Journal of Earth Science & Climatic Change
Open Access

Abstract

Natural disasters and climate change are amongst the greatest threats to development. Although natural disasters have always presented risks, climate change increases those risks and compounded it by adding a greater level of uncertainty. On December 4, 2012; 4:45 AM; Typhoon Pablo (Bopha) traversed Compostela Valley affecting 249 barangays and 140,552 families in the province. The typhoon partially damaged 41,630 and totally damaged 28,747 houses leaving the people in evacuation shelters and other non-permanent settlements. Further, the total costs of damages for infrastructure, livelihood, social and settlements amounted to Php 27,459,000,000. This hydrological disaster resulted to the loss of lives, homes and livelihood and it opened an avenue for national leaders, local government units and non-government organizations to give importance to disaster preparedness and resilience as an integral part of governance. This experience also paved the way for the creation of a Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Plan (PDRRMP) that envisions a united, empowered, responsive, disasterresilient and climate change adaptive Comvalenyos. This study evaluates Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Plan and other activities to mainstream Disaster Risk Reduction and Management in Compostela Valley Province, Philippines. Results show that the primary goal of disaster risk reduction and management plan is to reduce vulnerabilities and exposures of communities through capability building and enhancing capacities of institutions in preparing for and responding to disasters. Local governments and communities participate actively in DRRM activities thus; implementation of PDRRM Plan is efficient and effective except for some challenges such as insufficiency of funds and personnel, the lack of technical experts to assist in the implementation and the weak monitoring and evaluation of DRRM programs and projects.

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