Philippines: Regional disaster committee formulates action plan

Press Release

By Lito Dar

Baguio City - The Regional Disaster Response Committee met last week to formulate the 2011 Disaster Response Plan.

Co-chaired by the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD-CAR), the committee tackled issues on the dissemination of imminent threats and execution of Early Warning System (EWS); execution of response and communication plan; enforcement of pre-emptive evacuations; administration and coordination of disaster response activities; monitoring of disaster situation through setting of communication link from the crisis site to Emergency Operation Center; Damage Assessment and Need Analysis (DANA); and the provision of ambulant services to the distress victims and the execution of Incident Command System (ICS).

The output of the said meeting, a draft 2011 Disaster Response Plan, will be presented to the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council(RDRRMC) for further deliberation and adaptation to the regional plan.

Meanwhile, OCD acting administrative and planning officer, Jojo Valera,an engineer, said among the priority Disaster Risk Reduction plan or program being implemented by their office in the region is the strengthening of Early Warning System especially in high risk communities.

"Given our topography, many areas in the region are landslide prone, so we are advocating to the different Local Government Units (LGUs) to focus on the needed engineering interventions, so as to avoid or reduce the risk of landslide and flooding , especially during heavy rainfalls," Valera said.

Valera also affirmed that the OCD forged partnership with Philex Mining Corporation, who will provide galvanized iron (GI) pipes that will be distributed to high risk areas and communities and will be used as early warning device. They are also encouraging the use of indigenous materials as early warning system.

According to Valera, they are also continuously implementing capacity building and information, education and communication (IEC) campaign through orientations and seminars, for the new policy/law of Disaster Risk Reduction Management in the different parts of the region.

Skills training in the province of Abra has been done and the next schedule is in Bontoc Mountain Province for a Mountain Search and Rescue (MUSAR) training seminar, Valera said. *(PIA CAR)