The City Council, during last Monday’s regular session, approved on first reading a proposed ordinance adopting and institutionalizing the disaster risk reduction and management for the health system in the city, integration of the same into the city disaster risk reduction and management system and allotting funds for the said purpose.
City councilors stated that the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC) shall, as one of its existing functions, ensure the integration of the disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation into the city development plans, programs and budget as a strategy in sustainable development and poverty reduction.
Further, the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) shall still be responsible for setting the direction, development, implementation and coordination of the disaster risk reduction and management programs within the city complimented by the barangay disaster risk reduction and management committee in every barangay that shall also serve the same purpose.
The council claimed that the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Plan as drafted and finalized by the CDRRMC shall be the overall plan of the city government for response efforts towards disaster and emergencies while the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management in Health Plan that shall be drafted and finalized by the City Health Services Office shall be integrated in the CDRRM plan; provided that, the aforesaid plan will include the plan of the health care providers network and other stakeholders or health service delivery units in the city.
The council tasked the City Health Services Office to take the lead in the provision of technical inputs and development of response efforts for health-related emergencies or disasters that shall be anchored on the DRRM health plan guided by appropriate principles, such as people-centered, all-hazard approach in policy; whole-of-society approach; community empowerment and resilience; science- and evidence-based and equity in the delivery of essential health services.
The City DRRM Health Planning Management shall be organized and shall lead the process for the institutionalization of the same, composed of the City Mayor as the local chief executive, Chairperson of the Council Committee on Health and Sanitation; City Health Officer as the DRRM-H focal person; Medical Officer IV as DRRM-H coordinator or manager; health care providers network technical unit; CDRRMO; and other members as may be deemed necessary.
According to the council, the City Health Services Office shall designate a city DRRM-H manager who will coordinate with the CHSO and the CDRRMO in the updating and testing of the plan; provide technical assistance to the service delivery units in the development and updating of the corresponding DRRM plans; take the lead in the consolidation of all DRRM-H plans from the service delivery units and integrating the same into the city plan; coordinate with the concerned offices on the organization of the barangay health emergency response teams and training of the same on basic life support and first aid; coordinate with the CDRRMO in the mobilization of resources during health-related emergencies and disasters; initiative monitoring and evaluate activities on the implementation of the plan; ensure the integration of the DRRM-H plan into the CDRRM plan for planning and budgeting purposes prepare reports in coordination with other point persons. By Dexter A. See
