LOCAL KNOWLEDGE, SOCIAL MEMORY AND PUBLIC POLICIES: Recovering Disaster Memory of Riverfront Dwellers and their Implications for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Policy in Angat River Basin and Watershed Region, Philippines A Thesis by BENIGNO C. BALGOS, ID NUMBER 11193816 Student Master of Arts in Development Policy DR. FRANCISCO MAGNO Adviser JULY 2014 POLITICAL SCIENCE DEPARTMENT DE LA SALLE UNIVERISTY i DECLARATION I hereby declare that the thesis is my original work and it has been written by me in its entirety. I have duly acknowledged all the sources of information, which have been used in the thesis. This thesis has also not been submitted for any degree in any university previously. ______________________________ Benigno C. BALGOS July 22, 2014 ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT First of all, I wish to extend my deepest gratitude to my adviser Dr. Francisco Magno for his guidance in writing this research. Also, there are not words sufficient enough that could aptly convey my appreciation to the members of my thesis panel who have taken time to review and provide interesting and insightful comments toward the completion of this work. They are: Dr. Divina Gracia Rolda (Panel Chair), Dr. Eric Vincent Batalla (Panel Member), and Dr. Sherwin Ona (Panel Member). This work would be completed without if not for my Papang, Nanay and Mark Andrew Elepano who served as the inspiration in carrying out this work. In doing this research, a number of people have shared their valuable time and insights. Allow me to enumerate them: My colleagues from the University of the Philippines – Diliman: Dr. Manuel Sapitula (Sociology Department), Professor Kerby Alvarez (History Department), Professor, Edwin Valientes (Anthropology Department), and Professor Louward Zubiri (Department of Linguistics), Ping Pangilinan, John Edison Ubaldo, and John Ariel Rojas. My mentor and colleagues from the Ateneo de Manila University: Dr. Hiroko Nagai (Japanese Studies Program) and Jaja Barriga (History Department). My colleagues from the De La Salle University: Mean Tesoro, Amie Tucay Villareal, Isabel Lanada, Ysa Mendoza, Mei Guanzon, Louie Betinol, Alfonso Hermoso, Edz Barcilla, Gerard Razo, and Bembie Girado. My colleagues from the Center for Disaster Preparedness: Lorna Victoria, Loreine dela Cruz, Fe Andaya, Fatima Gay Molina, Jesusa Grace Molina, Mayfourth Luneta, iii Jelyne Gealone, Michael Mercado, Nikki de Vera, Lui Morada, Love Jimeno, Cis Doctolero, Baden Escalente, Celia Brioner, and Sister Lilet. Similarly, I would like to mention Res Tyan Dito (our Pastor in the Yogyakarta International Congregation), my cousin Shirley, my auntie Gamay and my siblings, Nerwin, Princess Anna Marie, Peter Janmes, Raymart and Reymond for serving as my prayer warriors as I carry out this research. I also thank my pamangkins for always making me joyful most especially in moments when I am stressed: Bea, Raven, Carresse, and Abby Jade. I am also indebted to the officers of the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office of Calumpit and Hagonoy, Bulacan who facilitated and ensured that my fieldwork will ran safely and smoothly. Of course, this research would not have been possible without the academic guidance of Dr. Nora Angeles and the fund support from the University of British Columbia (UBC). Last but most importantly, I thank the Lord for allowing me to accomplish this gargantuan task to the best of my abilities iv TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ACROMYMS LIST OF TABLES LIST OF FIGURES AND MAPS LIST OF PLATES PART ONE THE RESEARCH FRAMEWORK: HISTORY, THEORY AND METHODOLOGY OF THE STUDY Chapter 1: STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM 1.1 Introduction 2 1.2 Statement of the Problem 5 1.3 Research Objectives 9 1.4 Scope of the Study 10 1.5 Significance of the Study 12 1.6 Limitations of the Study 13 Chapter 2: REVIEW OF LITERATURE 2.1 Introduction 15 2.2 Disasters: Conceptual Definition 16 2.3 Social Memory: From Autobiographical Memory to Social Memory 19 2.4 Local Knowledge 22 2.4.1 Local Knowledge in Disaster Risk Reduction and Management: Illustrations from Asia 29 2.5 Local Knowledge and Social Memory: The Current Stand in Public Policy 31 2.6 Local Knowledge and Social Memory: Its Significance in Public Policy 36 2.6.1 Integration of Local Knowledge and Social Memory in DRRM Plans: The Case of Dagupan City 39 2.6.2 Integration of Local Knowledge and Social Memory in DRRM Plans: The Case of Barangay Banaba, San Mateo, Rizal 43 v Chapter 3: CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK 3.1 Introduction 46 3.2 A Conceptual Framework toward a Local Knowledge Social Memory-Driven Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Policy 46 Chapter 4: METHODOLOGY 4.1 Introduction 51 4.2 Research Methods 52 4.3 Procedures in the Conduct of the Research 53 4.3.1 Site Selection 54 4.3.2 Social Preparation 60 4.3.3 In-Depth Data Gathering 61 4.3.4 Data Processing 64 PART TWO VULNERABILITIES AND LOCAL CAPACITIES: THE CASE OF CALUMPIT AND HAGONOY, BULACAN Chapter 5: VULNERABILITIES TO FLOODING: THE CONTEXT OF FLOODING IN THE PROVINCE OF BULACAN 5.1 Introduction 67 5.2 Flooding in Bulacan 67 5.3 Angat Watershed and River Basin Region: The River of Life and Aggravating the Flooding Phenomena in Calumpit and Hagonoy 81 Chapter 6: “SANAY NA SA BAHA ANG MGA TAO”: NARRATIVES ON THE SOCIAL MEMORY ON DISASTERS AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF LOCAL KNOWLEDGE IN DRRM 6.1 Introduction 84 6.2 Social Memory of Disasters: Narratives on Significant Disaster Events 86 6.2.1 The Great Flood of 1972: Typhoon Edeng 91 6.2.1.1 Social Memory on Typhoon Edeng: Narratives from Riverfront Dwellers 91 6.2.1.2 Social Memory on Typhoon Edeng: Narratives vi from the Community Leaders 95 6.2.2 Flooding Events from 2009 Onwards: Typhoon Ondoy, Typhoon Pedring, and Habagat 100 6.2.2.1 Social Memory on Typhoon Edeng: Narratives from Riverfront Dwellers 100 6.2.2.2 Social Memory on Typhoon Edeng: Narratives from the Community Leaders 112 6.3 Learning from Calamities: Local Knowledge on Disaster Risk Reduction and Management 119 6.3.1 Anticipate: Local Knowledge on People’s Identification and Monitoring of Environmental Indicators 124 6.3.2 Adjust: Local Knowledge on People’s Coping and Adaptation Practices 127 6.3.3 Communication: Local Knowledge on People’s Ability to Transfer Knowledge among themselves and between Generation 134 Chapter 7: HOW ARE LOCAL KNOWLEDGE AND SOCIAL MEMORY ON DISASTERS INTEGRATED IN LOCAL LEVEL POLICY AND PLANS ON FLOODING? THE CASE OF CALUMPIT AND HAGONOY 7.1 Introduction 139 7.2 Disaster Risk Reduction and Management/Contingency Planning Process in the Philippines 140 7.3 Integrating Local Knowledge and Social Memory on Disasters in Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction and Management/Contingency Plans 143 7.3.1 Key Features of Calumpit and Hagonoy Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Plans 146 7.3.2 Local Knowledge in the Existing in the Barangay DRRM Plans: Anticipating, Adjusting, and Communicating 156 vii PART THREE CONCLUDING CHAPTERS Chapter 8: WHERE ARE WE IN THE PLANS?: TOWARD A LOCAL KNOWLEDGE AND SOCIAL MEMORY-DRIVEN DRRM PLANS 8.1 Introduction 163 8.2 Culture of DRRM in the Philippines and the Space of Local Knowledge and Social Memory DRRM Plans 164 8.3 How the Recovered Local Knowledge and Social Memory Improved the DRRM Plans? 168 8.4 Bringing Local Knowledge and Social Memory in the Plans: Toward a Local Knowledge and Social Memory-Driven DRRM Plans 172 Chapter 9: CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 9.1 Conclusions 178 9.2 Recommendations 184 Bibliography 186 Appendix 1 List of the Respondents in the Study 195 2 Community Risk Assessment Tools 200 viii ABSTRACT Communities perennially hit by disasters have a wealth of social memory about the calamities they had experienced in the past. The social memory imprinted by the sheer impact of disaster events on life, property, and livelihood has enabled the high-risk communities to learn from these calamities. In turn, the integration of such learning into a community’s way of coping gives rise to what is known as local knowledge. The research examines how the recovery of social memory and local knowledge on disasters can improve local-level disaster risk reduction and management policy, specifically in the context of the Angat watershed and river basin region. The research draws from fieldwork interviews with the riverfront dwellers of communities in the municipalities of Calumpit and Hagonoy in Bulacan. It is argued in this study that the integration of social memory and local knowledge has improved the local level disaster risk reduction and management plan, particularly in three ways: First, the recovery of local knowledge and social memory brought to the fore the inherent capacities of the communities at the heart of local-level public policy. Second, the recovery of local knowledge and social memory and its integration to disaster risk reduction and management policy gave the community a sense of ownership of the policy giving it more clout. Finally, the recovery of local knowledge and social memory made the policy context-specific, which better suited the needs, situation, vulnerability, and strengths of the community. ix ACRONYMS ADB Asian Development Bank ADPC Asian Disaster Preparedness Center BDRRMP Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Plan BFP Bureau of Fire Protection BSU Bulacan State University CBDRRM Community-Based Disaster Risk Reduction and Management CC Climate Change CCA Climate Change Adaptation CDCC City Disaster Coordinating Council CDP Center for Disaster Preparedness CDRC Citizens Disaster Response Center COP Conference of Parties CRA Community Risk Assessment CRED Center for Research for the Epidemiology of Disasters DENR Department of Environment and Natural Resources DepEd Department of Education DLSU De La Salle University DOST Department of Science and Technology DRR Disaster Risk Reduction DRRM Disaster Risk Reduction and Management DRRM CEP Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Capacity Enhancement Program DRRNet Phils.