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Communicating Science-Based Information on Biodiversity and
Resilience & Its Potential for Local and National Governance1
Elena E. Pernia, Professor of Communication and Dean of the College of Mass
Communication, University of the Philippines, Diliman; Sheila Ruth T. Magdaraog,
Graduate student and Research Associate at the College of Mass Communication, University
of the Philippines, Diliman, Philippines.
Abstract
Because science innovation and human development are mutually reinforcing, it is
imperative to educate various sectors of society about the value of science and
technology, as well as to correct misinformation, dispel myths, and debunk scams that
are presented as pseudoscientific claims. Communication efforts must made to help
the public understand the science so that they can make informed decisions. In
particular, there is an urgency for public awareness to be created about the science of
climate resilience and disaster risk reduction and management.
An interdisciplinary program on the twin themes of Resilience and Biodiversity is
currently being implemented at the University of the Philippines Diliman. Titled
BIODIVERSITY AND RESILIENCE (BAR) R&D, COMMUNICATION AND CAPABILITY-
BUILDING PROGRAM FOR THE PHILIPPINES, it converges the Science and the
Humanities disciplines to address urgent needs for developing and disseminating
targeted science-based information intended to catalyze the mind-change necessary to
prioritize and help incorporate biodiversity and resilience in key national and local
decisions.
Keywords: Science-Based Information/ Communication and Capability- Building/
Biodiversity/ Philippines
Introduction
Man needs science because science benefits man. From the clothes we wear, the food
we eat, and the structures we work and live in to the way we gather and share news
and information, communicate with each other, and entertain ourselves, science has
had a hand in developing. Science needs man because it is the human being - with his
logical, observational, and analytical skills - who initiates the inquiry, conducts the
experimentation, and concludes with an invention and discovery.
Without a doubt, science has contributed to the development of human societies and
to man’s understanding of himself and therefore deserves greater public recognition
and visibility. Investments in science and technology are vital inputs for any country’s
economic growth and poverty alleviation. Watson et al. (2003) note that “advances in
scientific and technological knowledge made possible the significant reductions of
poverty and improvements in the quality of life in both developed and developing
countries throughout the 20th century. In the future, the ability of countries to access,
1This paper review the program’s efforts, by providing a presentation and discussion of its structure,
framework, objectives, communication activities and outputs.
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comprehend, select, adapt, and use scientific and technological knowledge will
increasingly be the determinant of material well-being and quality of life.”
Clearly, it is imperative to create a public awareness of science, so that citizens can
make informed decisions, as well as to correct misinformation, dispel myths, and
debunk scams that are presented as pseudoscientific claims. In the area of disaster
science, particularly, hazard awareness saves lives and property, protects crops and
livelihoods, reduces risks at the same time strengthens recovery and resilience. In
other words, science awareness makes safer communities possible.
This is especially necessary for a country like the Philippines which has a high
exposure to natural disasters such as earthquakes, typhoons, floods, and droughts. An
archipelago of 7,107 islands, the Philippines “lies in the typhoon belt of the Pacific
and has a seismically active mountainous terrain with narrow to extensive coastal
lowlands”. Moreover, the Philippines is one of the world’s mega-diverse countries,
which “(o)n a per unit area basis … harbors more diversity of life than any other
country on the planet.”2 At the same time, however, it is a biodiversity hotspot
because these “marine and wildlife riches are under threat” of extinction “because of
intrusive man-made activities” like overexploitation, deforestation, land degradation,
climate change, and pollution.
Renato Solidum, director of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology
(PHIVOLCS), speaking at a forum on climate change and disaster preparedness
noted, “What we need is to bring down science to a broader level of understanding
and let ordinary people and local chief executives appreciate”3 how they can
safeguard themselves against hazards.
But whose job is it to communicate the correct science of biodiversity and resilience
to general audiences? Communicating science-based information has always been a
challenge to science practitioners. Scientists, who are prolific generators of
innovations and writers of technical reports, often do not have the skills set to do this.
Gunter et al. (1990) pointed out that “(w)hile scientists are thoroughly trained in
research methodologies, analytical skills, and the ability to communicate with other
scientists, they usually receive no explicit training in the communication of scientific
concepts to a lay audience.”
It is in this context that this paper reviews the communication strategies used to create
science awareness about disaster risk reduction and mitigation (DRRM) in the
Philippines. Specifically, this paper looks into the BIODIVERSITY AND RESILIENCE
(BAR) R&D, COMMUNICATION AND CAPABILITY-BUILDING PROGRAM FOR THE
PHILIPPINES being implemented by scientists and communication specialists at the
University of the Philippines.
2www.bmb.gov.ph/index...of.../724-status-of-philippine-biodiversity
3http://www.scidev.net/asia-pacific/disasters/news/understanding-science-can-help-reduce-disaster-
risks.html
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Objectives
The general purpose of this study, then, is to review the program’s efforts in moving
towards its goal of “developing and disseminating targeted science-based information
intended to catalyze the mind-change necessary to prioritize and help incorporate
biodiversity and resilience in key national and local decisions.”4
As authors of this paper are part of the BaR program staff, this review is conducted in
line with project monitoring. The goal of monitoring, or process evaluation, is to
improve performance and achieve outputs, outcomes and impact. Specifically, this
paper:
1. presents the structure, framework, and objectives of the
BaR program and
2. documents communication strategies, activities, and
outputs of the BaR program that have thus far been
implemented.
Resultsand Discussion
Objectives and Structure of the BaR Program
The BIODIVERSITY AND RESILIENCE (BAR) R&D, COMMUNICATION AND CAPABILITY-
BUILDING PROGRAM FOR THE PHILIPPINES is a multi-disciplinary research program
implemented at the University of the Philippines. The program converges the Science
and the Humanities disciplines to address urgent needs for biodiversity conservation
and resilience considering that the country is counted among the seven (7) mega-
diverse countries and among the seven (7) economies at highest multi-hazard
mortality risk in the Pacific Rim.
The program intends to contribute to emerging science-policy linkages to improve
decision-making for sustainable and resilient development. Each of program’s seven
(7) projects focuses on a specific biodiversity and resilience concern (see Figure 1).
4from Biodiversity and Resilience for Sustainable Urbanization and Regeneration, Notes of Discussion
byBenito M. Pacheco5 April 2013
Figure 1.Project components of BaR Program
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The three projects designated as “A” are concerned with monitoring ecosystems (i.e.,
terrestrial, freshwater, marine, or coastal) to develop baseline data regarding the status of
biodiversity. Meanwhile, the two “B”-designated projects focus on ecological consequences
in order to contribute to policy decision-making regarding resource management.
Communicating to specific publics is the concern of the two “C” projects.
Figure 2.The BaR Program members, including Project Leaders, Co-Leaders, and
Research Assistants from the various projects
Communication Framework and Strategies of the BaR program The program rightly places critical importance on communication. Program
documents explain:
“Biodiversity is a key to the protection of food security, public
health, and community resilience especially against climate-
associated natural disasters. Thus, biological diversity,
resilience against disaster, and climate change adaptation are
three closely intertwined subject areas. All three subject areas
are objects of active scientific research, and they are also
topics of popular media. However, there are significant gaps
Figure 3. Synergies of the Program Components (Source: Dr. Benito M. Pacheco’s
Presentation during the July 2013 Progress Workshop for the BaR Program)
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between the scientific knowledge and the folk knowledge in all
three subject areas. Both education research and
communication research shall be applied to bridge the gaps
between scientific and folk knowledge.” (Source:
Recognising that incorporating science into policy decisions needs concerted
advocacy efforts and that there is a need to bridge the communication between
scientists and policy makers so that scientific knowledge can be appropriately and
effectively used, the BAR PROGRAM positioned communication strategically in its
over-all design. Figure 3 illustrates the synergies of the component biodiversity and
resilience projects.
Figure 3 above illustrates the relatedness of the various program components, i.e., the
outputs of the various program components form the content of the communication
messages that will be delivered to specific and general publics in Philippine society
using appropriate strategies and channels of communication.
Serving as the BaR program’s communication arms are the two “C”-designated
projects (i.e., C1 and C2). In terms of communication strategy, the C1 project
addresses communication and capability building within the formal education sector,
C2 targets multiple types of audiences via non-formal training and use of the popular
entertainment media. Details regarding the objectives and expected outputs of C1 and
C2 are shown in Figure 3 below while Table 1 compares the strategies and audiences.
Figure 4.C1 and C2 Project Details
(Source: Dr. Benito M. Pacheco’s Presentation during the July 2013 Progress
Workshop for the BaR Program)
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Table 1.Projects C1 and C2: Comparison of Strategies and Audiences
Strategy Audience
C1 Capability-building in formal
tertiary education
College level students enrolled in general
education courses at the University of
the Philippines Diliman
C2 Audience-specific strategies via
training/roadshows and use of
popular media
Local government staff and officials
Scientists
General public (Juan and Juana)
Communication activities, and outputs of the C1 and C2 Projects
Project C1 is implemented by UP faculty members, representing various disciplines,
who together developed the syllabus for a general education course on disaster risk
management. Called “Civil Engineering 10: Disaster Mitigation, Adaptation and
Preparedness Strategies,” the subject is offered as an introductory general education
course for undergraduate students at UP Diliman.
Figure 5. Screen capture of CE 10 Course Title and Description
According to its project leader, Dr. Benito Pacheco:
“There was a perceived need for a general education course on disaster
risk management, since [the implementation of] Republic Act No.
10121, or the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act, to
mainstream DRRM or DRM.”
A complete description of the course reads in this manner: “introduction to principles
and practices of disaster risk management by mitigation, adaptation and preparedness
strategies through civil engineering and related disciplines aiming for resilience.” The
course syllabus lists the following topics: disaster risk management framework,
including RA 10121; hazards and maps of hazards; hazard warning systems;
retrofitting and repair of structures, and community development.
CE 10 subject tackles hazards, exposures and vulnerability rather than emergency
response in an actual disaster. Hence, the course emphasis is on preparedness.
Moreover, course discussions on the risks associated with natural and manmade
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Figure 6. CE 10 goes to UP Mindanao (Source: http://www.upmin.edu.ph/index.php/news-sp-3476/visits/1905-visit-of-dr-
mark-arlbert-zarco-for-ce-10)
hazards are alongside the proactive strategies to manage those risks, e.g., mitigation,
adaptation. Designed as a large lecture class, CE 10 takes in 120 students per class.
A unique feature of the course is that six professors from different fields work
together to teach a single class. Those who teach the course are: Pacheco (structural-
civil engineering), Dr. Mark Albert H. Zarco (geotechnical-civil engineering),
Leonardo Rosete (visual communication); Dr. Flaudette May V. Datuin (art studies);
Elenita Que (educational technology), and Dr. Aurora Odette Corpuz-Mendoza
(psychology).
From UP Diliman, CE 10 is being considered as general education course in other UP
units (see Figure 6 which shows efforts of co-project leader Dr. Mark Zarco in
bringing the course to UP Mindanao).
Table 2. Summary of Communication Activities and Outputs of Project C1
COMMUNICATION
ACTIVITIES
In class
discussions
Class lectures Exposure trips and
actual experiences
COMMUNICATION
OUTPUTS
Course materials:
syllabus
Video lectures Student productions
(videos, animations)
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Project C2takes a similar interdisciplinary approach, where Marine Science Institute
faculty (Dr. Laura T. David, Ms. Talna Lorena de la Cruz) collaborate with faculty
and staff of the Communication Research Department (Dr. Elena E. Pernia, Ms.
Sheila Ruth Magdaraog) of the College of Mass Communication. Its main goal is the
mainstreaming of Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation in the
planning and implementation for safer, adaptive and disaster-resilient Filipino
communities toward sustainable development.
Toward this end, the project develops relevant, appropriate, and timely
communication materials and activities on Climate Resilience for both specific (i.e.,
teachers, students, officers and staff of local government units) and general (i.e., the
typical Juan and Juana) Philippine publics. Consequently, the materials developed are
in the realm of entertainment-education.
Because of the multi-audience nature of the project, the following discussion of
communication activities and outputs are presented by target audience.
Target audience: local government staff and officials
Ahon: APrimer on Climate Resilience is one communication output of C2. The
primer presents facts and issues relating to the interconnectivity of the mountains,
lowlands, waterways and seas. The booklet is aimed at teaching the government
officials and policy makers, both at the local and the national level, about the
interconnectivity of everything around us.
Figure 7.Cover art and publication page of the primer booklet
The booklet includes bite-sized facts on twelve topics, i.e., water in everyday life,
harnessing geothermal energy, water and disasters, rivers and lakes, forest
biodiversity, indigenous communities and cultures, climate-smart agriculture, green
open spaces, mangrove forests, sustainable livelihoods, coastal ecotourism, and ocean
biodiversity (see Appendix for sample pages of Ahon).
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Figure 8. Centerfold spread of the primer
The booklet was written with the guidance of leading science experts, who are
involved in Projects A and B of the BaR Program). Currently, the booklet is being
distributed to local government officers as guide in the management of their
communities and natural resources.
According to Dr. Laura T. David, the booklet’s main goal is to provide local leaders
with science-based facts regarding the nature of the area under their jurisdiction.
Communities, especially the ones most vulnerable to adverse climate change effects
such as storm surges in coastal areas and landslides in the mountainous areas, are
already aware of the phenomena and what must be done in order to avoid and mitigate
such effects. However, what they lack is the knowledge of the laws that must be
implemented in order to better protect themselves from extreme weather events.
Without this knowledge of the law, it is extremely hard for them to implement
measures that will protect and conserve not only the resources around them but also
human lives.
Several workshops and seminars by BaR scientists and science experts for local
government units (LGU) in selected provinces and regions of the country that are
considered vulnerable areas (i.e., Albay, Bohol, Quezon, Lanao del Norte, and
Misamis Oriental) have been implemented.
Target audience: scientists and experts
The project is committed to bringing science to the people and the people to science. The
project team realise that media outfits are constantly in need of relevant and accurate scientific
content to explain current events and phenomena that are in the news. Very often, however,
news media reporters/editors/producers are unaware and unfamiliar with the science and
scientists rarely make themselves available to media. Hence, the project designed a training
course titled Face to Face with the Media that brought together media practitioners (as training
resource persons) and scientists (as the trainees).
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The idea was to bring together media practitioners to familiarise them with science
experts who can be their news sources and the scientists to become familiar with
media operations. The training course helps equip these science experts with the
knowledge and skills required of them when dealing with the media through exposure
to the actual media processes. The goal is ultimately to make the scientists media
savvy – experts not only when it comes to researching in their own respective fields
but also in terms of communicating this knowledge (i.e., laymanizing) to the common
man through the various mass media channels available to them.
At the same time that scientists got insights into media as a field, media practitioners
were likewise educated about disaster science. Several runs of media trainings for
scientists and experts from Higher Education Institutions have been conducted. This
paves the way for effective communication of science-based information, both to the
public and to policy-makers as well.
Figure 9.Face to Face: Media Trainees from Project NOAH who discussed Typhoon
Yolanda experience the wrath of the media during the press conference
Three runs of the media training for scientists and science experts have been done
since June 2013. The media training is comprised of well-structured workshops in
print, radio, and television that enable the scientists and researchers to experience
what it is like to face the media. Participants of the training are first given an
overview of the media industry, what drives it, and how it works.
Subsequently, there attend sessions on which involve (1) writing for the typical
Filipino news audience, (2) radio and (3) television on-cam exercises. The media
training ends with an actual press conference, where the scientists face reporters from
print and broadcast networks.
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Figure 10.Left, media resource person Chi-Chi Fajardo-Robles takes the trainees for
an on-cam TV session. Right, Dr. Marc Zarco during an ambush interview
with the media
Several of these media-trained scientists and science experts have now become the
regular sources of news reports in the major print and broadcast programs. Moreover,
outputs from the A and B projects have seen print and TV news coverage.
Target audience: general public (Juan and Juana)
In line with the entertainment-education thrust, materials that have been developed
are: a card game, postcards, and the script for a telenovela.
Figure 11.The Resilience: Survive and Thrive™ Game
Resilience: Survive and Thrive™, a tabletop card game aimed at teaching its players
about sustainable development and climate change effects, has been developed as an
output of the C2 project. Targeted at students, local government officers, and the
general public, the Resilience™ game requires players to take on the role of
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community leaders who share resources. As leaders, they are tasked to lead their
respective communities towards growth and economic development while
maintaining the health of their shared resources.
The development stage of the Resilience: Survive and Thrive™ heavily involved
playtests with high school students as well as local government officers. Because it
aims to teach its players lessons on balanced development and sustainability, players
are introduced to climate change concepts/extreme weather events: storm surge, super
typhoon, reclamation, and ocean acidification and their effects on society. The game
also strives to communicate key learnings, specifically that the environment protects
humans from the impacts of climate change and that the environment provides
livelihood for humans to develop.
Figure 12.Students from Lagro High School, enjoying a playtest of the game’s pilot
version
A series of play tests and focus group discussions done with high school students
showed that players as young as those in first year high school students are capable of
gaining insight about DRRM and resilience just by playing the game. In particular,
students exhibited understanding of the key concepts:
1. Humans are affected by climate change and must learn how to adapt to
survive. Climate change increases the damage caused by extreme weather events on
communities.
2. The environment protects humans from extreme weather events. However,
climate change also has negative impacts to the environment.
3. Livelihoods are where humans get their income and what leads to
development. Without livelihoods, there will be no income and development. There
will be poverty.
4. Nature provides the means for humans to have livelihoods. Without Nature,
there would be no industry since all materials come from the environment. If the
environment is damaged, livelihoods will become less profitable.
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The game has been publicly introduced via media coverage. In fact, it has been
written up in a (front page) major daily broadsheet, included in TV news, as well as a
featured in television news documentary program.
Figure 13.Screen captures of some of the major news channels that reported on
Resilience: Survive and Thrive™
Moreover, the first annual Resilience tournament was launched in February
2016.Titled Paladino at Paladina: Resilience: Survive and Thrive tournament, the
event was well-attended by participants. With such positive reception, the game will
be made commercially available (pending licensing to an interested publisher).
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Figure 14.Winning players with the organizers of the Paladino at Paladina:
Resilience: Survive and Thrive tournament
Two batches of postcards that aim to educate the public about endangered and
endemic species of the Philippines have been produced.
Figure 15.Sample postcards from batch 1
The first batch of which focused on marine life and was created as part of the Month
of the Oceans celebration led by the Department of Environmental and Natural
Resources (DENR). The postcards contain a “handwritten” message, in the first
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person, to educate the public about the plight of our endemic and endangered species.
Messages are personalized per species and also include recommendations on how to
better protect them (see Figure 16).
These postcards have also been converted to banner posters posted in strategic MRT
stations in Manila in order to deliver the message to more people. These have also
been sent to state colleges and universities, as well as government offices all over the
country.
Figure 16.Banner poster version of the postcard, posted in strategic MRT stations
Both postcards and banner posters have been printed in three languages, namely,
English, Filipino, and Bisaya.
Inikaduwa, a script for a telenovela, is another output of the project.
Figure 17.Screen capture of the Opening Billboard, showing the icons for Inikaduwa:
mountains, mangroves, and reefs
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The team, with the help of seasoned writers from the Philippine Educational Theater
Association (PETA) who also write for major TV networks, developed a telenovela
script which is expected to bridge the gap between entertainment and science. The
telenovela titled Inikaduwa incorporates the basic elements of a normal telenovela
(romance, comedy, drama, and mystery) while also shedding light on issues of
climate change adaptation and mitigation. This mix between entertainment and
science is anticipated to engage the general public such that overly-scientific jargon
will become common terms among members of the Filipino household.
Currently, the team is in talks with a major television network which has signified its
interest in producing it.
Table 3.Summary of Communication Activities and Outputs of Project C2
COMMUNICATION
ACTIVITIES
Development of
communication
materials
Media training Popular/entertainment
media
Game
development
Telenovel
a script
developm
ent
COMMUNICATION
OUTPUTS Brochure
Postcards
Animations
Scientists as
media experts Resilience:
Survive and
Thrive™
Paladino at
Paladina: A
Resilience:
Survive and
Thrive™
tournament
Inikaduw
a script
Conclusion
Quality design and execution
The communication outputs of the BaR program show quality in terms of design and
execution. From the academic (i.e., course design) to the popular (e.g., card game,
postcards, script), these communication outputs are products of systematic planning
and are anchored on appropriate theoretical perspectives.
Interdisciplinary cooperation and synergy
Moreover, the communication activities and outputs show how mutually reinforcing
interdisciplinary cooperation can be. The collaborating units in the BaR program are
both from within the academic disciplines (i.e., Colleges of Science, Engineering,
Mass Communication, Fine Arts) and outside the academe (i.e., news networks and
media organizations).
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However, how well have these communication efforts contributed to the
mainstreaming of disaster science into the public consciousness and development
policies? As pilot-tests of media and technologies, these efforts show promise. What
is necessary - and this is the challenge - is wider and broader replication.
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