LOOK: Kids try out ‘Master of Disaster’ board game

MANILA, Philippines – When you were a child, did you know how to prepare for disasters?

Now, kids will have an opportunity to learn about disaster preparedness in a fun way – through a board game.

The Asia Society for Social Improvement and Sustainable Transformation (ASSIST) introduced a disaster preparedness board game to elementary students during the National Capital Region Batang Emergency Response Team camp on September 5 to 7.

The “Master of Disaster” board game, designed for children 9 and above, aims to teach kids at an early age about preparedness and response should a disaster strike.

“ASSIST created the Master of Disaster because there is a need to teach people to be more proactive about their safety. This is especially important in disaster-prone areas like the Philippines that is no stranger to fires, storms, floods, and earthquakes,” ASSIST Project Manager Ariane Lim said.

According to Lim, the game is set in the Philippines to make it more easily to relate to. “It has undergone consultation with different subject matter experts to make sure that we teach the children the correct information in the best way possible,” she said.

Lim also said that the board game may also be played by children with special needs. “The game allows children with special needs to be aware of basic disaster response which may teach them to be more independent,” she said.

The game was piloted with around 200 students and 75 teachers inside and outside the metro, according to Lim.

In 2015, risk analysis firm Verisk Maplecroft found that 8 out of 10 most disaster-prone cities in the world is located in the Philippines. 

Besides the risk of volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and floods, the Philippines is hit by an average of 20 typhoons every year.

The strongest and most devastating in recent history was Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) which hit the Philippines in November 2013 and claimed at least 7,000 lives.– Rappler.com