DISASTER PREPAREDNESS: THE DINGLE (ILOILO) MODEL

Two major typhoons within a six years period was enough to put Dingle into a typhoon preparedness mode that enabled it to be prepared better for this latest super howler- Yolanda (International Code Name: Haiyan). Each of the two previous typhoons gave lessons and learning that brought the whole local government unit (LGU) into a higher level and resulted to zero casualty this time. Yet despite the system, “there were still rooms for improvements and unexpected situations not present in the previous calamities”, said its Mayor, Dr. Rufino Palabrica III, popularly addressed by his constituents as Doc Beloy. “This experience is again a lesson for us to further improve our series of protocols on disaster response and mitigation”.

Establishment of the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Center.

Utilizing one of the buildings in the compound of the municipal hall complex, the LGU set up its DRRMC where equipment and supplies were centralized. On call was bulk order of supplies that was to be delivered by suppliers given a 24 hour notice. These supplies included ready to eat food, easy to cook food, medical supplies and OTC medicines that can be dispensed upon request. Sacks of rice were also ordered from the local millers with the instructions to supply the best quality stocks. Sardines, the most affordable canned food was of the middle level quality, not too expensive and not low quality either. The rationale is that the evacuees are already suffering and to make them suffer more with the low quality rice they will be eating at the center is inhuman.

The Dingle DRRMC was also equipped with tools and equipment for use during disasters like a chain saw and axes, bolos, spades, crow bars and other digging tools wherein they can be withdrawn by authorized personnel upon just before the landfall of a typhoon and readied in the quick response vehicles for instant dispatch.

All LGU equipment that includes two loaders, a road grader, several dump trucks and a bulldozer are ensured to be at tiptop conditions all the time and upon information that an impending typhoon will hit the vicinity of the province, these equipment are doubly checked for operational reliability during clearing and rehabilitation activities.

Days prior to a typhoon a predicted by the national weather agency, PAGASA, The Mayor directs the DRRMC team to make rounds of the whole municipality to inform people and to document the whole municipality as basis for the before-and-after reports that will become a tool that will help the Commission on Audit make an objective assessment of the extent of damage and the cost of rehabilitation. This latter actions has served the LGU well in terms of liquidating its typhoon and disaster related costs and expenses.

Establishment and Commissioning of Barangay Emergency Evacuation Centers:

Right after Typhoon Frank where the municipality witnessed the deluge of evacuees to makeshift evac centers, each of the 33 barangay Chairmen was required by the Chief Executive to identify and fund a permanent evacuation center which is one of the classrooms of their barangay elementary or high school or the barangay hall itself. This evac center was then improved and readied for emergency so that given a moment's notice, its conversion is instant or immediate. In the center will be supplies like water and firewood, basic cooking utensils like big pots and large portable wood stoves. As an SOP, all these barangay-based evac centers were provided with supplies just before the entry of the tyohoon so that food and water is available during the worst period of the howler.

Building locally made boats for rescue operations.

The experience of Frank and Quinta opened the eyes of the LGU to the need for its own rescue boats. Quinta exposed the vulnerability of imported rubber boats popular with the armed forces and the navy. Dingle is full of bamboo stands which have multifarious uses, from food to housing materials and their sharp thorns and ends puncture these rubber boats, not only endangering the occupants but also destroying these expensive equipment. And in times of crisis, the army or the owners of these equipments receive so many calls that more often than not. Dingle is the last to be attended to. This situation drove Dingle to build its own rescue boats, by deciding on the right design and commissioning expert boat makers from a neighboring town to build them.

Brgy. Pandan was hit hard during Typhoon Frank where the leaders were not able to rescue people from the sitios that were isolated by the flood. This made them decide on an appropriate type of boat suited for their needs. A local welder who had previous experience in boat building was commissioned to build a catamaran based on the design that Brgy Chairman Neil Daraug innovated from the air boats of the Florida swamps. The resulting model was highly buoyant and despite its small size can easily carry 15 persons or 20 bags of palay. Its prime mover is a 15HP gas engine driving a propeller based on the design of blowers used to winnow rough rice. The boat can easily maneuver in shallow waters and can beat the strong flood currents rampant in the flooded areas of his barangay.

The success of the catamaran of Brgy. Pandan spawned two other copies built this time by former B member Wilfredo “Boy” Quinlat for the barangays of Ginalinan Nuevo and Abangay. Both saw action in the latest typhoon Yolanda. These two other boats figured prominently in the rescue and distribution efforts of the municipality, particularly in their respective barangays.

Organizing and Training of Rescuers and Responders:

Although Dingle is known to produce champion swimmers, it did not have its own water-bound rescue group until early this year when there was an unfortunate drowning incident where even the police was not able to respond to the drowning victims. Have they had the appropriate training, the drowning victims could have been saved. A group of Dingleanon expert swimmers and rescue trainors volunteered to train the volunteers identified by their respective barangay chairmen. Each barangay along Jalaur River sent their teams for a three days training that included water search and rescue and how to manage drowning victims. A set of call-up protocols was also drafted by the different teams and the overall management for call ups was in the hands of the head of the DRRMC.

More than 80 volunteers signed up and were trained. This effort paid off well during the recent typhoon where within minutes of the call up, each rescue team was already positioned in their respective barangays ready for emergencies. They also helped during the clearing operations where countless of trees fell mostly across roads and trails so that communities can immediately be reached either for flood related rescue or to carry in food and other supplies for the starving people.

Procurement of a high amperage generator.

The most crucial among the decisions of the municipal government was the procurement of a high generator, capable of generating power for the varied needs of the municipal hall and the health center so that even during massive black outs, the LGU can still operate and respond to the needs of the residents. While brown outs were a regular occurrence in the ILECO served areas in the province, the black out due to the massive damage to the power lines, rendered the whole town powerless. The first action done by the LGU was to open the doors of the hall to provide free cellphone and computer charging so that residents can charge portable lights, cell phones and other electronic gadgets.

The LGU was not only able to secure its premises with the bright lights around the municipal buildings, the lights also served as beacon for the residents in search of power and light during the pitch black situation for several nights after the typhoon.

Standard Operating Procedures:

Also crucial in the operation of the DRRMC is the institutionalization of the set of SOPs to be followed during disasters and emergency operations. These SOPs were regularly reviewed and drilled so that during actual conditions, execution would be smooth and automatic. Immediately after conditions have normalized, the new experiences will have to be added and a manual will now be formally written and launched.

Yolanda's Impact and How the DRRMC Acted:

While the government weather agency gave ample warnings about the strength of Yolanda, the residents and the LGU of Dingle was surprised by the actual wrath of the super typhoon. The howler hit the town so badly that many thought it was the end. GI sheets and even whole roofs flew. Strongly standing mahogany trees everywhere were felled with just a few gusts. Many trees and coconuts fell right on the houses. It was only after a day that flood waters started to rise which created even greater damage to flood prone communities. In Sitio Tampi, as always, water reached roof tops and this time though, the DRRMC was prepared to evacuate the roof-bound residents.

But the Dingle DRRMC underestimated this super typhoon. While it has its own chain saw, the need for many more surfaced right after Yolanda left. The sheer number of trees fallen on the roads and trails was such that there should be immediate action so that the roads are made passable and the town accessible for aid and for supply replenishment. So the LGU had to hire 4 more chain saws so that work on the roads will be faster.

The day after the howler, the LGU directed its personnel to do damage assessment and to determine the number of residents affected. The barangay chairmen were required to report by the hour for updates using every possible means to make contact. While damage assessment was being done, key personnel were also assessing where the the LGU and the DRRMC was weak so that it can immediately be rectified and new protocols and systems can be designed to meet these weaknesses better the next time.

While the rescuers, concerned citizens and LGU personnel worked hard, the LGU opened a soup kitchen that provided basic food and unlimited coffee 24 hours in support of the workers. The evac centers' supplies were also constantly replenished so that evacuees would not go hungry. Anticipation of the extent of damage and supply needs enabled the LGU to meet the requirements of the emergency.

Security was tightened so that no looting would occur. With everybody busy, the LGU did not anymore seek the help of the Army stationed in the municipality which had its hands full helping other more critical towns and communities.

Critical activities in the aftermath of the typhoon was carefully and deliberately mapped. First order was road clearing while simultaneously, food was provided to all evacuees. When flood waters continued to rise, the boats were positioned for immediate response and one boat was dispatched to supply flood bound residents in communities made inaccessible by the rising waters. Barangays which had their own rescue boats were also hard at work rescuing isolated families some of whom are already perched on top of their houses. This was where the catamarans were appreciated at it can get right to the spot where the residents were perched without fear of being punctured or capsized.

The LGU also did rapid assessment and immediately called for help to an NGO which had been supporting the town in various ways. Immediately the NGO released GI sheets and other roofing materials so that many of the evacuees can go home and repair their homes to protect themselves from possible rains that come after the typhoon. The LGU also released funds from its disaster relief assistance to cover more residents affected. It is now six days after the super typhoon and LGU has restored the town to 70% of its normal state. No lives were lost, there was substantial damage but together with its people, the LGU hopes to accomplish full restoration within a short period of time.

Lessons Learned:

1. Never underestimate the strength and the damage done by a typhoon. Even with the experience of the two previous strong howlers in just a few years of each other, the LGU realized that each typhoon has a distinct character and its damage may also be unique. While Frank and Quinta flooded the town heavily, the strong winds of Yolanda fell down so many trees that practically rendered many of the barangay centers and even the plaza bald. Where once the town was known as shady and green, the aftermath of the typhoon brought in harsh bright sunlight. The LGU has prepared in almost all aspects but when Yolanda left, the first work was to clear the roads of fallen trees and the LGU was not prepared for this since it only has acquired one chain saw and its heavy equipment operator doubled as chain saw operator so he has to leave the bulldozer to work on road clearing. The lesson learned here is that the DRRMC should also get chain saws ready for fallen trees;
2. Power outages is a regular phenomena during typhoons so while the municipal building has a generator and ample fuel, other areas experience black out. There is therefore a need to find alternative sources like solar power which runs on 12 volts batteries and can also be recharged using the chargers run on 220 volts AC;
3. While purified water can be bought, power outages will limit purification because water purification systems need power. There is a need for passive water purification akin to those used in war torn areas where dirty water can be purified through a series of passive systems. The DRRMC should be able to acquire such a system for emergency situation;
   
4.  We still have crude equipments and our rescuers suffer most. They do not have the right gears especially thermal clothes to keep them warm during long exposure to water and cold wind. They suffer the most and they are volunteers;

   
   

   5. High technology may work efficiently at optimum conditions but under crisis like a power black out, it is useless. This was the case of high tech gadgets and communications systems which were rendered inutile during the total power outage when trees fell on power lines and electric posts fell on its own. The LGU realized that it should have set up a back up system of the old reliable radio transceivers. Now in preparation for the next crisis, the repeaters will have to be repaired and reinstalled. Each barangay will now be required to acquire their own hand-held transceivers for easy communication with the municipal base located at the DRRMC.