In a country as disaster-prone as the Philippines, effective information dissemination is crucial. However, it is not enough to merely relay warnings and technical terms; the real challenge lies in making these scientific concepts understandable to the general public.
With a multilingual population, particularly in regions like Bicol, where natural hazards such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are prevalent, localizing disaster communication becomes a necessity rather than an option.
To address this, the Department of Science and Technology – Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (DOST-PHIVOLCS) launched DANAS: Earthquake, Tsunami, and Volcano Disaster Narratives for Experiential Knowledge-Based Science Communication.
The project aims to bridge the gap between scientific knowledge and lived experiences by documenting and translating real-life disaster stories into local languages.
The Power of “Danas”
The word Danas is a Filipino term that means “experience,” and this project lives up to its name by integrating survivors’ firsthand accounts into disaster education materials.
Instead of merely presenting scientific data in a technical format, DANAS captures how locals describe the disasters they endured—what they saw, heard, and felt—creating a more relatable and impactful learning tool.
Dr. Ma. Mylene Villegas, DOST-PHIVOLCS Deputy Director and DANAS Project Leader, explained the significance of this approach:
“Technical definitions often feel impersonal and difficult to relate to. But when survivors describe what they witnessed in their own words, in their own language, it becomes more real, more accessible, and more effective in educating communities.”
The sourcebooks produced by the project contain two main sections:
• Scientific explanations – These provide the technical definitions of natural hazards, such as volcanic eruptions and earthquakes.
• Localized narratives – These feature transcribed interviews with disaster survivors, offering a layman’s perspective on what happens during such events.
Why Localization Matters
The Philippines is home to more than 170 languages, making a one-size-fits-all approach to science communication ineffective. This is especially true in Bicol, where two of the country’s most active volcanoes—Mayon and Bulusan—pose continuous threats. Different towns around these volcanoes even have subtle variations in their dialects, making it even more challenging to communicate disaster-related information.
To ensure accessibility, the DANAS Project focused on translating materials into major Philippine languages, including Tagalog, Hiligaynon, Ilocano, Cebuano, Bicolano, and Kapampangan. Last year, sourcebooks in Cebuano, Kapampangan, and Tagalog were released. This year, DOST-PHIVOLCS introduced three additional volumes in Ilocano, Hiligaynon, and Bicolano.
The final two sourcebooks were launched on February 12 at Hotel Lucca, Legazpi City, Albay, highlighting the specific hazards of Bicol’s two major volcanoes:
• “Deskripsyon kan mga Peligro kan Bulkang Mayon” (Description of the Hazards of Mayon Volcano)
• “Deskripsyon san mga Peligro san Bulkang Bulusan” (Description of the Hazards of Bulusan Volcano)
Creating these materials was no easy task. In Sorsogon, for instance, researchers had to navigate linguistic differences among communities surrounding Bulusan.
The project required collaboration with local government units (LGUs), educators, and community leaders to ensure that the translations were accurate and culturally relevant.
From Science to Survival: The DANAS Approach
The DANAS Project, which started in 2023 with ₱19.87 million in funding from the Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD), is more than just a translation effort—it is a rethinking of how science is communicated in disaster-prone areas.
“How can we explain volcanic eruptions and earthquakes to people who don’t speak the same language? How do we make technical terms understandable to those who experience these disasters firsthand?” Dr. Villegas asked. “It is by using the everyday language of the people most affected.”
The sourcebooks go beyond traditional science textbooks by making use of conversational, layman-friendly descriptions.
For example, instead of just defining a pyroclastic flow in technical terms, a survivor’s account might describe it as “parang rumaragasang tubig na apoy” (like a rushing river of fire). These kinds of descriptions resonate more with local communities, making the information more memorable and actionable.
Beyond Books: Expanding Disaster Education
The sourcebooks will be distributed to schools and disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) offices to serve as essential educational materials.
Additionally, they will be made accessible online, alongside video interviews featuring locals recounting their disaster experiences.
To expand the project’s reach, DOST-PHIVOLCS is seeking partnerships to reproduce and distribute these materials more widely.
The goal is to empower communities with knowledge that is not only scientifically accurate but also culturally and linguistically relevant.
A Model for Future Science Communication
The DANAS Project sets a precedent for how science communication should be approached in a diverse country like the Philippines.
By prioritizing language accessibility and community engagement, it ensures that life-saving information reaches those who need it most in a way they can fully understand.
As disasters continue to threaten the country, initiatives like this could mean the difference between confusion and clarity, between vulnerability and resilience.
When science speaks the language of the people, preparedness becomes a shared responsibility—one that is truly felt, understood, and experienced.I Jeric Lopez