Enhancing Disaster Preparedness through Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration: Lessons From The STREAM-EWS Partnership

The Philippines' EWS primarily relies on centralized data collection from Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), which deploys flood sensors and telemetered stations in major river basins. However, smaller river systems, where severe flooding often occurs, have been largely overlooked. This lack of localized flood monitoring increases the vulnerability of communities that rely on real-time rainfall data for disaster preparedness (Lagmay et al., 2017). Another challenge is the effectiveness of communication channels for disaster alerts. While PAGASA provides weather bulletins, their reach and comprehensibility among local government units (LGUs) and communities vary. Often, warnings are too technical, not easily understood, or fail to prompt timely action at the local level.