The
Philippines is well identified to be prone to natural disasters,
and even technological disasters. PICE being a huge organization
with nationwide reach, through its 95 chapters in all the regions,
and being an organization of technology professionals, is able and
willing to advance volunteerism at the community level to help mitigate
and prepare for disasters.
PICE members shall become volunteers not only as responders but
also as planners.
DMAPS shall be a chapter-based disaster mitigation and preparedness
project, with nationwide coordination.
Activities shall include data dissemination (researching and distributing)
and capacity building (training and organizing).
During Year 1 of this project, the focus shall be on natural disasters.
(Natural disasters include drought, earthquake, epidemic, flood,
insect infestation, slide, volcano eruption, water wave/surge, wild
fire, wind storm, etc. as catalogued by the Asian Disaster Reduction
Center or by the OFDA/CRED International Disaster Database.) More
than 350 natural disaster events are in known catalogues for the
period 1901-2000. For this whole period, according to the ADRC analysis,
wind storm (typhoon) events lead in terms of frequency, in total
number of people killed, injured, or otherwise affected, and in
monetary value of damage. Earthquakes rank second in terms of total
number of people killed or injured, and in value of damage. Floods
place second, too, in terms of frequency, in total number of people
affected, and in value of damage. Volcano eruptions rank third in
terms of number of people killed, and in damage value
|
|
As
the Strategy #1 by the PICE DMAPS project, these catalogued
disaster events shall be map-linked as accurately as possible by
the PICE chapters nationwide.It shall be the immediate purpose of
such Disaster Maps to heighten the public awareness of historical
disasters. (Example1: The Baguio Chapter shall map the past landslides
in the CAR region) Each chapter shall draw attention to past events
not only in its present geographic territory, but also in territories
of all adjoining chapters.
The Strategy #2 shall be to develop, gather, or
update Hazard Maps covering each chapter territory, wherein natural
hazards as presently existing in the natural environment shall be
indicated. It shall be the immediate purpose of such hazard maps
to heighten the public consciousness of existing natural threats.
(Example3: Lungsod ng Maynila Chapter shall map the districts threatened
by annual floods. Example4: East Metro Manila Chapter and other
NCR chapters shall gather maps showing traces of the Valley Fault
System. Example5: Chapters in Region 9, ARMM, and Region 12 shall
mark the coastal zones in Southern Mindanao that are threatened
by tsunami waves.) Preferably, the relative level or degree of hazard
shall be reflected in the maps as well.
In the Strategy #3, elements of the built environment
that may be prone to the effects of natural hazards shall be inventoried
and indicated on Vulnerability Maps. Vulnerability Maps shall differ
from hazard maps, as the former shall highlight those types of built
structures or facilities that are deemed technically to be relatively
more vulnerable to certain disasters. (Example6: chapters in Region
5, shall map those structures more likely to be severely damaged
by typhoon winds, in contrast to the less vulnerable structures.)
|
|
In
the Stategy #4, the national committee shall coordinate
and oversee the preparation of national guidelines, standards, and
manuals in all phases of the project, while the chapter committees
shall plan and implement their unique activities locally at community
level.
The Strategy #5, shall
be to hold training in making, using, and explaining the different
types of maps, in way proactive to mitigate disasters. Also part
of this strategy shall be to prepare with practical skills for emergency
response. Among those trained volunteers, teams or clusters shall
be formed at various levels, from chapters to regions to national.
|
