Aninag: A Proposed Department of Disaster Resilience Regional Complex in Cebu

The Philippines, mostly in Visayas, is particularly prone to typhoons and other hazards which brings the need to boost emergency preparedness, climate change mitigation and disaster risk reduction initiatives for the resilience of the Filipino people. The alarming lack of integration and coordination within the boundaries of disaster risk reduction and management in the country calls for the proposal of a new department: the Department of Disaster Resilience which merges existing climate change and disaster-related departments into one. The Philippines is divided into 17 Regions and in Region VII alone, the study’s main objective calls for a timely and relevant design solution of an Integrated Complex for disaster resilience since the data from existing facilities, programs and interviews conclude that the current Regional Center for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management in Cebu is insufficient in size and staff. Moreover, the architectural theories about disaster management and preparedness is essential in formulating resilience towards the proposed complex which would cater to the new department’s demands and relocation, ensuring a venue for disaster preparedness, prevention, response command and rehabilitation in the region. Therefore, this study ought to provide the design of a Regional Complex for the new Department of Disaster Resilience – Region VII, fully-equipped with an Emergency Operations Center for communications, a Disaster Preparedness Center for training and research with spaces for accommodation and a storage warehouse for relief operations.