Date of Completion

2026

Document Type

Community Medicine

Degree Name

Master in Public Health

Keywords

Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH); Disaster Risk Reduction and Management in Health (DRRM-H); disaster preparedness; emergency response; post-disaster recovery; evacuation centers; public health resilience; Agoncillo, Batangas

Abstract

This study sought to determine whether (1) sufficient resources, trained personnel, and engaged communities were in place to ensure WASH services during the pre-impact phase; (2) WASH services were delivered on time and were adequate to meet evacuees’ needs during the disaster response phase; and (3) WASH facilities were maintained and sustained during the post-impact phase in the Municipality of Agoncillo, Batangas. A sequential exploratory mixed-methods design was employed. The quantitative phase involved a structured review of 100 official municipal documents from July 2024 to January 2025, assessed using phase-specific indicators covering resource allocation, personnel coordination, community preparedness (pre-impact), service timeliness and availability (impact), and maintenance and sustainability mechanisms (post-impact). The qualitative phase consisted of key informant interviews with DRRM-H and WASH stakeholders conducted in November 2025, analyzed thematically using NVivo. Findings were integrated through joint displays and convergence analysis, with interpretation guided by national and international WASH standards. Results showed that pre-impact WASH preparedness benefited from available financial resources and trained personnel but was weakened by fragmented budget tagging and inconsistent community-level preparedness activities. During the response phase, WASH services were generally delivered in a timely manner and met basic evacuee needs, although documentation and consistency varied across indicators. In the post-impact phase, repair financing and damage recognition were strong, while preventive maintenance, routine monitoring, and governance mechanisms for long-term sustainability remained limited. WASH services in Agoncillo were operationally present across all disaster phases but exhibited uneven integration. Addressing pre-impact planning gaps, strengthening response-phase accountability, and institutionalizing post-impact maintenance and policy frameworks are critical to sustaining WASH services and reducing health risks in future disasters.

First Advisor

Diana Dalisay A. Orolfo, RPh, MPH

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