DISASTER RISK REDUCTION KNOWLEDGE AMONG FILIPINO SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

Abstract

Difficult times can happen anywhere and anytime. When calamities occur in a place where people are not ready to respond, the subsequent damage can lead to mortality, loss, and suffering. The school is an example of such communities where many vulnerable children are susceptible to the negative impact of natural or manmade hazards. This study aimed to determine the disaster-related knowledge, adaptation, preparedness and readiness, risk perception, and awareness of 503 students from the senior high school department of Eastern Samar State University, Philippines. Students' understanding of disaster risk reduction knowledge was gathered using an adapted questionnaire and analyzed with descriptive statistics and non-parametric tests. Survey results revealed that despite the school is situated in a rural area, senior high school students are ready, aware adapted, and prepared from the risks inflicted by disasters. Moreover, the sex of the respondents has significant differences with disaster preparedness and readiness, adaptation, and disaster-related knowledge. Likewise, the respondents' grade level, only the disaster-related knowledge, showed a significant difference among all categories. Also, all of the categories of disaster risk reduction have a significant difference with the respondents' academic strands. However, the family monthly income shows no differences in all categories of their perceptions of disaster risk reduction. Furthermore, disaster risk reduction education and initiatives in schools should be enhanced to reduce student's susceptibility to disasters.