Typhoons, devastating global disasters, cause significant losses, particularly impacting geographically isolated Indigenous communities with limited access to services. This qualitative case study explored the typhoon management practices of the Agta Indigenous Peoples in the Philippines using interviews and focus-group discussions with Agta elders, adults, a meteorologist, and NCIP personnel. The study suggests that their disaster preparedness conceptually aligns with scientific relevance but is weak in real-time monitoring. Ethnomedicinal practices focus on topical plant-based treatments for bleeding and prevention from infection, and resilience emanates from community-driven responses and culture. The Agtas’ kinship and communal resource sharing function as an informal social control system, thereby preventing conflict and post-disaster crimes. Conclusion highlights four components for culture-based disaster management: deep cultural understanding, demographic sensitivity, infrastructure resilience, and community adaptive capacity. This study recommends the integration of manual meteorological instruments to augment traditional forecasting and the prioritization of culturally aligned basic needs that reflect the Agta’s socio-economic infrastructure. Disaster protocols incorporating spatial zoning and indigenous leadership empower communities and mitigate post-disaster crime. Integrating indigenous wisdom with modern techniques optimizes localized disaster resilience and enhances community security.
Grace H. Lupao (Thu,) studied this question.