Forging a disaster-resilient, sustainable, safe, and conducive campus
Northwestern University (NWU) is the largest private university in the northern part of the country. It is a non-sectarian academic institution based in the city of Laoag. The institution serves as a hub for both national and international impact in addition to offering high-quality education. Through its various advocacies, NWU addresses issues to serve the needs of communities and influence greater societal spheres. Making itself relevant to a world that is continuously changing, NWU is an active contributor to the growth of society, working on issues like literacy, environmental reasons, poverty alleviation, disaster preparedness, and risk reduction.
Emphasizing the significance of disaster education and management, NWU launched RIDAM as its advocacy battle cry. RIDAM, an Ilokano term that translates to “be or on alert” is the university’s disaster education, awareness, and preparedness advocacy platform. It has three (3) components, namely:
1. Education and awareness campaign, which is aimed at strengthening the communities’ understanding, appreciation, and consciousness of the importance of studying climate change, its impacts, and how to respond to disasters.
2. Research and community engagement aims to focus on the conduct of studies emphasizing climate change and adaptation, disaster preparedness, and mitigation, and organizing related activities for communities.
3. Capability building and volunteerism, which is aimed at bolstering the university’s policy on active involvement and volunteerism by organizing volunteer groups for disaster response and relief operations and capacitating them to become more effective and efficient emergency responders for the community.
VISION
Building disaster resilience and reducing disaster risks.
MISSION
Committing to service-above-self, perpetual training, and inter-agency cooperation to maintain a constant state of readiness for search, rescue, incident response and above else, safety.
THE DISASTER TASK FORCE
The Philippines is at risk from a variety of threats. Education is one of the sectors that are most vulnerable to calamities. It frequently suffers the consequences of disasters brought on by dangers, both natural and artificial. Disasters deny students access to continuous and quality education in a secure setting.
RESILIENT UNIVERSITY
In keeping with its promise to promote readiness and resilience, NWU took part in the yearly Gawad Kalasag competition organized by the Office of Civil Defense. During the 2019 21st Gawad Kalasag Regional Awards for Excellence in Disaster Risk Reduction and Management and Humanitarian Assistance, NWU bagged 1st Place as Best Higher Education in the Region. The honor was a testament to the institution’s commitment to creating a resilient, secure, and welcoming campus.
ALLIANCE
Northwestern University is a member of the Ilocos Region 1
Platform of the Asia Pacific Alliance for Disaster Management.
The alliance is composed of the academe, faith-based organizations and groups, non-government organizations, business sector, media organizations, local government, and national agencies
NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY AND ASIA PACIFIC ALLIANCE FOR DISASTER MANAGEMENT – PHILIPPINES (APAD-PH) PARTNERSHIP
Northwestern University is a member of the Ilocos Region Platform of the Asia Pacific Alliance for Disaster Management. The alliance is composed of academe, faith-based organizations and groups, non-government organizations, the business sector, media organizations, local government, and national agencies.
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