Disaster Preparedness of Local Government Units Along the Bicol River Basin and Mount Isarog National Park: Resilience Framework on Catastrophic Flooding

Abstract

Catastrophic flooding presents interconnected social, economic, infrastructural, environmental, and institutional challenges that cannot be addressed through isolated disaster preparedness measures. This study assessed disaster preparedness initiatives and adaptive capacity among local government units (LGUs) and households in municipalities along the Bicol River Basin and Mount Isarog National Park in Camarines Sur, Philippines, during calendar year 2023. A sequential mixed-methods design was employed, integrating a structured questionnaire, key informant interviews, and unstructured interviews. The quantitative component involved 15 LGU respondents and 100 household respondents. Weighted means and Pearson's product-moment correlation were used to examine preparedness and adaptive capacity across five domains: social, economic, infrastructure, environmental, and institutional. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically and triangulated with quantitative findings.