Track: Undergraduate Student Paper Competition

Abstract

The Philippines is one of the most vulnerable countries globally, mainly because of its geographic location. It is prone to natural disasters such as typhoons, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and even tsunamis. Hence, the Filipino people need to be ergonomically prepared for disasters. The study aims to determine the factors affecting the preparedness and readiness of Filipinos during the disaster. Factors considered in the study are based on the domains of Ergonomics such as physical, cognitive, and macro-ergonomics. The online survey was developed and distributed to 206 Filipinos residing in Mindanao, Philippines, to obtain their perception of disaster preparedness and readiness. Pearson correlation analysis was utilized in the study to determine the significant association between the ergonomic factors to the perceived disaster and the readiness of Filipinos. Results of the study proved that access to the media and other sources of information, being informed on the evacuation plan, trust in the government, LGU preparedness, and receiving financial support from the government has a significant relationship to the preparedness and readiness of Filipinos during disasters. As a result, better information on disaster safety measures, evacuation protocols, increased access to information, and government support is recommended. Because of this study, people will be more aware of disaster preparedness and response behavior.