Quezon, Philippines. Local progress report on the implementation of the 10 Essentials for Making Cities Resilient (First Cycle)

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1 Quezon, Philippines Local progress report on the implementation of the 10 Essentials for Making Cities Resilient (First Cycle) Mayor: Hon. Mayor Herbert M. Bautista, MPA MNSA Name of focal point: Frederika Rentoy Organization: - Title/Position: Head address: epwmd_ppdd@yahoo.com Telephone: Reporting period: First Cycle ( ) Last updated on: 01 April 2013 Print date: 06 May 2013 Reporting language: English A Local HFA Monitor update published by PreventionWeb First cycle of Local HFA ( ) 1/29

2 Essential 1 Put in place organization and coordination to understand and reduce disaster risk, based on participation of citizen groups and civil society. Build local alliances. Ensure that all departments understand their role to disaster risk reduction and preparedness. How well are local organizations (including local government) equipped with capacities (knowledge, experience, official mandate) for disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation? Even before the enactment of Republic Act No (An Act Strengthening the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management System, Providing for the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Framework and Institutionalizing the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Plan), Quezon City has been one of the most active teams in terms of instituting disaster risk reduction activities down to the community level. To further improve its operations, the Quezon City Government legislated an Executive Order which seeks to strengthen the capacities and know-how of the Quezon City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. The EO provides clearly defined roles of each member of the Council, with the Mayor as the Head and the Department of Public Order and Safety (DPOS) as the lead agency and Action Officer. The city has recently collaborated with Earthquakes and Megacities Initiative to undertake the "Building a Disaster Resilient Quezon City Project." As part of the Building a Disaster Resilient Quezon City project, an assessment of the legal and institutional aspects of disaster risk reduction and management was undertaken (LIA Situational Analysis Report, EMI, November 2012). The assessment entails a comprehensive examination of the processes, planning actions, policies, legal framework, and institutional arrangements for carrying out risk reduction, management, and preparedness functions as they are currently undertaken by, or will impact Quezon City. In particular, a review of the city s DRRM ordinance and DRRM organization, including office administration and functions was carried out. A network analysis was done to understand how decisions are made, at what level, and the extent of participation by other stakeholders in the process. It will identify opportunities to align the current arrangements with international best practices and also identify entry points for mainstreaming disaster risk reduction into the city s formal development processes. Reference documents: > RA (2010) First cycle of Local HFA ( ) 2/29

3 2eb17e17007e63268f19944b6 > EO 23 QCDRRMC (2010) cc92ed be96f1a To what extent do partnerships exist between communities, private sector and local authorities to reduce risk? Regular meetings are being conducted by the City DRRMC with different agencies to ensure coordinated action on the City s Disaster Reduction Program. Partnerships were also established to ensure that the DRRM team gets all the necessary support and information needed. Besides the City s constant coordination with the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services (PAGASA), Quezon City has also signed an agreement with the Community Health Education Emergency Rescue Services (CHEERS), an Australian non-profit organization, for the provision of trainings on emergency rescues. This partnership will enhance the capacity of the disaster team and the volunteers as well. While there is a multi-sectoral organizational structure and a well-trained DRRM team, the City still needs to focus on improving its existing strategies to strengthen the participation of the local communities and other stakeholders in the DRRM program. This also includes upgrading the existing equipment and enhancing the educational campaigns and trainings. How much does the local government support vulnerable local communities (particularly women, elderly, infirmed, children) to actively participate in risk reduction decision-making, policy making, planning and implementation processes? The City s Gender and Development Resource Coordinating Council has successfully conducted 82 training workshops from July 2010 to June These trainings focus First cycle of Local HFA ( ) 3/29

4 on orienting and educating attendees on matters regarding gender rights, equality and justice. Skills-based trainings on gender sensitivity, gender planning, budgeting, mainstreaming, and trainers training were also part of these. GAD trainings were extended to participants from other local offices and departments, barangays, and national government agencies. To what extent does the local government participate in the national DRR planning? Quezon City actively participates in various disaster risk reduction planning activities organized by the national government agencies, in 2012, the City s DRRMC, together with other cities in Metro Manila participated in a series of workshops organized by the Office of the Civil Defense. In addition, the City government hosted the Regional Forum on Effective Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation in Greater Metro Manila on March 16, Senator Loren Legarda chairperson of the Senate Committee on Climate Change, has partnered with the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) in organizing the initiative, which seeks to increase local understanding of natural hazards, climate change and their impacts on the region and surrounding provinces. The forum was also ably supported by the Presidential Communications Operations Office, the Manila Observatory, UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR), Asia Pacific Institute for Green Development and the Sangguniang Kabataan National Federation. First cycle of Local HFA ( ) 4/29

5 Essential 2 Assign a budget for disaster risk reduction and provide incentives for homeowners, low-income families, communities, businesses and public sector to invest in reducing the risks they face. How far does the local government have access to adequate financial resources to carry out risk reduction activities? The City has enough resources to carry out extensive DRR activities. Part of the budget of each barangay is also allocated for disaster preparedness program. However, there seems to be inadequate knowledge on how to access the available funds. To what degree does the local government allocate sufficient financial resources to carry out DRR activities, including effective disaster response and recovery? Memorandum Circular No. 13, Series of 2012 issued by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) has brought the attention of local governments to the appropriate utilization of the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund (LDRRMF). Pursuant to Republic Act No , otherwise known as The Philippines Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010, "not less than five percent (5%) of the estimated revenue from regular sources shall be set aside as the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund." In view thereof, local Executives were given guidelines on how to operationalize the relevant provisions of RA in the four (4) thematic areas of Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, namely: Prevention and Mitigation, Preparedness, Response, and Reconstruction and Rehabilitation. Expenses that may be charged against the Calamity Fund were itemized under disaster risk management activities, support to other affected LGUs First cycle of Local HFA ( ) 5/29

6 and quick response fund or stand-by fund for relief and recovery programs. What is the scope of financial services (e.g. saving and credit schemes, macro and micro-insurance) available to vulnerable and marginalised households for pre- disaster times? In 2011, the Department of Finance (DoF) and the Insurance Commission (IC) have partnered with the Quezon City Governement to bring microinsurance to barangays. The national government s partnership with the Quezon City government to bring microinsurance to barangays, whose residents are most vulnerable to calamities. Microinsurance was introduced in the Philippines to supplement the poverty alleviation program of the government. Since poor households are most vulnerable to risks associated with uncertain losses such as death, illness or injury, accidents, and natural and/or man-made calamities, there is a vital need to provide the low-income sector with access to affordable financial protection in case of such contingencies. Quezon City has been chosen as one of the pilot cities. To what extent are micro finance, cash aid, soft loans, lone guarantees etc available to affected households after disasters to restart livelihoods? Level of Progress achieved: 2 There are also City Departments that were created for the purpose of providing services for the marginalized, especially victims of calamities/disasters. However, information on the micro-insurance and other financial services offered by the City still has to be disseminated further to local communities. Suggestions to increase allocated funds for risk reduction and financial assistance to enable affected constituents to restart livelihoods were also raised during the workshops. First cycle of Local HFA ( ) 6/29

7 How well established are economic incentives for investing in disaster risk reduction for households and businesses (e.g. reduced insurance premiums for households, tax holidays for businesses)? Level of Progress achieved: 2 In 2009, the City Council of Quezon City enacted Ordinance No. SP 1917, S-2009, known as the Green Building Ordinance of 2009". Also known as the Green Building Ordinance, it provides an integrated and complete approach to planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance of building structures and their surrounding landscape. The ordinance encourages the use of renewable building materials and installations which help in the mitigation of climate change. This ordinance provides incentives to all buildings and structures within the jurisdiction of the local government that abide with the green infrastructure standards, which basically promote the reduction of the building s operating costs, its impacts on the environment and enhance the physical well-being of its occupants. To what extent do local business associations, such as chambers of commerce and similar, support efforts of small enterprises for business continuity during and after disasters? Level of Progress achieved: 2 Part of the provisions of Republic Act is mandating the local disaster risk reduction and management council to conduct disaster monitoring and mobilize instrumentalities and entities of the Civil Society Organizations and Private groups to utilize facilities and resources for the protection and preservation of life and properties during emergencies. This provision has also been adopted by the City s disaster management policy or Executive Order 23, Series of 2010 Organizing the Quezon City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (QCDRRMC), Redefining its functions, providing for its composition and for other purposes, pursuant to RA First cycle of Local HFA ( ) 7/29

8 Essential 3 Maintain up-to-date data on hazards and vulnerabilities, prepare risk assessments and use these as the basis for urban development plans and decisions. Ensure that this information and the plans for your city's resilience are readily available to the public and fully discussed with them. To what degree does the local government conducted thorough disaster risk assessments for key vulnerable development sectors in your local authority? Quezon City has been one of the few cities that have conducted the Walk the Fault project, a best practice that identifies the actual course of the earthquake faultline that will pass through the City. With the help of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), the City was able to identify the vulnerable areas in case an earthquake occurs. Dialogues have been started with the communities that are affected by the faultline. Apart from an earthquake disaster, the DRRM team has also determined the most flood prone areas and helped established early warning systems for the identified communities. One early warning practice being implemented is the effective cascading of weather updates during typhoons. PAGASA provides real time updates to the disaster team and the team then disseminates these updates to the 142 barangays to prepare their respective communities. Flood markers were also put up to the most flood prone areas. Furthermore, one of the outputs of the "Building a Disaster Resilient Quezon City Project" is the Hazards, Vulnerability and Risk Assessment (HVRA) which provides the scientific basis for the DRRMP and a possible input into the Comprehensive Land Use Plan, City Development Plan and other sectoral plans of the City. EMI, with support and the participation of QCG, will be producing the HVRA which will include scientific information for earthquake and floods. The information on Earthquake risk will include fault location, severity of ground shaking, areas with potential liquefaction, areas with potential for fire following, distribution of damage to buildings, critical facilities, high loss facilities and potential damage to transportation systems and lifelines. The HVRA will also include information on "hotspots", which will be identified by EMI experts through analyzing the overlap of weighted risk impacts, and setting criteria for ranking barangays in terms of combined risks. First cycle of Local HFA ( ) 8/29

9 To what extent are these risk assessments regularly updated, e.g. annually or on a bi-annual basis? The Building a Disaster Resilient Quezon City Project utilizes a highly participatory approach which will enable the local stakeholders to update the HVRA on their own after project completion. Weekly working sessions with EMI and the Project Technical Working Group were formalized for the purpose of developing the Disaster Risk Geo- Spatial Database for DRRM. How regularly does the local government communicate to the community, information on local hazard trends and risk reduction measures (e.g. using a Risk Communications Plan) including early warnings of likely hazard impact? The Quezon City Government is governing under a wide democratic space, with many opportunities for citizen s participation. The 198-member City Development Council, which has representation from all 142 barangays and 50 NGOs and people s organizations, formulated Comprehensive City Development Plans, a City Investment Plan, and a Comprehensive Land Use Plan. On 2012, the City Development Council mandated the creation of the Functional Committee on the Mainstreaming of Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) and Climate Change Adaptation, so that these become intrinsic considerations in the city s development plans. The QCDRRMC disseminates disaster-related information to the local communities through the Barangay Emergency Response Team composed of barangay officials, residents, non-government and private organizations. How well are local government risk assessments linked to, and supportive of, risk assessments from neighbouring local authorities and state or provincial government risk management plans? First cycle of Local HFA ( ) 9/29

10 The City is also part of the Alliance of 7, a union of seven municipalities/cities most affected during the Typhoon Ondoy in Sept The Alliance aims to equip the cities with proper skills through knowledge sharing to ensure that what happened in 2009 will never happen again. How well are disaster risk assessments incorporated into all relevant local development planning on a consistent basis? The City s Comprehensive Land Use Plan for has recently been updated adopting the modern trend towards balanced, mixed-use communities and recognizing the need to maintain environmentally protected zones especially around the city s reservoir. It also includes as part of its critical development framework, those considerations for disaster-risk reduction for the general population and for protecting environmentally sensitive areas. The Building a Disaster Resilient Quezon City Project, the City, with its partner, EMI, are currently undertaking series of workshops and activities to come up with a customized process of integrating the results of the HVRA into the relevant local development planning processes. The HVRA will be produced with the aim to inform all disaster and emergency management plans, as well as the different development plans of the city. First cycle of Local HFA ( ) 10/29

11 Essential 4 Invest in and maintain critical infrastructure that reduces risk, such as flood drainage, adjusted where needed to cope with climate change. How far do land use policies and planning regulations for housing and development infrastructure take current and projected disaster risk (including climate related risks) into account? Housing Communication Transportation Energy No Quezon City pursues an urban development framework anchored on disaster risk minimization and environmental management. The City's Task Force Waterways was created to jointly program the flood control strategy of the City. It is a multi-disciplinary team consisting of engineers, architects, urban planners and urban poor and resettlement experts. It is a local government team that coordinates extensively with national government agencies and affected communities. The Taskforce coordinates engineering works with resettlement strategies and oversees the city s drainage improvement programs. While considerable infrastructure improvements have been made, especially with the existing drainages in areas prone to flooding, the barangays feel that these measures have to be fast tracked to cover all areas of the City. The monitoring and maintenance of the drainage system also need to be strengthened. How adequately are critical public facilities and infrastructure located in high risk areas assessed for all hazard risks and safety? First cycle of Local HFA ( ) 11/29

12 The City's public facilities are regularly evaluated by the Engineering Department of the City. However, regular coordination between the Engineering team and the Barangays need to be improved in order to effectively implement initiatives to protect public facilities and infrastructures from major damages during disasters. Also, the City's concrete plans on relocating structures along river easements and faultlines have to be effectively communicated to the local communities thru the help of the barangays concerned. How adequate are the measures that are being undertaken to protect critical public facilities and infrastructure from damage during disasters? There have been 78 areas in 35 barangays identified to be prone to flashfloods, due to overflowing creeks and drainage systems. That is why the City Government is undertaking continuous infrastructure responses as well as quick detection and evacuation response programs at the community level. The flood control programs are complemented by programs of the various relevant national government agencies such as the Department of Public Works and Highways. Through the Task Force Waterways, an inventory of the existence or absence of retaining walls along major waterways and construction of these walls has already started, as well as the resettlement and clearing requirements of families encroached along embankments and waterways. The City Government continues to census those located in danger zones, collaborating with the national agencies on housing. First cycle of Local HFA ( ) 12/29

13 Essential 5 Assess the safety of all schools and health facilities and upgrade these as necessary. To what extent have local schools, hospitals and health facilities received special attention for "all hazard" risk assessments in your local authority? Schools Hospitals/ health facilities Regular assessment of public school buildings is being undertaken and continuous structural upgrading is also being programmed for the safety of the schoolchildren. The hospitals, on the other hand, have started upgrading their systems to ensure that they remain operational during calamities. East Avenue Medical Hospital, together with the Red Cross team, are finalizing the City s Emergency Medical Service. The hospital, being one of Quezon City s main public hospitals, has created a system in responding to various emergency situations wherein they have identified the hospitals to be tapped for specific types of emergencies How safe are all main schools, hospitals and health facilities from disasters so that they have the ability to remain operational during emergencies? Schools Hospitals/ health facilities First cycle of Local HFA ( ) 13/29

14 In 2009, the City government invested Php 559 million to transform Quezon City General Hospital, which is one of the two City-owned hospitals, into a five-storey medical center with a 250-bed capacity. Situated within a 10,000-sqm floor area, the building design which was a product of a special study team composed of consultants from the Department of Health, as well as doctors, architects and engineers of the City government ensures that it will have a safety-conscious building design and material finishes, with high seismic and wind factor, fire-resistivity, non-toxic, anti-bacterial, hypo-allergenic, anti-static, sound-absorbent and non-slippery finishes. Public schools are also regularly assessed by the City's Engineering Department. To what degree do local government or other levels of government have special programs in place to regularly assess schools, hospitals and health facilities for maintenance, compliance with building codes, general safety, weather-related risks etc.? Schools Hospitals/ health facilities The Safe Building Program was established as part of the City s disaster preparedness initiative. The City s Office of the Building Official spearheads the systematic and regular inspection of buildings, such as public schools and shopping malls to ensure compliance to safety standards. How far are regular disaster preparedness drills undertaken in schools, hospitals and health facilities? Schools Hospitals/ health facilities First cycle of Local HFA ( ) 14/29

15 The schoolchildren will be one of the most vulnerable groups when a disaster strikes. The City believes they should be given skills and information for them to be prepared, that is why the DRRM team has also been conducting emergency drills to the different public schools of Quezon City, particularly to those with the highest number of students. Between October 2011 to January 2012, 42 high schools were trained on the "Organization of Junior Rescuers for Public High Schools" as part of the information campaign being undertaken by the city. In addition, earthquake drills are also spearheaded by the city in schools and some private agencies. First cycle of Local HFA ( ) 15/29

16 Essential 6 Apply and enforce realistic, risk compliant building regulations and land use planning principles. Identify safe land for low-income citizens and develop upgrading of informal settlements, wherever feasible. How well are risk-sensitive land use regulations and building codes, health and safety codes enforced across all development zones and building types? The Quezon City Comprehensive Land Use Plan for includes, as part of its critical development framework, considerations for disaster-risk reduction for the general population and for protecting environmentally sensitive areas. These considerations include preventing informal settlements from putting up structures on natural floodplains. A five-meter buffer zone along the earthquake fault line will also be implemented. The Earthquake Preparedness Program of the City is done in close coordination with the PhiVOLCS, for the precise determination of the faultline and danger areas. The City has also identified and alerted the 594 lot owners of properties living in or near this fault line. No new structures are allowed in this earthquake buffer area, which shall gradually be transformed into green linear parks. Markers along the faultline have also been established. However, there is a need to continuously update these regulations and policies and improve the capacity of the City s and barangays personnel to ensure that these new policies are strictly enforced. How strong are existing regulations (e.g. land use plans, building codes etc) to support disaster risk reduction in your local authority? The HVRA outputs of the "Building a Disaster Resilient Quezon City Project" will include the identification of hotspots which will provide the City Government a clear understanding and mapping of the current situation, which in turn will enable the city to First cycle of Local HFA ( ) 16/29

17 make informed decisions towards planning of future investments. The HVRA also aims to update all disaster/emergency management plans and strategies. The process of formulating the DRRM Plan consists of engaging local stakeholders in coming up with a strategy for integrating the HVRA outputs into the planning processes of the city. First cycle of Local HFA ( ) 17/29

18 Essential 7 Ensure education programmes & training on disaster risk reduction are in place in schools and communities. How regularly does the local government conduct awarenessbuilding or education programs on DRR and disaster preparedness for local communities? Programs include cultural diversity issues Programs are sensitive to gender perspectives No As part of the provision of EO 23, Series of 2010 Organizing the Quezon City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (QCDRRMC), Redefining its functions, providing for its composition and for other purposes, pursuant to RA 10121, the DRRM council is tasked to conduct regular trainings, orientation and knowledge management activities at the community level. Since 2010, workshops on fire, earthquake and flood preparedness have been annually conducted to barangays, schools and other public and private institutions. To what extent does the local government provide training in risk reduction for local officials and community leaders? The DRRM team provides lectures and information campaigns that include actual demonstrations of survival management to empower the communities to develop their own survival skills. Starting with the City s 142 barangays, the team has already conducted a disaster preparedness and rescue orientation course with more than 750 First cycle of Local HFA ( ) 18/29

19 participants. Trainings per barangay have been continuously organized by the team, with 20 barangays having undergone the second set of disaster preparedness trainings. Different civil society groups, schools, non-government and private organizations have also benefitted from the same lectures and trainings. A coordination meeting was also organized with the building engineers of the 20 malls and shopping centers located in Quezon City to ensure that they have the proper skills and action teams to respond to their customers in case of emergencies and/or calamities. The team has also started with an enhanced capacity building program that involves actual floodwater, high-angle and collapsed building rescue trainings. Next to undergo with the same trainings will be the Quezon City Hall Action team, which is composed of representatives from the different departments of the City Government. Even with these efforts, there is still a need to enhance the capacity and knowledge on disaster preparedness not only at the City level but more so, at the community level. To what degree do local schools and colleges include courses, education or training in disaster risk reduction (including climate related risks) as part of the education curriculum? The Quezon City Polytechnic University (QCPU) is the tertiary-level educational institution funded and managed by the City Government. QCPU, through its National Service Training Program, has established a partnership with the Department of Public Order and Safety (DPOS) to conduct seminars to its students on disaster risk reduction management. There are also student volunteers who are trained to respond in different types of emergencies. How aware are citizens of evacuation plans or drills for evacuations when necessary? The City has a central office and communication center for emergency response, First cycle of Local HFA ( ) 19/29

20 which is the DPOS Rescue Office and Radio Office. These agencies coordinate with the different barangays for early warnings and relief operations during disasters. First cycle of Local HFA ( ) 20/29

21 Essential 8 Protect ecosystems and natural buffers to mitigate floods, storm surges and other hazards to which your city may be vulnerable. Adapt to climate change by building on good risk reduction practices. How well integrated are local government DRR policies, strategies and implementation plans with existing environmental development and natural resource management plans? The City s land use plan includes considerations for disaster-risk reduction for general population and for Protection Land Use this refers to the conservation and management of sensitive or critical ecosystems within the City, which includes rehabilitation of degraded resources to allow them to regenerate and identification and protection of environmentally constrained areas and environmental preservation areas. Protection policies for these ecosystems are also highlighted in the Land Use Plan which have the following salient points: Delineating and putting up demarcation boundaries for the protect areas to prevent confusion and conflict among affected segments of the population Intensifying IEC campaigns to instill in people the value of protecting certain resources and areas as part of disaster preparedness. To what degree does the local government support the restoration, protection and sustainable management of ecosystems services? Forests Coastal zones Wetlands Water resources No No No First cycle of Local HFA ( ) 21/29

22 River basins Fisheries No No Being endowed with the most extensive expanse of open space and greenery in Metro Manila which takes up about one-fifth of the total land area of the city, the land use plan also provides for the vision of Quezon City as the Green Lung of the Metropolis. These areas for preservation consist of major and special parks that are themselves unique in terms of size, features and biodiversity. Also included are the institutional grounds, historical parks, green pockets strips and street parks. Currently, the City is defining buffer zones around the 2,700 hectare La Mesa watershed and ecological park, which is the source of drinking water for Metro Manila and which is a sanctuary for biodiversity. This buffer zone shall be a green area as well, wherein minimal structure will be allowed, and with land use favoring health and wellness and park recreational How much do civil society organizations and citizens participate in the restoration, protection and sustainable management of ecosystems services? To encourage community involvement in flood mitigation programs, the City also conducts annually, a Riverways Management Program that has been regarded as a Sound Practice for Megacities by the National Research Institute for Earth Sciences and Disaster Prevention based in Kobe, Japan. This is done by volunteers from the142 barangays or community groups who remove garbage, other obstructions and siltation from our waterways. This regular riverways cleanup has resulted in an 18% decrease in flood-prone areas in the city. How much does the private sector participate in the implementation of environmental and ecosystems management plans in your local authority? First cycle of Local HFA ( ) 22/29

23 The City Government has been active in partnering with the private sector in ensuring effective management of the City's environment. An example is the partnership with major malls for the conduct of the monthly waste market that aims to instill the value of proper waste segregation to all stakeholders. First cycle of Local HFA ( ) 23/29

24 Essential 9 Install early warning systems and emergency management capacities in your city and hold regular public preparedness drills. To what degree do local institutions have access to financial reserves to support effective disaster response and early recovery? The City Government is in the process of finalizing the detailed DRRM plan that includes the utilization of the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund by the concerned stakeholders including the local institutions. To what extent are early warning centres established, adequately staffed (or on-call personnel) and well resourced (power back ups, equipment redundancy etc) at all times? As part of the City's disaster preparedness program, the barangays have established a mechanism where public address systems are utilized to warn residents about the onset of disasters. The City also has an effective system of cascading weather updates during typhoons. PAGASA provides real time updates to the disaster team and the team disseminates these updates to the 142 barangays to prepare their respective communities. Flood markers were also put up to the most flood prone areas. Though these early warning systems have been established, the City acknowledges that there is still much to be done, more equipment/devices to be purchased and regular trainings to local communities to be conducted. An effective dissemination strategy of the City's disaster preparedness and contingency plans will also have to be established. First cycle of Local HFA ( ) 24/29

25 How much do warning systems allow for adequate community participation? What makes Quezon City s Risk assessment effective is its practical measurements in identifying the most disaster prone areas. Strategies were developed with the involvement of community leaders who had first hand experience on disaster management in their respective communities. Quezon City has been one of the few cities that have conducted the Walk the Fault project, a best practice that identifies the actual course of the earthquake faultline that will pass through the City by putting up physical markings. With the help of the PHIVOLCS, the City was able to identify the vulnerable areas in case an earthquake occurs. Dialogues have been started with the communities that are affected by the faultline. Those who are affected will be relocated, however, the City Government is still developing contingency plans especially for concrete structures and building constructed on top of the faultline. The City has also determined the most flood prone areas and helped established early warning systems for the identified communities. One early warning practice being implemented is the effective cascading of weather updates during typhoons. PAGASA provides real time updates to the disaster team and the team then disseminates these updates to the 142 barangays to prepare their respective communities. Flood markers were also put up to the most flood prone areas. To what extent does the local government have an emergency operations centre (EOC) and/or an emergency communication system? The City has a central office and communication center for emergency response, which is the DPOS Rescue Office and Radio Office. These agencies coordinate with the different barangays for early warnings and relief operations during disasters. Part of the outputs of the "Building a Disaster Resilient Quezon City Project" is to develop recommendations on the physical lay-out of the existing Emergency Operations Center (EOC), and to assess the information flow and information management processes of the EOC. EMI experts are currently studying and analyzing the proposed First cycle of Local HFA ( ) 25/29

26 construction plan and design for the new DRRM building for Quezon City which are aligned with EMAP-2007 standards. How regularly are training drills and rehearsal carried out with the participation of relevant government, non-governmental, local leaders and volunteers? Enhancing Quezon City s effective response by increasing the community resilience through the Barangay Emergency Response Team, or BERT, a one-day enhancement training for the members of the BERT of each of the 142 barangays started in The participants underwent training and workshop in Community Preparedness, Barangay Organizational Structure, Coordination and Reporting, Evacuation Management, Climate Change Adaptation, Fire Safety Measures and First Aid and Basic Life Support. How available are key resources for effective response, such as emergency supplies, emergency shelters, identified evacuation routes and contingency plans at all times? Stockpiles of relief supplies Emergency shelters Safe evacuation routes identified Contingency plan or community disaster preparedness plan for all major hazards During calamities and disasters, barangay halls, covered courts and public schools First cycle of Local HFA ( ) 26/29

27 are used as evacuation centers or temporary shelters for the victims. All barangays have identified the safe routes going to these facilities and have disseminated this information to their communities. However, the barangays do not stock emergency supplies, especially food and clothing, and they still depend on the Social Services Development Department (SSDD), which provides these services. First cycle of Local HFA ( ) 27/29

28 Essential 10 After any disaster, ensure that the needs of the survivors are placed at the centre of reconstruction with support for them and their community organizations to design and help implement responses, including rebuilding homes and livelihoods. How much access does the local government have to resources and expertise to assist victims of psycho-social (psychological, emotional) impacts of disasters? The City s Social Services Development Department conducts stress debriefing to affected families as part of the post disaster activities of the Department. How well are disaster risk reduction measures integrated into postdisaster recovery and rehabilitation activities (i.e. build back better, livelihoods rehabilitation)? Part of City s protocol for post disaster activities include assessment of damages to the public infrastructures such as roads, buildings, schools and hospital, as well as, post disaster needs analysis, account of evacuees/victims and cleanup operations of garbage, creeks, school buildings and evacuation centers. To what degree does the Contingency Plan (or similar plan) include an outline strategy for post disaster recovery and reconstruction, including needs assessments and livelihoods rehabilitation? First cycle of Local HFA ( ) 28/29

29 Powered by TCPDF ( Victims of calamities are assisted by the City during and after disasters through its various departments. Some of which are as follows: DPOS for rescue operations; SSDD for post-disaster provision of emergency food supplies and psycho-social counseling; City Health Department for post-disaster provision of medical assistance; and EPWMD for post-disaster cleanups. However, there is still a need to involve as many players as possible so that reconstruction efforts are easily done. First cycle of Local HFA ( ) 29/29