NSTP EB RESULT PRESENTATION. NSTP students and guests from Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Region 10, City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Department (CDRRMD) of Cagayan de Oro, Xavier Ateneo's Security Office, Engineering Resource Center, Biology Department, and Jose P Rizal School of School of Medicine draw together for a DRRM survey result presentation. Photo by Jericho B Ramayan
Report by Nestor D Cipriano Jr / NSTP2-EB
Disaster Risk Reduction Management has been a crucial program in our country for many years now as it affects the entire nation in every aspect. Cagayan de Oro is one of the cities which experiences disasters and it seems that people are not that prepared for disasters as they are expected to be.
The NSTP-EB class of Xavier Ateneo held a presentation of data from a survey conducted on disaster awareness and readiness of the Xavier University community, dubbed as “Know Disaster, No Disaster” last December 14, 2019 at the XU Science Center.
The survey was facilitated from September-November 2019 and supervised by Julemer Ann G Aying, project manager of MindaCELLs of the XU Engineering Resource Center (ERC); Dennise Edwina S Gonzales, XU-NSTP director; and Jericho Ramayan, class formator. The survey focused on evaluating the disaster readiness of the students, faculty, formators, and staff.
NSTP EB Result Presentation “Know Disaster, No Disaster”. Francis Rellin, NSTP EB student, presents the data of the study. Photo by Sid Pongase
The NSTP EB students further elaborated that the purpose of presenting the results of the survey was to gather feedback, insights and suggestions from experts on emergency and disaster preparedness; and humanitarian responders. This was also for the NSTP EB class to identify the needed content for specific audience for their Information Education Campaign (IEC) on Disaster Risk Reduction and Management for Xavier-Ateneo.
The activity was attended by respected personnel from the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Region 10, City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Department (CDRRMD) of Cagayan de Oro City; and invited unit representatives from Xavier-Ateneo which are frequently on the frontiers of Xavier-led disaster and emergency response team namely Security Office, Engineering Resource Center (ERC) of the College of Engineering, Biology Department, and Jose P. Rizal School of Medicine.
According to Ms. Gertrude Garcia from XU Biology Department said, “I admire what you have done.” It was her first time to know that there was an NSTP class doing survey on disaster awareness and readiness inside Xavier as part of the students’ community service. What caught their attention however, were the results of the survey showing the low percentage of the awareness of the students in Xavier-Ateneo on disaster preparedness.
NSTP EB Result Presentation “Know Disaster, No Disaster”. Fire Superintendent Richard Arbutante from BFP, Mr. Apollo Bacas from XU Security Office and Mr. Nick Jabagat from CDRRMD answering the questions and sharing valuable insights. Photo by Sid Pongase
During the open forum, Mr. Nick Jabagat, the Officer-In-Charge of City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Department (CDRRMD) of Cagayan de Oro City, mentioned that they cannot really deny the threat which disasters pose. He also added, “kumpara sa Xavier, nga nakapa-retrofit na sa mga buildings, ang city daghan pa kailangan trabahoon… including the school still lacks preparation for disasters but that they are ready to act in case of emergencies”. He elaborated further that the reason why Cagayan de Oro City is behind in suspending classes compared to other areas in Misamis Oriental is that they “are locally monitoring the impact of a disaster in CDO and evaluate its effects before acting“.
Budz Avez, BSCE 1 of NSTP EB class and one of the presenters, asked the guests regarding where in Xavier main campus is the most vulnerable area. Mr. Apollo Bacas of Security Office of Xavier-Ateneo answered, “the entire area is vulnerable because of the low elevation of its location”. Mr. Bacas also emphasized that Xavier has mitigation measures already to flood and fire respectively.
NSTP EB Result Presentation “Know Disaster, No Disaster”. Mr. Jericho Ramayan, NSTP EB formator gave a certificate of appearance to Ms. Julemer Ann Aying, class co-formator and representative from XU Engineering Resource Center. Photo by Nestor D. Cipriano Jr.
When the presenter asked the guests for recommendations on how to make people more actively engaged in the participation of the disseminating of information related disaster preparedness, Ms. Garcia pointed out, “You, younger generation, are the ones should teach us how to approach you…” She also added that Xavier-Ateneo community members are becoming more and more passive over the years in which Mr. Bacas agreed. She further expressed that some faculty and formators sometimes fail in their task in guiding or leading the students during emergency drills.
On the same note, F/Supt. Richard Arbutante shared that he knows someone who has knowledge on billiards and talks well on how to play billiards but when they went to play billiards, he found out that other person only knows how to play billiards on a cellular phone or personal computer through an app. This led him to realize that people still need to physically learn and acquire the muscle memory for them to be able to act accordingly in case of a disaster.
Before the activity ended, Mr. Jericho Ramayan, the Formator of NSTP EB class, clarified if Xavier has its focal team for DRRM who oversee matters related to it. Mr. Bacas said that the University has an emergency response team in each college and it is ready to act upon should an emergency arise. He also added that the Security Office however, is on its way of developing the contingency plan to better strengthen the Disaster Risk Reduction Management of Xavier University Ateneo de Cagayan.∎
NSTP EB Result Presentation “Know Disaster, No Disaster”. Photo Opportunity with the following invited guest from the front right to left in order: Mr. Nick Jabagat from CDRRMD, FSUPT RICHARD ARBUTANTE, BFP, DSC, MPSM from BFP, Ms. Gertude Garcia from XU Biology Department, Lt. Appolo Bacas from XU Security Office, Ms. Connie Surdilla from XU Dr Jose P Rizal School of Medicine, Ms. Julemer Ann Aying from ERC, Mr. Jericho Ramayan, NSTP EB Formator and the NSTP EB students. Photo by Nestor D. Cipriano Jr.