Longitudinal Study Merapi 2 (LS Merapi 2) in collaboration between SurveyMETER, BNPB, UNDP, Disaster Risk Reduction Forum (F-PRB) of the Special Region of Yogyakarta (DIY) and of Central Java was originally targeted to be carried out in November-December 2013. However, due to various obstacles, it was finally implemented in February-March 2014.

The five study implementing institutions have carried out several stages of preparation, including holding several intensive informal and formal discussions among representatives of the five institutions. Until the last training implementation of the field officer on 5-11 February 2014, today February 12, 2014, was the team's departure to the field.

Series of Implementation Process for LS Merapi 2

The formal series of preparation activities for the LS Merapi 2 commenced on Monday, October 07, 2013, immediately upon a meeting was held among the five institutions (SurveyMETER, BNPB, UNDP, F-PRB DIY, and F-PRB Central Java) at the meeting room 2nd Floor SurveyMETER Office Yogyakarta to discuss the study matters. SurveyMETER was represented by Bondan Sikoki, Wayan Suriastini, Firman Witoelar, Dani Alfah, and Roni Hermoko, while F-PRB DIY was represented by Frans Toegimin, Rinto was representing UNDP, Sunarja was from F-PRB DIY, and Aris Sustiyono was from F-PRB Central Java. They talked about support for study funding, the plan for tracking panel respondents, and so on at the meeting.

The results of the meeting bolstered the results of the previous discussion to arrange the person in charge of LS Merapi 2 activities into 4 groups, namely Group A is assigned with lobbying BNPB, printing, and launching the results of LS Merapi 1 as well as holding donor meeting under the coordination of Sunarjo. Group B is obliged to take care of discussion of study instruments, pilot test and neighborhood association (RT) verification, discussion of results, pre-test and discussion of instrument revision of pre-test results, preparation of manuals and data entry programs, and preparation of fieldwork, led by Aris Sustiyono and Dani Alfah. Group C is compelled to manage the implementation of fieldwork, data processing, and data cleaning, coordinated by Dani Alfah. Meanwhile, Group D concentrates on writing reports overseen by Mr. Frans Toegimin.

Further preparations, on 10-12 October 2013 under the coordination of Group B, verification of the sample households was carried out to find out how far the progress of the sample households was, whether migration exists or not by asking the RT or the hamlet heads. Later a pilot preparation meeting was held in a row on October 16, and the expert panel meeting for the adjustment of the LS Merapi 2 instrument on October 17 all took place in the meeting room on the 2nd floor of the SurveyMETER Office. Meanwhile, Group A also held a meeting among the four implementing agencies and UNDP, which will partially support the study funding, on Tuesday, October 22, 2013, at the office of the Geological Disaster Technology Research and Development Center (BPPTKG) Yogyakarta.

The pilot tests were held in the Sleman and Magelang districts on 23-25 October by taking them to non-sampled areas. Having completed the pilot test, successive stages were scheduled firstly through an expert panel for the revision of the pilot results instrument held on October 28, 2013, at the Insist's Office in Pakem Sleman pertained to pre-test affected to revision result instrument, manual preparation, and data entry program design. Later the enumerator training and reviews were scheduled for 12-15 November, fieldwork was for November 18-7 December, data entry was on November 19-8 December, data cleaning was on 9-14 December, reviews were on December 16-17, and finally report was written by passing through the expert panel stage on January 6-7 2014. (JF)