Communicating Disasters to Residents of Selected Municipalities in the Province of Northern Samar, Philippines

Abstract

This descriptive-correlational study is an analysis on how the information or news about typhoons, storm surge, floods, landslides and other similar natural disasters reach the intended audience. Specifically, it looked into the source of the information, the media available in the community, and determined intelligibility of the terms used in communicating this information to the target audience. It was conducted in selected municipalities in the province of Northern Samar, Philippines particularly in Capul, Silvino Lubos, Mapanas and Catarman. Results revealed that a majority of the respondents from the four (4) municipalities were females who came from the age bracket 21-30 and were college graduates. A big number of them were not employed during the time of the study. Television was the most common media available in the four (4) municipalities subjected in the survey. Television news was the common strategy used in communicating messages about natural disasters. The medium was also found out to be the most common source of messages and news related to natural disasters and the most trusted source of information. A majority of the terms used in newscasts were unintelligible among the respondents. The respondents address, their educational attainment and work experience; handheld radio and public address system were found significant in understanding the words used in communicating disasters among the residents of the municipalities surveyed.