Philippines: Govt., NGOs prepare for disasters through seminar
SPDRMO, NGOs hold CapBuild Training for vulnerable barangays in Sorsogon City
by Bennie A. Recebido
Sorsogon City – With various mishaps besetting Sorsogon City over the past months, a three-day capability building (CapBuild) activity for vulnerable barangays is being conducted here to ensure that areas at risk in the city is prepared enough in times of calamities.
Said CapBuild activity slated February 16 - 18, was realized through the partnerships of the Federation of Associations for Communities and Children’s Empowerment (FACE) Incorporated, and Batit Anay Project (BAP) through the assistance of the ChildFund Philippines and the Sorsogon Provincial Disaster Risk Management Office (SPDRMO) as part of their disaster risk reduction effort.
“The first day’s activity was a success with the active participation shown by the members of the Barangay Development Council (BDC) from the six barangays of Sorsogon City, specifically barangays of Sirangan, Sampaloc, Balogo, Piot, Talisay, and Bitano-Dalipay,” said SPDRMO OIC head Jose Lopez.
The training will capacitate the partner barangays of FACE, BAP, and ChildFund Philippines so that they can keep abreast of the principles of R.A. 10121 (Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010) in crafting a Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Plan or Contingency Plan and at the same time to organize a Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Committee with representatives coming from the children and youth sector.
“It is also expected that by the end of the training, participants will be able to come up with their respective barangay profile and suitable maps that can be used as basis of their Disaster Contingency Plan,” said Lopez.
Risk and capacity assessments will be facilitated by the SPDRMO while representatives of Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) and Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) will discuss the geohazard and meteorological component of the CAPBUILD training. (PIA Sorsogon)