for natural hazards, such as earthquakes and tropical cyclones, by educating their peers and community.
About 14% of respondents preferred to volunteer in disaster preparedness activities, while 11% chose to assist their community in its plans and decision-making.
One in 10 respondents said they would join or form youth groups, while 8% said they would utilize social media to inform the public about disaster preparation.
Education was the most popular means to contribute to disaster preparedness across all age groups, except those aged 31 to 34 years. In the 31 to 34 age group, a third of respondents preferred volunteering, while only 17% cited education.
The Philippine U-report entitled, “Youth Speak on Disaster Risk Reduction, was released on August 29.