governments can not sustain training at the community level or other preparedness activities. z
Calamity funds from the national government are far from sufficient, and do not get the administrations’ priority. The bulk of the national government funds are allocated to debt-servicing and national defense( 3). Table 1.2 Allocated budget for government departments in 1999 (Congress, 1998)
Departments/funds Debt Service Fund – interest payments National Defense Social Welfare and Development Calamity Fund
Allocated budget 1999 (in thousand pesos) 107,878,000 51,661,484 1,606,058 2,062,000
Authors like Cuny (1983), Anderson and Woodrow (1989) described features of distinguished approaches to disaster management. One of these approaches is the “traditional” or “dominant” approach, and it is this one that can be used to characterize the prevailing framework of disaster management in the Philippines. In the “traditional” or “dominant” approach, all attention of disaster response is focused on the hazard and the disaster event itself. Its basic goal is to alleviate immediate suffering of the victims and to “get things back to normal”. Government frequently promises to deliver as much aid as possible as if this aid was to provide a basis for greater security and wealth (Anderson, 1989). In this way, disasters become relief and emergency response problems to be solved by material aid, a logistical exercise to be undertaken (Cuny,1983) The people affected are seen as helpless, needy “victims” who are totally devastated by the disaster. As such they are treated as passive recipients of external aid. Damage and needs assessment are undertaken rapidly prior to response, usually by external experts, while government and aid agencies take all the responsibility for providing aid and make all the decisions about what to give to whom. They manage the distribution of aid, and set the priorities, all without consulting the people they intend to support (Anderson, 1989). Speed of response, a sense of urgency to alleviate suffering takes center stage, and considerations of appropriateness and timeliness to culture, gender, age are not taken.
Box 1.2: Examples of emergency assistance based on sense of urgency and lack of people’s participation Page 16 of 171