DISASTER PREPAREDNESS

IN THE PHILIPPINES
Disaster Preparedness

• Based on the World Risk Index 2012, the Philippines

is the third among 173 countries most vulnerable to
disaster risk and natural hazards; we experience an
average of 20 tropical cyclones each year and other
climatic and extreme weather aberrations such as the
El Niño phenomenon.
•These disasters strain government funds, with
an average of P15 billion in annual direct
damages. More adversely, this hampers the
government’s poverty reduction efforts.
•To mitigate the effects of climate change and to
ensure the effective implementation of disaster
risk reduction, the government has put in place
interventions to reverse environmental
degradation and to improve the resiliency of
local communities.
 The National Climate Change Action Plan and the
National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management
Plan, which were established to systematically
integrate the various disaster risk management and
climate change adaptation activities, coordination, and
financing mechanisms of the government.
 Department responsible for Disaster
Response.

• It is administered by the Office of Civil Defense

(OCD) under the Department of National Defense
(DND). The council is responsible for
ensuring the protection and welfare of the people
during disasters or emergencies.
 Disaster Risk Reduction and Response

•The Nationwide Operational Assessment of

Hazards (NOAH) project has been in the
process of installing over 500 pieces of weather
equipment composed of Automated Weather
Stations (AWS), Automated Rain Gauges
(ARG), and combinations of AWS-ARGs along
the 18 major river basins in the country.
 The equipment complements units—such as
Doppler radars, surveillance cameras, tsunami
detectors, and alerting siren—continuously being
installed in various locations, to ensure effective
location-specific forecasts seven days ahead
throughout the Philippines.
 The government has improved at actively
tapping into social network platforms to respond
swiftly and effectively to its citizens, especially
during times of emergency.
 The government has likewise crafted the
Master Plan for Flood Management in Metro
Manila and Surrounding Areas, which will
provide a long-term flood management strategy
to be implemented up to 2035, covering not only
Metro Manila but also the surrounding
provinces.
 In addition to the high-impact flood control
projects, the Department of Public Works and
Highways is implementing projects involving
the improvement of drainage, esteros,
waterways, riverways, and others (e.g.,
construction of pumping stations) to improve
their carrying capacity.
 Relief and Rehabilitation Assistance
• The government is likewise making sure that relief and
rehabilitation remain sustainable.
• Those affected continue to be assisted by the government
through the repair of vital infrastructure like health facilities,
classrooms and schools, roads and bridges; livelihood
assistance (especially for those in the agriculture and fisheries
sectors); and permanent housing programs.
 The government continue to strengthen and
expand the social safety nets, especially for
victims of natural disasters, so every Filipino can
live safe and productive lives.
 Understanding the
Psychosocial Impact
of Disasters
 Disasters, by their very nature, are stressful,
life-altering experiences, and living through such
an experience can cause serious psychological
effects and social disruption.
Disasters affect every aspect of the life of an
individual, a family, or a community.
 The degree of disruption can range from mild
anxiety and family dysfunction to separation
anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD),
conduct disorders, addictive behaviors, severe
depression, and even suicidality. Depending on
the nature of the disaster.
 COMMUNITY IMPACT AND RESOURCE
ASSESSMENT
• Given the numbers of individuals potentially at
risk in a large-scale disaster resulting in deaths or
injuries, effective community planning requires the
deployment of mental health resources in the most
efficient manner.
• the concern is that emergency mental health
intervention implies that emotional distress is equated
with mental illness.
Normal Reaction to Abnormal Events
• Normal reactions to stress and bereavement can and
do vary sometimes even among members of the same
family.
• Factors that affect expressions of stress and
bereavement include age, gender, ethnicity, religious
background, personality traits, coping skills, and
previous experience with loss, especially traumatic
loss.
 Common Reactions of Disaster
Survivors
• Emotional
Depression, sadness
Irritability, anger, resentment
Anxiety, fear
Despair, hopelessness
Guilt, self-doubt
Unpredictable mood swings
• Behavioral
Sleep problems
Crying easily
Avoiding reminders
Excessive activity level
Increased conflicts with family
Hypervigilance
Isolation or social withdrawal
• Cognitive
Confusion, disorientation
Recurring dreams or nightmares
Preoccupation with disaster
Trouble concentrating/remembering things
Difficulty making decisions
Questioning spiritual beliefs
• Physical
Fatigue, exhaustion
Gastrointestinal distress
Appetite changes
Tightening in throat, chest, or stomach
Worsening of chronic conditions
Somatic complaints
 Four phases of emotional recovery
following impact of a disaster:

• the heroic phase,

• the honeymoon phase,
• the disillusionment phase,
• the reconstruction phase
•in the heroic phase, numbness, shock, and even
elation when a life is saved, may be most
evident.

•In the honeymoon phase, survivors are grateful,

and the community pulls together to cope with
the disaster.
•In the disillusionment phase, however,
depression and hopelessness may become more
prominent, as the reality of how life has
changed post disaster becomes ever more
apparent.
The reconstruction phase gradually becomes
more apparent as intense emotions are replaced
by a sense of acceptance, increasing
independence, and emotional reinvestment in
relationships and activities of daily life.
Resiliency in the Face of Disaster

• According to Bonanno et al. that resiliency is often

the most commonly observed outcome trajectory after
exposure to a potential traumatic event
• Characteristics associated with resiliency include
family stability, social support, and capacity to
tolerate stress and uncertainty.
 STRESS REACTIONS AMONG CHILDREN
AND YOUTH

•Infants will sense their parents’ anxiety and

fear and will mirror the parent or caregiver’s
reaction to the disaster.
•Preschool children are extremely dependent on
routine and will react strongly to any disruption
in their daily routine. They may exhibit mild to
extreme helplessness, passivity, and a lack of
responsiveness to things in their environment.
•School aged children may exhibit symptoms of
separation anxiety, school-aged children may
present with more classical symptoms of PTSD,
as well as depressive and anxiety disorders.
 Reactions to stress of an school aged children
may also include sleep and appetite
disturbances, academic problems, and
occasionally behavioral difficulties such as
oppositional or aggressive conduct
•Adolescents tend to respond to a disaster much
the same as do adults. This may also be
accompanied by the awareness of a life unlived,
a sense of a foreshortened future, and the
fragility of life, may also exhibit a decline in
academic performance, rebellion at home or
school, and delinquency, as well as somatic
complaints and social withdrawal.
 Adolescents may feel a strong need to make a
contribution to the recovery effort and find
meaningful ways to “make a difference.
For Nurses and Medical Personnel

also be affected by the intense emotions of those

seeking help.
• They not only treat injured survivors but also must
provide needed services to the families of the injured.
• Secondary traumatization is a hazard that comes with
exposure to the horrific stories of the bereaved and
injured.
 Medical personnel often experience profound
emotional reactions afterward.
There may be a sense of emotional “letdown”
followed by an “emotional rollercoaster,” in
which emotions may vacillate between the
euphoria of saving a life to the sadness or anger
of losing lives
 Common Stress Reactions by Disaster
Workers
Psychological • Sadness, grief, depression,
moodiness
• Denial • Distressing dreams
• Anxiety and fear • Guilt or “survivor guilt”
• Worry about the safety of self or • Feeling overwhelmed, hopeless
others • Feeling isolated, lost, or
• Anger abandoned
• Irritability • Apathy
• Restlessness
 Behavioral
• Change in activity
• Decreased efficiency and effectiveness
• Difficulty communicating
• Outbursts of anger, frequent arguments
• Inability to rest or “let down”
• Change in eating habits
• Change in sleeping patterns
• Change in patterns of intimacy,
sexuality
• Change in job performance
• Periods of crying
• Increased use of alcohol, tobacco,
and drugs
• Social withdrawal/silence
• Vigilance about safety of
environment
• Avoidance of activities or places
that trigger memories
• Proneness to accidents
 Cognitive

• Poor concentration
• Memory problems • Limited attention span
• Disorientation
• Loss of objectivity
• Confusion
• Unable to stop thinking
• Slowness of thinking and
comprehension about disaster
• Difficulty calculating, setting • Blaming
priorities, making decisions
 Physical

• Increased heart/respiratory rate/BP • Soreness in muscles

• Upset stomach, nausea, diarrhea • Lower back pain
• Change in appetite, weight loss or gain• “Lump” in the throat
• Sweating or chills • Exaggerated startle reaction
• Tremor (hands/lips) • Fatigue
• Muscle twitching • Menstrual cycle changes
• “Muffled” hearing • Change in sexual desire
• Tunnel vision • Decreased resistance to infection
• Feeling uncoordinated • Flare-up of allergies and arthritis
• Headaches • Hair loss
 Community Reactions and Response

1) Basic survival, personal safety, and the

physical safety of loved ones.
2) Grieving over loss of loved ones and loss of
valued and meaningful possessions.
3) Concerns about relocation and the related isolation
or crowded living conditions.
4) A need to talk about events and feelings associated
with the disaster, often repeatedly.
5) A need to feel one is part of the community and its
recovery efforts.
 Aftermath: Mourning and Milestone

• Grief is an intense sorrow or mental suffering

resulting from loss, affliction, or regret, an
emotion experienced by virtually all disaster
survivors.
• Mourning, is the act of sorrowing or expressing grief,
especially for the dead, but disaster survivors can and
also do mourn other losses, such as material
possessions, homes, and jobs.

• Bereavement means to leave saddened by someone’s

death or to feel deprived, as of hope or happiness, and
is generally ascribed to family members of disaster
victims.
 Tasks to accomplished at the Phases of
Mourning Process

•Period of shock, or “numbness.” The task is to

accept the reality of the loss (but not denying
the reality of the loss).
•Reality, or “yearning” and “disorganization
and despair.” The tasks are to accept the pain of
grief (as opposed to not feeling the pain of the
loss) and to adjust to an environment in which
the deceased is missing (not adapting to the
loss).
Recovery, or “reorganized behavior.” The task
is to reinvest in new relationships (as opposed to
not loving).
 Mental Health Psycho-social Support
(MHPSS) in the Philippines

Mental Health Psycho-Social Support

(MHPSS) was formed headed by the Health
Emergencies Management Staff of the
Department of Health (DOH).
 Disasters, whether natural or man-made,
involve an "encounter between forces of harm
and a human population in harm's way, in which
the demands of the situation exceed the coping
capacity of the affected population.
 The devastating effects of the disaster linger
long after the floodwaters have ebbed and
survivors begin their long trek to normalcy.
 Psychologists explain that disasters and
tragedies tax the human mind and spirit to the
point of causing severe mental and emotional
breakdowns. The loss of loved ones and sources
of livelihood, such as businesses and farmlands
affect survivors mentally and emotionally.
 Timely assessment and intervention are
essential to mitigate the victim's risk for ongoing
distress, impairment and psychiatric illness.
 Psychological first aid provided by the
volunteers is an early intervention, implemented
in the immediate aftermath of disaster, designed
to reduce the initial distress and foster adaptive
mechanism for survivors of all ages.
 Effective intervention restores function and
enhances recovery; creates a safe and secure
environment; reduces uncertainty, fear and
anxiety; and mobilizes family and social
supports.
 Individuals, especially children have different
coping mechanisms when faced by calamities
and tragedies, thus the approach used by the
volunteers is critical in helping the victims move
on.
 The MHPSS Task Force conducted
psychosocial training and orientation,
psychosocial and psycho/spiritual processing,
and critical incident stress debriefing to some
who were in evacuation centers, as well as play
therapy sessions with children.

(DSWD-Social Marketing Service)