Preparedness, Practices and Challenges of Coordinators and School Heads on School Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Program

This study determined the level of preparedness, extent of practices, and degree of challenges encountered by SDRRM Coordinators and School Heads in implementing the School Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Program (SDRRMP) in the District of La Castellana 1 and 2 during School Year 2020–2021 as basis for an enhancement plan. Using a descriptive research design, 30 SDRRM Coordinators and 30 School Heads responded to a self-made questionnaire, and the data were analyzed through frequency, percentage, mean, Mann-Whitney U test, and Spearman’s rho. Findings revealed that respondents were mostly married, with graduate education and long service, and equally distributed by age. Schools demonstrated moderate preparedness in safe learning facilities, high preparedness in school disaster management, and very high in disaster risk reduction in education. The extent of SDRRMP practices was generally great across all areas, while the degree of challenges was moderate. Grouped analyses showed moderate preparedness in safe learning facilities and high in disaster management and risk reduction regardless of demographic variables. Practices were moderate to great, while challenges ranged from moderate to low depending on age, civil status, educational attainment, and length of service. Statistical tests showed no significant differences in most variables except selected areas of disaster risk reduction and educational attainment. Furthermore, no significant relationship existed between preparedness and challenges or practices and challenges; however, a significant relationship was found between preparedness and extent of practices, indicating that better preparedness supports stronger SDRRMP implementation.