PALO, Leyte — When a disaster strikes, the damage rarely ends when the floodwaters recede or the winds subside. Farms may lose their harvests, businesses may suspend operations, and communities may struggle to restore access to water, healthcare, and other essential services.
For the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), reducing these consequences begins long before a hazard arrives.
That was the central message of HANDA Pilipinas 2026: Agham at Teknolohiya para sa Ligtas at Matatag na Bayan, whose Visayas leg brought together government agencies, local officials, scientists, businesses, and other stakeholders at the Leyte Convention Center from October 7 to 9.
Led by DOST Eastern Visayas, the three-day event sought to strengthen disaster preparedness by connecting communities and institutions with science-based technologies, risk information, and practical solutions. Its opening day highlighted community experiences and disaster risk reduction initiatives, while the third-day business conference examined how enterprises could prepare for disruptions and protect local livelihoods.
The gathering came as Eastern Visayas faced the prospect of prolonged dry conditions associated with a strong El Niño, with implications for agriculture, water resources, and other sectors vulnerable to changes in rainfall.
For DOST Eastern Visayas Regional Director John Glenn D. Ocaña, the challenge was not simply to respond more effectively to disasters, but to build resilience across the systems that communities depend on.
“Resilience is not the government’s job alone,” Ocaña said ahead of the event. He emphasized that disasters affect not only homes and infrastructure but also businesses, agriculture, supply chains, and families’ daily lives.
The message shaped the event’s broader direction: preparedness must extend beyond emergency response and become part of how communities plan, operate, and develop.