Enhancing Disaster Risk Reduction through Complex Adaptive Systems: an Assessment of Metro Manila DRRMPS and Recommendations for Improved Integration

Abstract

This study serves as an exploration into disaster management frameworks that have been imbibed with principles from complex adaptive systems or CAS, herein referred to as CAS-DRR integration. As disasters in the modern age become more complex due to increased interconnectivity, it is essential for DRR practices to be made more flexible, adaptive, and innovative, and there is considerable evidence for CASDRR integration to be capable of addressing this need. This research looked into previous studies regarding CAS-DRR integration in order to extrapolate a content analysis matrix featuring the most commonly occurring themes. In this setup, the disaster management was framed as a complex system composed of three main subsystems: physical, social, and individual—the interactions among which produced a host of emergent properties and feedback loops that are characteristic of complex adaptive systems. This matrix was then used to examine selected DRR plans in Metro Manila to assess the current state of CAS-DRR integration within a local context. Content analysis showed that while Metro Manila LDRRMPs already contain strong policies and CAS integration to a certain degree, there is room for improvement in three main areas as stated in the recommendations: 1) Boost prevention and mitigation measures, 2) Boost the individual system through participatory approaches, and 3) Boost feedback loops and adaptive capacities through levelling.