MANILA — Eleven years have passed since Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) devastated the Philippines, leaving an indelible mark on the nation's resilience. 

Since that tragedy, Filipinos have faced countless other extreme weather events, each testing their spirit and readiness. 

Although strides have been made in disaster preparedness, a recent survey by the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative highlights a critical gap: much more must be done to safeguard vulnerable communities and strengthen their resilience against future threats.

Between February and March this year, the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative (HHI) surveyed over 4,600 Filipinos nationwide to gauge public perceptions on climate change and disaster preparedness.

The findings reveal a cumulative preparedness score of 19.2 out of 50, spanning key areas such as planning, training, resource investment, information access, and community support.

The score is said to be significantly higher from 2017’s 13.5.

“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,” says Dr. Vincenzo Bollettino, director of the HHI Resilient Communities program and co-lead of the study.

However, Bollettino says the score remains lacking especially for a country that has consistently topped the list of the most vulnerable countries to natural hazards, risks and disasters.

With at least 20 typhoons entering the Philippine Area of Responsibility per year, a lot of Filipinos were found to monitor typhoons and heed disaster warnings (70%). 

They also exert effort to familiarize themselves with rainfall warning systems (60%) as well as safeguard important documents (87%) should extreme weather become destructive.

However, the survey has seen that families don’t talk about their emergency plans as much (58%) with even fewer establishing a disaster management plan (20%), Go bag (27%), adequate supplies of medications (32%), and first-aid kit (33%).  

Metro Manila, among the least prepared regions

Despite being the center of the country’s commerce, a robust population and home to leaders and policy makers, Metro Manila is among the regions with the “least progress in disaster preparedness overtime” ranking 11th of 18.

Regions affected by extreme weather events in recent years fared higher in terms of score and ranks. Among them the Cordillera Administrative Region, Central Visayas, Western Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula and Eastern Visayas.

Emergency management expert Dr. Ted Esguerra emphasizes that disaster preparedness in the Philippines cannot be achieved after just a few extreme weather events. 

Instead, it requires a lasting, deep-rooted commitment within the Filipino consciousness to function effectively when it matters most.

“First is your personal conviction on how you will prepare. Second, your immediate support systems, your family and immediate community. Third, our education. Has disaster preparedness been included in our curriculum similar to what Japan has done. Indoctrination is still lacking despite the Philippines being a hazard-prone region,” he said.

Esguerra adds that logistical requirements must also be considered carefully when preparing for disasters as each part of the country has its own unique context. A one-size-fits-all solutions simply will not work.

More importantly, Esguerra says the country’s leadership must “have imagination and foresight.”

“Disaster management is a very wide and very protracted science. We are short-sighted because most of our leaders only think about the six-year plan.”

Short-term projects, even if viable, will not be feasible in the long-run. Aggravating this, he explains, is the fact that different leaders may have different plans and priorities that consider only their locality.

As climate change continues to exacerbate extreme weather, the need to truly safeguard vulnerable communities and reduce the impact of future disasters, disaster preparedness must be embedded into every level of society—from local governments to individuals. 

Only through sustained commitment, education, and resources can the Philippines ensure that its people are not only ready but also empowered to face the challenges ahead.