MANILA, Philippines鈥擨n a large classroom, a professor discusses how to interpret a hazard map of the Philippines as students pore over its peculiar markings.
What appears to be an ordinary seminar on disaster risk management is now a three-unit subject at the University of the Philippines.
Called 鈥淐ivil Engineering 10: Disaster Mitigation, Adaptation and Preparedness Strategies,鈥� the subject is offered as an introductory general education course for undergraduate students.
Dr. Benito Pacheco, one of the professors teaching the course, said CE 10 has been offered for two semesters now鈥攕ince June 2013.
Since last year, two large classes composed of 240 students鈥攐r 120 students per semester鈥攈ave taken up the interdisciplinary approach to teaching disaster risk management concepts.
鈥淭here was a perceived need for a general education course on disaster risk management, given the push since [the implementation of] Republic Act No. 10121, or the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act, to mainstream DRRM or DRM,鈥� Pacheco said in an e-mail.
First in the country
Pacheco said the topic of disaster risk management 鈥渋s an excellent candidate for an all-domain general education course.鈥�
UP is the first tertiary level institution to offer the subject in the Philippines.
CE 10 was one of three topics presented at the Biodiversity and Resilience workshop at UP early this week.
The course was born after the onslaught of Typhoon 鈥淥ndoy鈥� in 2009, which caught the government and the people ill-prepared for the disaster.
What makes the course unique is that six professors from different fields work together to teach a single class.
Aside from Pacheco, an expert in structural-civil engineering, the other professors are Dr. Mark Albert Zarco (geotechnical-civil engineering); Leonardo Rosete (visual communication); Dr. Flaudette May C. Datuin (art studies); professor Elenita Que (educational technology), and Dr. Aurora Odette Corpuz-Mendoza (psychology).
Aiming for resilience
鈥淯P felt that such a course was relevant given the recent disasters such as the Guinsaugon landslide, typhoons Ondoy, Pepeng, Sendong, Pablo and Yolanda, and the Bohol earthquake. There was also the need to mainstream proactive disaster risk management strategies among college students,鈥� Zarco said in a separate e-mail.
The course syllabus described the subject as an introduction to 鈥減rinciples and practices of disaster risk management by mitigation, adaptation and preparedness strategies through civil engineering and related disciplines aiming for resilience.鈥�
Among the topics covered are disaster risk management framework, including RA 10121; hazards and maps of hazards; hazard warning systems; retrofitting and repair of structures, and community development.
Zarco said the course discusses the risks associated with natural and manmade hazards and strategies which could be used to manage the risks, 鈥渂ut with emphasis on proactive strategies such as mitigation, adaptation leading to preparedness.鈥�
Lessons are conducted through lectures, through actual experience, or online through uploaded videos in case of canceled classes due to bad weather.
鈥淲e tried to solve this by video recording the lectures and making them available on the Internet so the students could watch the lectures before the class, and we could use the class period either to discuss the videos or give students group work,鈥� Zarco said.
He added, 鈥淎lso, by delivering part of the course on the Internet, we make the course more disaster resilient!鈥�
Zarco said some of the skills taught include how to interpret hazard maps and use Internet-based resources like Project NOAH.
Students are divided into groups and tasked to make short audiovisual clips of disaster risk management concepts which could be shown to communities.
While the course is a lot of work, 鈥渕ost students feel that the course鈥� is relevant,鈥� Zarco added.
Asked how the course differs from the usual disaster risk management seminars, he noted that most seminars focus on the preparedness and response phases with very little emphasis on mitigation and adaptation measures.
Pacheco pointed out that the CE 10 subject dwells on the discussion of hazards, exposures and vulnerability rather than emergency response in an actual disaster.
鈥淒isaster risk management has to become a way of life for all, not just the function of some government agencies or private volunteer groups,鈥� he said.