Philippines: Establishment of early warning system crucial in emerging hazard situations, says expert
La Trinidad, Benguet -- The establishment of an early warning system (EWS) is crucial in emerging dangerous situations to reduce the possibility of harm or losses.
Carlo U. Racelis, a consultant who served as resource speaker on EWS said that such a need which involves the provision of information of an imminent danger enables prior action to reduce risk.
The seminar workshop on EWS is under the disaster preparedness program of the provincial government sponsored by the World Food Programme in coordination with the Jaime V. Ongpin Foundation, Inc and other partners.
Racelis said the EWS of an area should be widely disseminated especially in the communities for them to be involved, participate and be empowered.
The province has yet to prepare its early warning system.
Some municipalities though are equipped with monitoring devices such as water meters, rain gauges, automated weather station, and landslide sensors, among others mostly from the Department of Science and Technology and other partners.
Racelis added that monitoring devices are important component of EWS but their availability is not enough. There should be people identified and dedicated to man such equipment including communication facilities in order to complete the process and reach the end users, he stressed.
This, he said should be coupled with information education campaign and a communication system.
In devising a provincial EWS, the high risk towns and barangays should be prioritized, Racelis added.
Part of the early warning system is the provision of alert warning level. Racelis said the pre-condition or set of indicators that goes with an alert warning level vary from one area to the other, meaning what is true to one is not applicable to another area.
Racelis emphasized the need for each municipality to set its own pre-conditions for alert warning level in order to have enough lead time or time for preparation in case of pre-emptive evacuation.
These he said will be incorporated in the provincial EWS and it will be upon the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office to identify the high risk areas.
He explained the steps in establishing a Community-based EWS. The first step or the preparatory phase is to consider whether there is truly a need to establish EWS based on frequency and severity of past hazards, hazard mapping of vulnerable groups among others.
The next step is a participatory situational analysis or mapping out and identification of gaps on the hazards, vulnerability, risks and capacity of an area.
This is followed by observation and monitoring of hazard for early warning. It advances as to the implementation of communication and dissemination plan such that the information gathered during observation and monitoring of hazard will be downloaded to the residents.
The succeeding step which is the preparation for response is the most crucial component of early warning system, according to Racelis.
The final step is follow-up, review and sustainability which requires the community to develop a culture of preparedness and resilience or the ability to bounce back.
According to Racelis, understanding EWS is just another concept on disaster preparedness, which is a continuing learning process and what is being taught in theory differs in actual experience. ( JDP/SCA- PIA CAR,Benguet)