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Abstract
Last
July 1997, news about the recurrence of the EL Niño phenomenon has brought
the Philippine government into a period of urgency. PCARRD took the lead
in planning and coordinating the activities that will cater on research
in reference to mitigating measures against the ill-effects of El Niño.
A science and technology (S&T) action plan was prepared and presented
for government support through a technical working group within PCARRD.
The Applied Communication Division (ACD) foresaw the need to prepare the
Filipino people, specifically farmers from the ill-effects of El Niño,
thus proposed an IEC plan. A P1.5M was allocated to attain its four major
objectives within the six months implementation, which was extended to
another four months.
The
first objective was a survey conducted in order to know the communication
needs and preferences of respondents. Research was performed in two
hard hit provinces of Region 3, Pampanga and Bulacan. Three hundred
nineteen (319) respondents acknowledged the survey initiated by DOST-3,
DA-3, DENR-3 and PAC. As a result, television came out to be the number
one preferred source of information. Next to television was radio and
the third preference was print. Another preference were seminars and
workshops, which they consider to be of great assistance in relaying
information and practical means to cope with the effects of El Niño.
The relationship among communication, knowledge, attitude and behavior
were assessed. In addition, the effects of El Niño to farmers and their
way of life were observed and studied.
The
second objective focused on the collection of materials from various
concerned agriculture, environment and weather agencies in the Philippines.
Print materials were collected from DA, DENR, PIA, PTFWM, PAGASA, BSWM
and the different divisions within PCARRD. Collected materials were
analyzed and divided into four categories namely, water concerns, second
was on information and studies on El Niño and the third category, on
technologies and recommendations. The fourth category grouped together
information materials written in Tagalog. An abstract per article was
written to complete a compendium, which was disseminated to technical
agriculture officers and concerned agencies to be used for future seminars
and workshops on El Niño.
A
content analysis of news clippings published on leading, national newspapers
from September 1997 to March 1998, which focused on El Niño were performed
and measured using AKAP (awareness, knowledge, attitude and practice)
as the parameter. Information collected assisted the information system
of PCARRD in completing its EL Niño Information System Project.
Preferred
communication materials were produced to be able to evaluate the effectivity
and the reaction of respondents. Produced materials were the following:
six news clippings aired on ‘Balitang-balita’ of ABC 5; a video document;
ten radio plugs and three radio spots, which featured the PCARRD R&D
on El Niño were mass produced for various rural radio broadcasters;
a leaflet; a comics written in Tagalog; and the production of a press
kit where materials were packaged and disseminated to various technical
agriculture officers and concerned agencies.
Through
the post-testing of produced materials, the last objective of the study,
wherein the response and attitude of respondents were evaluated and
analyzed, was accomplished.
Information,
Education and Communication on Risk Communication of an environment
hazard such as El Niño serves as:
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a
powerful tool to relay the impact and the ways to resolve the
damage
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a
linkage of the problem and the solution
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a
means to prepare the agriculture sector and its farmers against
the worst effects, easing the burden
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