Risk-Informed or Merely Compliant? A Qualitative Review of Barangay Drrm Plans in Naga City, Philippines

Barangays play a critical role in disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) in the Philippines, serving as the frontline institutions for preparedness, response, and recovery. While national policies provide standardized templates for Barangay DRRM (BDRRM) Plans, questions remain as to whether these plans are substantively risk-informed or primarily compliance-driven. This study qualitatively reviews the BDRRM Plans of 27 barangays in Naga City to examine the extent to which plan content reflects localized risk conditions rather than mere adherence to prescribed formats.
The study employed a qualitative document review and thematic analysis of approved BDRRM Plans, supported by triangulation with multiple secondary data sources, including the Naga City Integrated Risk Analysis, Climate and Disaster Risk Assessment, climate risk projections, a barangay-level Social Vulnerability Index, and documented impacts of a recent major tropical cyclone. A researcher-designed assessment scorecard was used as a supplementary qualitative aid to document patterns of full, partial, or absent articulation across key plan components. Analysis focused on internal plan coherence, risk articulation, integration of social vulnerability, and responsiveness to observed disaster experience.

Disaster Risk Reduction and Management; Barangay DRRM Plans; Risk-Informed Planning

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