ILOILO – Today, November 8, marks the 11th anniversary of the catastrophic Super Typhoon Yolanda which hit the Visayas, including this province, causing widespread destruction to livelihoods, homes, and lives.
The calamity prompted a reassessment at every level of local governance, pushing disaster preparedness to the forefront.
One of the most critical lessons learned from Yolanda was the province’s lack of preparedness, said Provincial Administrator Raul Banias.
“We were unprepared,” he said candidly.
During the aftermath of the November 8, 2013 super typhoon, attempts to provide relief were hindered by fallen trees and electric posts that blocked access to affected areas, said Banias.
“We had no equipment to clear these obstacles, not even chainsaws,” he recalled.
Following Yolanda, the provincial government then under Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr. made disaster preparedness a top priority.
This included investing in essential equipment, assets, and manpower for effective disaster response, said Banias.
Now, this is being continued by Defensor’s son, current governor Arthur Defensor Jr.
“All municipalities are now equipped with disaster response tools,” Banias said, adding that disaster preparedness has been integrated into policies at all levels, from barangays and municipalities to schools.
Disaster preparedness has also become a criterion for the Department of Interior and Local Government’s Seal of Good Local Governance – an award and recognition program that honors local government units (LGUs) for their performance in various governance areas. It aims to encourage local governments to improve their performance and deliver better public services.
Banias said the Iloilo provincial government has also established the Governor’s Board Room as a fully functional Command Center, managed by the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO).
The center monitors real-time weather data and coordinates the deployment of resources such as rescue boats, trucks, and relief goods.
In addition to local measures, coordination with national agencies like the Philippine National Police, Philippine Army, Philippine Navy, and Philippine Coast Guard ensures quick response if additional personnel are needed.
Ongoing training for responders across Iloilo’s municipalities further strengthens readiness, added Banias.
All 42 municipalities in Iloilo Province, plus the component city of Passiy, now have evacuation centers, supplemented by facilities established by the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
Housing assistance has also been extended, with the National Housing Authority (NHA) providing numerous housing units for northern Iloilo residents and relocating those in flood- and landslide-prone areas.
For his part, Mayor Jett Rojas of Ajuy said Yolanda underscored the vulnerability of light-material homes and essential fishing resources in his municipality.
This realization led Ajuy’s local government to bolster its disaster response capabilities, including rubber boats and a well-trained Disaster Risk Reduction and Management team, he said.
“Whenever there’s a forecasted typhoon, we activate our Operation Center and inform residents, especially those in coastal areas,” Rojas said.
He also noted that warning signs are now in place in flood-prone and landslide-risk areas, and housing units are available for coastal residents relocated by the NHA, DSWD, and other agencies.
Despite these advances, however, Banias acknowledged that, while Iloilo is now better prepared, the impact of climate change poses a significant ongoing threat, as seen in recent extreme weather events worldwide.
Eleven years after Yolanda, according to a Harvard Humanitarian Initiative (HHI) survey, Filipinos’ self-reported disaster preparedness level has increased by 42% on average over the past seven years.
The survey on disaster preparedness and climate change perceptions in the Philippines.
Nationwide data collected from 4,608 Filipinos across all regions from February to March 2024 show an average score of 19.2 out of 50 across five objective measures of disaster preparedness: planning, training, material investment, information, and social support. Each criterion received a score from 0 to 10.
This is a significant improvement from an average score of 13.5 out of 50 in a pioneering study conducted by HHI in 2017 using the same methodology and instrument; however, it is not enough for a country with the highest disaster risk in the world.
On this 11th anniversary of one of the most destructive typhoons in history, the Harvard survey shows how much progress has been made to prepare for such events, and how much more is left to do.
“A score of 19.2 highlights both progress and areas needing urgent attention. While it shows an improvement in disaster preparedness, the score suggests that Filipinos are only doing 38.4% of the kinds of disaster preparedness activities needed to be prepared,” said Dr. Vincenzo Bollettino, director of the HHI Resilient Communities program and co-lead for this study.
Dr. Bollettino added, “For a country as vulnerable to disasters as the Philippines, this is not enough, so we must accelerate our efforts to ensure Filipinos are investing, planning, training, and building closer ties to their communities.”/PN
