Disaster Knowledge of Selected Students of Eastern Visayas State University–Carigara Campus: Basis for a Disaster Management Plan

Abstract

Disaster Risk Reduction and Management is a theory and practice of lowering the risks and exposure to hazards by systematically analysis, minimizing the causes, decreasing vulnerabilities, and enhancing community readiness towards calamities. The level of disaster related knowledge among faculty and students, especially to higher education institutions, is important because according to recent studies students and faculty members at universities are among those vulnerable to disaster risk and hazards. Disaster-related knowledge could help and better prepare individuals and communities for disaster risk and hazards. The study was conducted with 84 student-respondents in Academic Year 2023-2024 at Eastern Visayas State University Carigara Campus. They were selected using simple random samplings. The statistical tools that were used are frequency, point biserial correlation and ETA correlation. The profile characteristics in terms of age, most of the respondents ages from 18-24 years old with 97.62% of percentage. In terms of gender, female dominates the number of overall respondents with 65.48% of percentage. And in terms of civil status, all the respondents are single. Moreover, the findings reveal that the level of disaster related knowledge of the respondents were moderately knowledgeable in terms of the 4 thematic areas of disaster management which are disaster prevention and mitigation, disaster preparedness, disaster response, disaster rehabilitation and recovery, and Education in Emergencies. However, in terms of the level of engagement to disaster related activities the respondents during high school and college were engaged. The findings of the study ensued that the creation of proposed enhancement program will be employed to enhance the disaster related knowledge of the students and to revisit the materials and curriculum that was employed in such disaster related activities. In this way, the students and faculty of Eastern Visayas State University Carigara Campus will be guided to enhance their disaster related knowledge in 4 thematic areas and in Education in Emergencies.