Disaster Risk Reduction Knowledge of Senior High School Students in

Lourdes College Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines

Princess Mae A. Macalaguing, Jastine S. Labradores, Karen M. Betos,

Sharon Piamonte, Dale Bagayna

The Department of Education in the Philippines implements one of the requirements of

the Philippine DRRM act of 2010, to implement Disaster Risk Reduction Management in
the school curriculum and other educational programs, and to increase the level of
resiliency of students to natural disasters. Hence, this study was conducted to evaluate
the disaster-interrelated knowledge, preparedness, adaptation, and awareness of Senior
High students of Lourdes College in Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines. A total of 50
respondents answered the survey questionnaire, 25 respondents for both Grade 11 and
12. Responses of students were calculated using Likert Scale. Results showed that there
is a high percentage of students who understood some disaster-interrelated perceptions.
Moreover, Grade 11 and 12 students are ready, prepared, adapted and aware on the
risks caused by disasters. In all factors senior high school students have high levels of
disaster-interrelated knowledge, preparedness, adaptation, and awareness. This could
probably be the result of the integration of disaster education in the high school
curriculum.

Keywords: Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, Senior High, Department of

Education, Natural Disasters

1.INTRODUCTION

The Philippines is a country with high exposure to natural hazards. According to

an international report, the Philippines ranked third out of 173 countries with a high

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exposure to disaster risks. This assessment was based on the possible cause of natural
disaster to humans like casualties, damage to properties and infrastructures, and
weakening health status and income. Apart from the effect of disaster risks, the country
is also exposed to the effects of climate change.

The Philippines is a country that is prone to disasters because of its geographical

location. The Philippines archipelago is located in the Pacific Ring of Fire, making it prone
to geological natural disasters such as volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. The location
of the Philippines is also highly inclined to various meteorological hazards. The country
is located in the trail of tropical cyclones that can be classified as tropical depression
tropical storm, severe tropical storm, typhoon, and super typhoon. According to (PAG-
ASA) or the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services,
Administration, there is an average of 20 tropical cyclones entering the Philippine area of
responsibility every year. With this location, the country has high possibilities to
experience flooding, storm surges, and strong winds. The 36, 289 km coastlines of the
Philippines also add to the high chance of the country to experience coastal flooding and
storm surge. The significant and catastrophic impacts of natural hazards led countries,
especially the countries located at the Pacific Ring of Fire like the Philippines to prioritize
and implement disaster risk reduction (DRR).

In January 2005, 168 countries implemented the Hyogo Framework for Action
(HFA) during the World Conference on Disaster Reduction held at Kobe, Hyogo
Prefecture Japan. This action‑oriented response has an objective to combined effectively
disaster prevention, justification, preparedness, and vulnerability reduction to the policies,
plans, and programs of sustainable development. Governments all over the world decided
to implement DRR, which is a systematized and step-by-step method to identify, assess,
and reduce the risks caused by disasters. It is an essential effort in handling disasters by
strengthening the capabilities of communities toward the risks and adverse impacts of
natural hazards and disasters. The Philippines is one of the countries who agreed to
implement HFA. The Philippine government is committed to support, promote and
implement measures and guidelines for DRR. To strongly implement this international
standard of DRR, the Fourteenth Philippine Congress approved the Republic Act 10121

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or the Philippine DRRM Act, also known as the DRRM Act. This Republic Act was legally
signed by Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on May 27, 2010. This law strengthens the
Philippine DRRM system by institutionalizing the National DRRM Plan. This law also
provides a proactive approach in addressing disaster risks, wherein the people become
prepared for the coming up risks and threats of natural disasters. DRRM Act also requires
the combination of DRR Education in the school curricula of both basic and tertiary levels.
It was appropriate to incorporate DRR education because the Philippines’ Department of
Education (DepEd) recently implemented a new basic education system known as the K
to 12 Basic Education Curriculum which follows the rules, regulations, and guidelines of
Republic Act 10533, also called as the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013.This
educational program added two more years to the 10 years of basic education in the
Philippines. Specifically, these 2 years are known as senior high school education, an
added educational level to Kindergarten, 6 years of elementary, and 4 years of junior high
school. In the curriculum of senior high school, DRR education is integrated in Earth and
Life Science, a core subject offered to all tracks, and to a specialized track subject
Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction. With the provisions of DRRM Act,
comprehensive, and integrated knowledge building about disaster education is
strengthened among students under the K to 12 Education Program.

The youth are invested to be proactive members of community on DRR and

ecological development. It is appropriate and significant to assess the capacity of
students on DRR to ensure that the senior high school education of the K to 12 curriculum
is substantial on the culture of safety and resilience toward disaster risks. Furthermore,
an assessment about the DRR knowledge of senior high school students will be a
significant report on the impact of disaster education in senior high school level in the
Philippines. Hence, this study was conceptualized to determine the DRR knowledge of
Senior High School students of Lourdes College Cagayan de Oro City in the Philippines.
Specifically, this study aimed to evaluate and measure the disaste-interrelated
knowledge, preparedness, adaptation, and risk awareness of Senior high school
students.

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2. MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study used a cross sectional study design wherein it aims to evaluate and
measures the disaster-interrelated knowledge, preparedness, adaptation, and risk
awareness of Senior high school students. A total of 50 respondents was obtain from both
Grade 11 and 12 students at a selected Academic Track in Lourdes College Cagayan de
Oro City, Philippines. The survey questionnaire from this study is a validated data
collection tool based from different research studies and survey questionnaire. The
students answered twenty-five (25) questions that were categorized into five. These
categories on DRR knowledge are the following: disaster-interrelated knowledge, disaster
preparedness, adaptation, awareness, and disaster risk perception Disaster-interrelated
knowledge refers to the information and knowledge of the respondent on the occurrence
of disaster, and of being informed about disaster risk education training and symposium.

Disaster preparedness refers to the knowledge and capacities of a person, to

efficiently anticipate, and successfully respond to and recover from looming and present
disasters. Disaster adaptation refers to the adjustment that a person, can conduct or
implement in response to actual or expected disasters and their effects. Disaster
awareness evaluates the respondent’s level of consciousness on disasters.

Table 1 Shows the DRR issues and the responses.

Response
DRR Issue Strongly Strongly No
Agree Disagree
Agee Disagree Knowledge
Disaster-Interrelated Well No
Understood Not Clear Confusing
Knowledge understood idea
Disaster Very Not No
Ready Confusing
Preparedness Ready Ready ides
Disaster Well Not No
Confusing
Adaptation Adapted Adapted adapted idea
Disaster Well Not No
Aware Confusing
Awareness Aware Aware idea
Disaster Risk Well Not No
Perceived Confusing
Perception Perceived Perceived idea

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3. RESULTS

Table 2 shows the total number of student’s response to each option of Senior
High students on disaster-interrelated knowledge. Responses in all cases of
disaster‑interrelated knowledge are significantly different. Out of 50 respondents, 10
students understood when a disaster will take place, followed by 12 students who find it
unclear. Majority of respondents (20 students) have no clear knowledge on the idea that
there is no prevention for the occurrence of disasters. There is also a higher percentage
of students (16 students) who understood the importance of participating on a disaster
risk education seminar and training, followed by 11, and 10 students of Senior High
School students who have no clear idea and find it confusing on this important issue.

Response
DRR Issue Strongly Strongly No
Agee Agree Disagree Disagree Knowledge
I know when a disaster will happen 3 10 12 5 20
I know there is no prevention for the occurrence of 9 10 19 9 3
disaster
I have been a participant in a disaster risk education 8 16 11 10 5
seminar and training

Responses in all cases of disaster preparedness are significantly different. Most of

the respondents are ready and prepared on disaster risks, because they find it significant
on sharing knowledge and experiences of disasters, they recognize the importance of
making conversations about disasters with their family and other people, they know their
government can give assistance during disasters, they are confident that there will be an
immediate rehabilitation after a disaster and because they gain knowledge from experts
of disaster risks as shown in Table 3.

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 Response
DRR Issue Strongly Strongly No
Agee Agree Disagree Disagree Knowledge
I know the significance of sharing knowledge and 11 29 6 4 0
experiences of disaster
I recognize the importance of making conversations 16 27 4 2 1
about disasters with family members, neighbors,
relatives, friends, and colleagues
I know the government is ready to provide assistance 9 26 9 3 3
after disaster
I am confident that reconstruction activities can be 5 21 16 3 5
implemented after disaster
I gain enough knowledge about disasters from experts 5 25 13 4 3
who work or conduct activities for disaster reduction and
management

Table 4 shows the total number of students to each response option of Senior High
School students on disaster adaptation. Responses in all cases are significantly different.
The highest percentage of students are adapted on disaster risks because they are aware
on the location of shelter areas, evacuation centers, and open spaces, they are confident
that government institutions can give assistance during the disaster, they are aware on
disaster prone areas, they obtained sufficient information on disaster adaptation
implemented by local government units and nongovernmental organizations, and they
are aware about the evacuation system and plan of their locality.

Response
DRR Issue Strongly Strongly No
Agee Agree Disagree Disagree Knowledge
I am aware of the shelter areas or evacuation centers, 8 25 10 4 3
and open spaces in case of a disaster
I am aware about which government institution needs 9 22 12 2 4
to be coordinated and contacted with after disaster
I am informed about disaster prone areas 5 23 14 3 5
I obtained sufficient information about disaster 3 20 18 3 6
adaptation from the local government or from NGOs
I am fully aware and informed about the evacuation 5 23 14 4 4
system and plan in my locality, or area

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 Table 5. However, high number of students is not aware on the importance of
preparing emergency kits and bags in case of disaster.

Response
DRR Issue Strongly Strongly No
Agee Agree Disagree Disagree Knowledge
I actively participate for disaster awareness campaigns 4 20 16 4 6
I am prepared with emergency kits and bags in case of disaster 7 17 18 5 3
prioritize awareness in the local, regional, and national level 5 24 13 5 3
I am aware on the importance of building or infrastructure retrofitting 6 23 11 3 7

Table 6 shows that the highest number of students, 15 and 13, have not perceived
and have no idea that large scale disasters will definitely happen in the next 10 years.
Most of the students, 18 and 13, also have not perceived or have no idea on the safety of
their localities or areas. Same trend was also observed regarding their perception about
earthquake resistant structures such as their houses and other buildings.

Response
DRR Issue Strongly Strongly No
Agee Agree Disagree Disagree Knowledge
I am sure that large‑scale disasters will definitely 5 12 15 5 13
happen in the next 10 years
I think my locality is safe from all types of disasters 2 10 18 7 13
I think my house/building is well designed to withstand 2 8 19 6 15
an earthquake

4. Discussion and Conclusion

The responses of Senior high school students of Lourdes College Cagayan de Oro
City, Philippines in this study reflect how K‑to‑12 curriculum and other educational
programs of DepEd are effective in addressing DRRM. DepEd implements the
comprehensive DRRM in the Basic Education Framework which seeks to protect students
and education staff (teachers and nonteaching personnel) from death and injury in
schools, promotes risk reduction and resilience through education, and plan for a steady
educational program despite of imminent natural hazards. School and community
stakeholders are engaged and are asked to participate in the integration of DRR in the

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educational programs. Based from the School DRRM Manual of DepEd, the children or
the youth should have a great involvement in educational activities that promote DRR
awareness. It is a priority that students should have an in‑depth understanding on school
‑based disaster risk reduction and management. Students should know what makes their
school or community unsafe, and how can they make these places safe from disasters.
Moreover, students should be knowledgeable on what to do before, during, and after
natural disasters. It is clear that the active participation and cooperation of students is
vital to the success of DRRM. Some aspects of disaster risks are understood by the
respondents, and most of them are ready, adapted and aware on the hazards that natural
disasters can cause. However, students have very low disaster risk perception. Based on
these findings, the core subject Earth and Life Science somehow elevated the knowledge
of the students on natural hazards. Learning competencies include the hazards, hazard
maps in identifying, and practical ways of coping geologic,and coastal processes.
Geologic processes include earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and landslides. Coastal
processes include erosion, submersion, and saltwater intrusion. These competencies
possibly improve the understanding of the students on the basic concepts of natural
hazards, and the measures of mitigation and adaptation.
Disaster risk perception must be improved among students to have a correct
judgment toward the imminent dangers of natural hazards. Risk perception among
students shall be developed to ensure an effective and protective public response and
action. The success implementation of the school and community‑based DRRM relies on
public awareness and public education. Disaster education aims to increase the resiliency
of students on disaster risks by solidifying knowledge about disasters, developing skills
that can be used to prepare, adapt, mitigate, and respond to the damaging effects of
disasters, and elevating awareness that widens the scope of understanding on DRR. With
these objectives, DRR is advocated by promoting a culture of safety and resiliency in the
community, most especially at the school level. Other approaches include interactive and
action learning for the students and professional development of teachers on DRR
education.
The senior high school students of Lourdes College Cagayan de Oro City,
Philippines understood some disaster‑related concepts and ideas, and are prepared,

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adapted, and aware on the risks inflicted by these natural hazards. Low perception on
disaster risks are evidently observed among senior high school students.
The responses of the students could be based on the efficiency and impact of the
integration of DRR education in the senior high school curriculum. Specifically, integration
of the concepts about the hazards, hazard maps, disaster preparedness, awareness,
mitigation, prevention, adaptation, and resiliency in the science curriculum possibly affect
the knowledge and understanding of students on DRR.

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