ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY, CONCERN AND DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AMONG RESIDENTS IN MUNICIPALITY OF CALINOG, WESTERN VISAYAS REGION, PHILIPPINES

Abstract

Environmental catastrophes come in the most unexpected moments in peoples’ lives. The effect can be manifested globally ranging in varied intensities of damages. Its impact felt everywhere for it hits all areas worldwide in different strengths and various forms. The Municipality of Calinog, strategically located at the center of Panay Island, has its share of environmental devastations. It is on this premise that it is a necessary to assess the townspeople environmental knowledge, concern, and disaster preparedness. A total of 1394 residents of the disaster prone areas of the Municipality of Calinog were administered with a modified, partly adapted research instrument translated in local dialect. Descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis and correlations were used to analyze the results. Findings reveal that respondents are knowledgable about the environment and has a positive attitude and high degrees of concern toward the environment. Degree of disaster preparedness is evident in all variables except age. Significant differences occurred between environmental literacy level of respondents when classified as to distance from the barangay hall, civil status, educational attainment, and age. Significant differences also existed in the environmental concerns of the respondents when classified as to sex, distance from barangay hall, civil status, educational attainment, age, and location. As to the levels of disaster preparedness, a significant differences can be observed when classified as to the distance of residence from barangay hall, location, civil status, age, and the number of household member, the result is reversed. A significant correlation existed between environmental literacy and ecological concern; environmental literacy and disaster preparedness; environmental concerns and disaster preparedness.