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“There are hazards in everything one does, but there are greater hazards in doing nothing”

-Shirley Williams

I am starting off with this quote above which I think summarizes this whole blog and describes that we really cannot stop natural hazards from coming but we can change their effects by doing something. This is long but I hope you can take time in reading this. Thank you!

Brgy. Rizal is one of the small barangays in the city of San Leonardo, Nueva Ecija. Similar to any other barangays in the city, it is more of an undeveloped and rural place. And, some of the people of Brgy. Rizal live near the river and some whose livelihood are mostly farming. As I coordinated with our barangay and conducted the Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Kwentuhan and the Community Walk tasked to us in NSTP, I had talks and interview with our Barangay Chairman, Mr. Noel Salvatierra about the preparedness of our community or barangay when it comes to hazards and disasters. He mentioned that since he took his position, the hazards that commonly hit or strike our barangay are the storms or typhoons. Our barangay gets the warning and signal of its occurrence from our municipality who relays the local state of the barangays in the coming of the storms or typhoons, telling us to prepare or for some evacuate. He also said that they, as well, keep track of news from the television. Along with that, the Barangay Chairman said that he then instructs his counselors to also get ready. They prepare 24 to 48 hours before the storm or typhoon occurs, preparing food, medicines and mineral water for the people. According to Cap. Noel, these hazards are at their peak between the months of May and December. Hence, they stay prepared and alert during those months and keep the people alert and moving, as well. During those times, the most vulnerable people in our barangay are the poor residents who live near the river/ tumana. As the river increases its water level, the houses near the river or low lying areas are heavily affected. Our Captain even mentioned that, in that particular location, strong typhoons resulted to a flood higher than a person’s. Aside from the aforementioned, residents of the barangay whose livelihood is farming are greatly affected, as well. The rice fields, poultry and vegetable farms which are widespread source of income in our barangay are vastly damaged resulting to dismay and losses to the farmers. On the other hand, the safest area during these hazards in Brgy. Rizal is the San Leonardo Gymnasium which is also the safest place in the city of San Leonardo. It is where the people evacuate and stay during calamities since it is located farther from the rivers, is the center of the city and it has a higher-lying area. Considered as the “Rice Granary of the Philippines”, of course, here in Nueva Ecija, the main and greatest problem of the community and the whole barangays when these hazards occur is the destruction and loss of their livelihood. Since farming is their primary source of income, they will feel devastated and hopeless and will find it hard to cope easily to the effects of these hazards.

Moving further, when it comes to preparation and taking action to avoid too much flood when a storm or typhoon strikes, cleaning programs are implemented by our barangay held every Saturday. Our Barangay Captain exclaimed that he despises trash loitering in our barangay, enforcing fines to those who violate, as these trash clog the drainages and eventually cause flooding when the typhoon occurs. In line with that, in the coming of the storm or typhoon, 48 to 72 hours before, the barangay is alarmed to prepare everything necessary. Our Barangay Chairman is the principal mover and head in planning, alerting and securing the people in our community when it comes to calamities. Also, our barangay is trying his best to help the community to recover through offering jobs and supporting the livelihood of the people.

There are also issues that confront our community when it comes to disaster preparedness and one of these is the lack of cooperation or participation of the people themselves in the community in preparing and evacuating. And I think the barangay or the local government must encourage the people more eagerly with strict implementation of policies. The local government should also develop seminars that will tell the people the importance of the programs of the barangay regarding DRRM. Through this, they will be more empowered to follow and do what is right before and during these hazards. Another issue is that mostly poor people are living near the rivers who are the most vulnerable to the effects of hazards. The local government should also take action to address that and may offer more jobs especially to them if possible.

The Philippines, as one of the disaster prone countries in the world due to its location, is prone to different natural disasters such as typhoons, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. It is important not only for the government to move but also to make the whole community indulge in the preparation and proper implementation of disaster risk reduction and management. Along with that, it is also important that the government, local or national, to take action in helping and aiding the problems of the community such as poverty which makes them vulnerable during disasters.

Running through all these interviews and assessing our own barangay’s capacity when it comes to disasters, I realized that every hazard is truly unpredictable and we cannot know upto what extent this will harm us. However, we have the power as movers to prevent these hazards to become drastic disasters. With proper knowledge of the people on how and what to prepare and what should be done before and during hazards and with the effective communication and connection between the community and the local government, we can at least lessen the effect of these disasters. Although our barangay haven’t yet experienced a very disastrous hazard, I realized that before any possible thing happens, we should and we can prevent or avoid it earlier if the community as one will understand and go through that goal.

Furthermore, addressing the issue that causes disasters is very important to effectively prevent and be an agent of change in the community. Without addressing these issues, the community will just continue to suffer from disasters and may not only result to losses on properties and livelihood but also cause casualties. As a response, there are ways of the people that need to be given more attention and be rearranged. One example is the continuous lack of discipline when it comes to throwing garbage recklessly and resulted to piles of garbage everywhere. To be able to do that, making an impact on the lifestyle of the people in the community to create a difference is important, as well. With that, programs and seminars involving disaster risk reduction management should be developed and diffused more so that people in the community would be more engaged.

As a member of this community and nation, I can help the people as I share the knowledge that I have learned in NSTP regarding prevention and taking action against disasters (DRRM). I can do that in our own barangay with the help of our Barangay Chairman. I think it is important for people to understand, first, the purpose of it so that they will themselves give importance in making an action towards the community and the whole country. I will also try to do more volunteering work about DRRM and try to share and suggest my opinion in my barangay the importance, as well, of addressing the issues of the community that makes it vulnerable to disasters. Lastly, as I end this blog, I am also encouraging people out there, especially the youth like me, to take part in this Disaster Risk Reduction and Management. Thank you for reading this until the end! I know you are bound to do greater things! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!✨

#BarangayKwentuhan #CommunityWalk #DRRM #NSTP #Hazards #Disasters #CommunityinAction