The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) launched its newest campaign dubbed as “Panatag Pilipinas” on Monday, Nov. 25, to enhance the country’s disaster preparedness by making people more aware of various risks brought by natural calamities and man-made emergencies.
OCD Administrator, Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno said the disaster risk communications campaign aims to empower Filipinos with vital knowledge and skills to respond effectively in times of crisis. It was launched by the OCD in partnership with the World Bank (WB) and the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery.
“The Panatag Pilipinas initiative seeks to enhance the country’s disaster preparedness by elevating public understanding of disaster and climate risks. Its objectives include reshaping perceptions about disaster management and fostering proactive responses to mitigate disaster impacts significantly,” Nepomuceno shared during the launching ceremony on Monday, Nov. 25, in Quezon City.
According to the World Risk Index 2024, the Philippines is the most at-risk country out of 193 nations assessed by the Institute for International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict at the Ruhr University Bochum in Denmark and Bündnis Entwicklung Hilft (Alliance Development Works).
The Philippines obtained a score of 46.91 among countries that were assessed based on their levels of exposure, vulnerability, susceptibility, lack of coping capacities, and lack of adaptive capacities to crises including extreme natural disasters, conflicts, pandemics and wars.
“Iyan ay hindi karangalan (That is not an honor). Nagtop tayo dyan, ‘yan ay isang babala (We topped the list but that should serve as a warning),” Nepomuceno said.
Nepomuceno stressed the importance of the campaign especially after the country was recently devastated by successive typhoons which claimed hundreds of lives and left billions worth of damage to agriculture and infrastructure sectors.
Nepomuceno said the agency wants to help Filipinos understand typical reactions and emotions during disasters while providing essential protective measures for themselves and their loved ones. “If they understand the risks, they would know what to do. We need to help them be aware of what to do when disasters strike,” he noted.
Through the Panatag Pilipinas campaign, the OCD will utilize a comprehensive suite of information, education, and communication materials, including videos, audio files, and engaging social media graphics.
These will be distributed using various platforms such as social media, digital billboards, and monitors in public spaces such as airports, bus terminals, and city halls among others.
By leveraging these resources, Nepomuceno noted that the campaign targets to "create a well-informed citizenry capable of making sound decisions during emergencies."
Actor and Philippine Navy reservist Major Jose Sixto “Dingdong” Dantes III serves as the campaign ambassador. The campaign's official tagline was “Alam ng Pinoy Ang Dapat Gawin Para Maging Ligtas sa Panahon ng Sakuna,” while the official hashtag #PanatagAngMayAlam underscores the importance of informed action in safeguarding communities.
Dantes will deliver key messages before, during and after a disaster through 60-second infotainment videos covering the most common hazards in the country such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tropical cyclones, flooding, landslides, and tsunamis.
“Sa mga komunidad, laging may kasamang takot ang usapin ng disaster preparedness. Siguro we find it intimidating or baka masyadong maraming information kaya nawawalan ng pake ang iba (In the communities, the discussion on disaster preparedness always comes with fear. Maybe we find it intimidating or maybe there’s just too much information that’s why some don’t bother to take part),” Dantes said
“Ang layunin ng campaign ay gawing mas simple, mas relatable at hindi nakakatakot ang mensahe ng preparedness, at gawing mas accessible ito especially on social media. Kapag mas madaling maunawaaan, mas maraming tao ang makikinahagi (The goal of this campaign is to make our messaging on preparedness simpler, more relatable, not scary and more accessible especially on social media. If the messaging is easier to understand, more people will take part in it),” he added.