Disaster response capability of barangays in General Santos City : basis for an enhancement program

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to determine the disaster response capability of the barangays in General Santos City in order to propose an enhancement program. The disaster response capability of barangays Saluan, Bula, Dadiangas South , Dadiangas West and Calumpang, all in General Santos City was determined in terms of its preparedness, prevention and mitigation, emergency response and recovery and rehabilitation. The study employed a non-experimental quantitative research design particularly utilizing a descriptive survey research and the data collated from 150 respondents were analyzed through the use of Mean and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) to determine the significance of the difference in the level of disaster response capabilities of the barangays. First, the results of the study revealed that the level of disaster response capability in terms of preparedness, prevention and mitigation, and recovery and rehabilitations is very high; and emergency response is high. Second, there is significant difference in the level of disaster response capability when analyzed by barangay. It favored barangay Dadiangas West. Third, in the light of the findings of the study, an enhancement program is formulated to address the gaps in preparedness, prevention and mitigation, recovery and rehabilitations, and the improvement of the emergency response of the barangays. Keywords: disaster response capability, enhancement program, Philippines