Dr. Ebinezer Florano talks about “pre-disaster recovery planning”

Dr. Ebinezer Florano talks about “pre-disaster recovery planning” to speed up disaster recovery and rehabilitation in disaster-hit areas in the country. Aired in Jessica Soho’s State of the Nation news program on 11 November 2014.

 

Compliance with, and Effective Implementation of A Multilateral Environmental Agreement: Looking Back at the Transboundary Haze Pollution Problem in the ASEAN Region

Ebinezer R. Florano, Ph.D.

Abstract

 “Smoke haze” is a transboundary pollution problem which severely affected the Southeast Asian region during its most devastating occurrence in 1997-1998. As a response, the ASEAN implemented its Regional Haze Action Plan in 1997 backed up by a legal framework called ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution which took effect in 2003. Looking back, this paper will attempt to explain the regulatory ability of the ASEAN to solve the problem by investigating the compliance of four countries (i.e., Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines) with the regional anti-haze pollution measures, and their implementation of domestic laws to stop forest fires.

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Read in the 2014 EROPA Conference on “Public Administration and Governance in the Context of Regional and Global Integration” held at the Viet Nam National Convention Center, Ha Noi, Viet Nam on 19-24 October 2014.

Also read in the 3^rd International Conference on “ASEAN Connectivity: Current Issues and Future ProspectsTowards ASEAN Community” held at the College of Politics and Governance, Mahasarakham University, Mahasarakham Province, Thailand on 17 November 2014.

DISASTER-RESILIENT COMMUNITY INDEX: MEASURING THE RESILIENCY OF BARANGAYS IN TACLOBAN, ILIGAN, DAGUPAN, AND MARIKINA CITIES

Ebinezer R. Florano, Ph.D.*

Assistant Professor

National College of Public Administration and Governance

University of the Philippines

Diliman, 1101 Quezon City

ABSTRACT

The Disaster-Resilient Community Index (DRCI) is a tool developed by the author that can be used to assess the resiliency of communities vis-à-vis natural disasters. It consists of five thematic areas, namely: (1) governance, (2) knowledge and education, (3) risk assessment, (4) risk management and vulnerability reduction, and (5) disaster preparedness and response. Their 199 indicators were based from a guidance note that lists down all characteristics of a disaster-resilient community. Data were gathered through the use of checklists which were triangulated with the following methods:  (1) documents review, (2) focus group discussions at the barangay level, and (3) interviews with relevant local government officials. The DRCI was used in assessing the resiliency of 12 barangays in four cities, namely: Tacloban, Iligan, Dagupan, and Marikina which were hit by strong typhoons from 2009 to 2013, i.e., Yolanda, Sendong, Pepeng, and Ondoy, respectively. The DRCI can compare the average index values of all barangays by city and identify the strengths and weaknesses of each barangay and city.

Read in the Third National Climate Conference of the National Academy of Science and Technology of the Department of Science and Technology in partnership with OML Center, Philippines held on 25 September 2014 in Traders Hotel, Roxas Boulevard, Manila, Philippines.

This presentation is based on a research report entitled, “Community Governance for Disaster Recovery and Resilience: Four Case Studies in the Philippines” that was carried out with the aid of a grant from the Global Development Network/Japan International Cooperative Agency (GDN/JICA) administered by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) as East Asian Development Network (EADN ) Secretariat.

MAINSTREAMING INTEGRATED CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION AND DISASTER RISK REDUCTION IN LOCAL DEVELOPMENT PLANS IN THE PHILIPPINES

 Ebinezer R. Florano, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor

National College of Public Administration and Governance

University of the Philippines

Abstract

This chapter illustrates how the two conceptually distinct climate change adaptation (CCA) and disaster risk reduction (DRR) are mainstreamed in the development plans of local government units in the Philippines using integrated frameworks for vulnerability analysis and the development of climate-resilient local Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) and Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP) prescribed by the national government. The integration of CCA and DRR in the Philippines came after the failure of the passive disaster management, utilized since 1954, to prepare and response to disasters caused by extreme weather events of climate change. Using the case study approach, this chapter narrates how disaster-prone Sorsogon City was able to incorporate CCA and DRR measures and strategies in its CLUP and CDP.

(The paper is published as a book chapter in the online version of the Handbook of Climate Change Adaptation © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg, 2013. Available for viewing at
http://www.springerreference.com/docs/html/chapterdbid/367559.html

Also presented in Panel 1 – “Theories of Public Administration” of the World Conference for Public Administration with the theme, “Public Administration and Happiness: Policy Management and Politics from the Global Perspectives.” Organized by the Korean Association for Public Administration. 25-27 June 2014, Daegu Exhibition & Convention (EXCO), South Korea.)

BUILDING BACK A BETTER NATION:DISASTER REHABILITATION AND RECOVERY IN THE PHILIPPINES

Ebinezer R. Florano, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor

National College of Public Administration and Governance

University of the Philippines

and

Joe-Mar S. Perez

Training Specialist

Office of Civil Defense

Department of National Defense

Abstract

The paper explores the operationalization of Disaster Rehabilitation and Recovery (DRRE) in the Philippines context. It is divided into four sections. The first section discusses the origins and development of DRRE as a thematic area. It highlights the paradigm shift in the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management System which was brought about by the enactment of Republic Act 10121 as its legal framework. The second section discusses the design principles of DRRE. It explains how it is carried out through the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Plan. It explains the involvement of the communities in rehabilitation and recovery programs. It also discusses the Post-Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) as a specific DRRE tool. To further illustrate the use of PDNA, the third section presents the case of Davao Oriental, a province in the Mindanao region, which was heavily devastated by Typhoon “Pablo” (International Name: “Bopha”) in December 2012. It also explains how civil property rights serve as among the major considerations in the aftermath of a disaster and how the PDNA takes into account the civil property rights of the victims.

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Presented in the panel on “The Role of Law and Legal Services in DisasterResponse” of the XVIII ISA (InternationalSociology Association) World Congress of Sociology held on 13 July 2014,Pacifico Yokohama, Yokahama, Japan.