Philippines: Barangay officials take up disaster risk management issues

PIA press release by: Edna A Bagadiong

Virac, Catanduanes - The orientation for Barangay captains on disaster risk reduction management issues conducted by the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office yielded an over-all attendance of 79.11% in 12 separate schedules.

The orientation is a one-day activity composed of two parts namely: the discussion on the salient issues of Republic 10121 and the second part is a contingency planning workshop.

The discussion of the newly enacted law otherwise known as the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act 0f 2010 focused mostly on the following: The DRRMO Organization at the Regional Level drawn to the hierarchal levels of the LGU's; Reorganization of the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils and the (LDRRMC) and the composite members of the organizational structure at all levels of the LGU; Institutionalization of the LDRRM Office and the creation of its manpower components, funding and other support requirement and the transformation of 5% Calamity Fund into Local DRRM Fund.

The workshop activities generated the following data and information which were significant in the context of DRR Management and Barangay Profile; Barangay's Priority Needs for Interventions; Projective Evacuation Centers; Prostructive Merchandise Partners and Families Highly at Risk and Planned Contingency Measures.

The preparation of the Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction Plan was also discussed as well as its relationship with the Local Development Plans and the corresponding budget process of the BDRRM Fund. Sub Committees for preparedness, response, mitigation and rehabilitation were likewise suggested to guide and facilitate them in the review of consistencies of their programs, projects and activities with DRR concerns. (PIA Catanduanes/mal)