Cabug, Jan Kerlyn G.

STEM-11

Descriptive Summary of Household Survey

We cannot stop natural disasters but we can arm ourselves with knowledge: so many lives
wouldn’t have to be lost if there was enough disaster preparedness. Last October 3, 2019, I
conducted an interview to 5 different households about the Household characteristics, Disaster
Risk Knowledge, Hazards Exposure, Household preparedness, Public Awareness, and Governance
which consists of different questions for them to evaluate themselves. This was mostly held at
different puroks of Baranggay Lurugan, the other two places were Cabanglasan and Gensan
through a phone call. Preparation through education is less costly than learning through tragedy.
As an interviewer, it is a difficult task because it needs confidence in facing different people
specifically families, for you didn’t know if they will accept it that they can be interviewed. In
Household Characteristics section, only 4 out of 5 of the family I interviewed was living in a house
with one family only and the other one lives with multiple family. Some are living with 3-4, 5-6,
7-8 people in a house. In Vulnerable households, most of the people living are aged in Children
over 5-17 years old and older adult over 55 years, none of the families had a disabled family
member. All of them are adult family members consisting of female and male with a level of
education: Secondary and Higher Education. All of the homes have Electricity, Piped Water and
bathrooms as well as their rooms in their house consisting of 3-4 rooms with a residency type of
Owned with title. In terms of thinking if their houses are at risk because of location or construction
type: some of them answered Yes, No, and the other family answered that they didn’t know.
In Disaster Risk Knowledge section, all of the families have the great concern about every
disasters that possibly may come. The disaster types that they are concern of are Rains, Severe
storms, Floods because some of the location of their house is in low places, extreme temperature
because the one family I interviewed is from Gensan which is near to the ocean, also Earthquake.
They also concluded that in the next 5 years their community will possibly experience natural
disasters.
In Hazards Exposure section, Most of the families agreed that disasters are becoming
increasingly common. They also said that their community was affected by a disaster and the
disaster types that they are concerned are Rains, Severe storms, floods, Tropical
Cyclone/Hurricane and Earthquake. I asked them, are they affected by the disaster in the past 5
years, only 1 family answered yes which affects property damage and the rest answered no.
In Household Preparedness section, all of the families said yes that being prepared help
their family in a disaster or emergency. Some of the families said they are very prepared, some are
somewhat prepared, and some are not prepared to handle a disaster or emergency. Compared to a
year ago, some families answered they are more able to handle a disaster or emergency, some
answered less able because they lost a job or income source and some didn’t know. Also, most of
the families describes their family that they have not done anything to prepare, but they plan to in
the coming months and the rest describes their family that they just recently began to prepare for
a disaster or emergency. In terms of having a supplies that can be used in a disaster, some answered
yes which they have radio, first aid kit, flash light, and important documents and the rest said they
haven’t. Some also planned what to do in disasters which they did discussed about having a list of
important phone numbers or contacts and going to a shelter/place to stay, the rest said no and the
other family said they didn’t know.
In Public Awareness, Majority of the families have attended on how to be better prepared
for a disaster, first aid training, participated in a disaster or evacuation drill, participated in a
community or volunteer activity and was given a pamphlet or flyer or a person visited them to
inform they of preparedness. Also, Majority of the families answered yes in terms in community
that gave an early warning system, have a disaster response or emergency plan, and have a
committee or organized group that decides what to do in disasters, have an evacuation routes, and
a shelter identified where people can go in the event of a disaster.
In Governance section, Majority of the families didn’t know if their community members
are involved in planning or coordinating with local government, only one family said yes and no.
As well as the government have been involved in any projects or activities related to risk reducing
or vulnerability, most of the families answered yes and only one family didn’t care about that
certain activity. In terms of access of government resources or programs for disaster response
and/or recovery, majority of the families answered yes and the organizations that have confidence
to respond and provide assistance are the government, community members/organizations, NGO’s
or other civil service groups, the red cross, religious groups, and families.
Therefore, each of our families must be prepared in every natural hazards may occur
because none of us know when will it come. Also we must be aware in every activities that is being
conducted by the people who are concerned in order for us to be educated. Preparation through
education is less costly than learning through tragedy. We should not be confident in everything
because there will always be a time that unfortunate days will come to you.