LOCAL GOVERNANCE AND ITS ROLE IN CRISIS MANAGEMENT DURING NATURAL DISASTERS, PANDEMICS, AND OTHER EMERGENCIES

Abstract

Local governance serves as the first line of defense in managing crises such as natural disasters, pandemics, and
industrial emergencies. This study adopts a mixed methods approach, comb ining secondary data analysis with
primary data from surveys and interviews, to evaluate preparedness, coordination, and recovery effectiveness across
three representative case studies. Comparative analysis using a SWOC framework revealed that proactive
le adership, community engagement, and inter agency collaboration were key strengths, while weaknesses included
resource shortages and limited infrastructure. Opportunities for improvement lie in capacity building and
digitalization of crisis management, whil e persistent challenges include unpredictable environmental and social
factors. The findings underscore the necessity of localized, adaptive, and inclusive governance strategies to enhance
resilience and ensure effective crisis response.