OCHA unveils results of pre-crisis information survey

Consulting communities on what they need most during a disaster before it strikes

(Manila, 6 October 2017): The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in the Philippines today released the results of a community survey of 10 pilot barangays in Metro Manila. The aim of the survey is to understand better life-saving and evolving needs of at-risk people when they are hit by the “big one”” — a 7.2-magnitude earthquake that may severely affect the National Capital Region.

“This is the first time in the Philippines that we are looking to validate our disaster planning assumptions with the community, before a crisis happens. Giving the community a voice in the planning process is critical to a more inclusive outcome,” said Mark Bidder, OCHA Philippines Head of Office. “We hope to elaborate on this initiative and extend its scope to include rural areas vulnerable to typhoon events.”

Pre-crisis information mapping and consultation with the community are critical to the process of planning. This process allows humanitarian actors to identify minimum resources necessary to augment or complement the capacities of the national government. The pre-crisis information mapping and consultation is part of the UN-led Humanitarian Country Team’s Metro Manila earthquake contingency planning and effort to support ongoing preparedness and risk reduction initiatives by the local government.

Organized by OCHA through the Community of Practice on Community Engagement, agencies that conducted the mapping survey and consultation in coordination with local government are: Assistance and Cooperation for Community Resilience and Development Incorporated (ACCORD), Action Against Hunger, Care, Caritas, Community and Family Services International (CFSI), Coalition of Services of the Elderly (COSE), Handicap International, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC), National Secretariat for Social Action (NASSA), National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP), Philippine Red Cross (PRC), SkyEye, and World Vision.

A PDF copy of the report is available at this link: https://reliefweb.int/report/philippines/manilaearthquake-pre-crisis-information-mapping-survey-and-consultation

OCHA’s work is focused around five key areas:

• Coordination – OCHA brings together people, tools, and experience to save lives
• Advocacy – OCHA raises awareness of key humanitarian issues
• Information Management – OCHA collects, analyses and shares critical information
• Humanitarian Financing – OCHA organizes and monitors humanitarian funding
• Policy – OCHA provides guidance and clarity on humanitarian policy

For further information, please contact:
Gina Maramag, Public Information Officer, maramag@un.org, Tel. +632 843 7688, Mobile +63 917 597 7219
OCHA press releases are available at www.unocha.org or www.reliefweb.int.