The Hon. Orlando S. Mercado is Secretary of National Defense and Chairman of the National Disaster Coordinating Council of the Republic of the Philippines. Ms. Zenaida G. Delica, ADPC's Training and Education Director, had an opportunity to conduct this interview on 22 August 2000.
Ms. Delica: What is the current state of disaster preparedness in the country?
Secretary Mercado: The Philippines is a disaster-prone country with natural hazards like typhoons, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. The most recent event was the "trash slide", a Philippine contribution to the enrichment of the disaster lexicon.
There have been 220 major disasters recorded, with 1,054 deaths, 976 injured and scores of missing people, entailing a loss of 2.2 billion pesos in damages. Disasters have contributed to increasing poverty, stressing the need for the socio-economic conditions of the people to be addressed. Conscious of this need, the government, through the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC), has initiated a disaster management program at the local level, re-activating the regional, provincial and municipal disaster coordinating councils, which are at the forefront in times of disasters. The military and its engineering brigade are also prepared to deploy troops and resources to assist victims during a disaster. Despite limited resources, the NDCC is trying its best to prepare for and respond to disasters.
Ms. Delica: Do we have some recent examples of how the country copes best in times of disasters?
Secretary Mercado: We must cultivate a culture of disaster preparedness instead of disaster response. Disaster preparedness is less popular, with less drama than disaster response, hence it gets less attention from the media. However, NDCC is glad to be moving towards disaster preparedness. The Philippine General Hospital demonstrated the value of preparedness during the recent earthquake. All patients were safely evacuated in an efficient manner. This was attributed to earthquake drills conducted earlier: the hospital staff knew what to do and where to go. Disaster preparedness requires time and effort. Also, science and technology knowledge need to be translated into terms that are understandable by all sectors, for them to appreciate the value of preparedness.
Ms. Delica: What do you think can be done in terms of protecting the environment to avert future disasters?
Secretary Mercado: Flooding and flash floods occur because of our denuded forests. There must be a political will to really protect the forests. This should not only be talk, but must be pursued persistently to prevent man-made disasters. Media support on this issue is long gone. We must call for a sense of unity so that people will participate in the protection of the forests. The Philippines should not settle for mediocrity if it is to confront the constant threat of a variety of potential disasters.
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