Awareness and Implementation of Disaster Risk Reduction Management in Private Higher Education Institutions

The Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) Act of 2010, mandates the integration of DRRM in the school curriculum and other educational programs to enhance awareness of natural disasters among the academic community. This study examined the level of DRRM implementation and awareness at private higher education institutions (HEIs) in the 1st Congressional District of Negros Occidental across four thematic areas: prevention and mitigation, preparedness, response, and rehabilitation and recovery. A descriptive, comparative, and correlational research design was employed. Three private HEIs participated, with respondents from administrators, faculty, staff, and students. A total of 273 participants completed a survey questionnaire on DRRM, with responses measured using a five-point Likert scale. The study also explored factors that facilitated or hindered the effective implementation of DRRM. Findings revealed that the academic community’s awareness of DRRM across the four thematic areas is high, and the extent of implementation in private HEIs is great. This indicates that most members are knowledgeable about DRRM concepts, and that DRRM plans, programs, and activities are regularly implemented. Moreover, a high level of awareness corresponded with a greater extent of implementation. Differences in awareness and implementation were observed among groups; for example, students demonstrated lower awareness in prevention and mitigation compared to staff, while students and faculty contributed to significant differences in implementation in the same area. The study also identified contributing factors that facilitated effective DRRM implementation, particularly in prevention and mitigation, and hindering factors, especially in preparedness. These findings provide valuable insights for developing a proposed DRRM action plan for private HEIs, ensuring more effective disaster preparedness and risk reduction within the academic community.