MANKAYAN, Benguet – The municipal government and the local disaster r risk reduction and management office joined forces in improving the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) capability of its personnel and volunteers from the town’s twelve barangays for them to be able to effectively and efficiently respond to the onslaught of natural and man-made calamities.
Mankayan Mayor Frenzel Ayong said that one of the priority thrusts of the local government is to equip its DRRM personnel and volunteers from the barangays to be able to become effective emergency responders for them to be able to help in saving life and limb from being exposed to eminent danger during emergency situations.
“We want to pursue a sustainable disaster risk reduction and management program so that our personnel, volunteers and even our constituents will know what to do during emergency situations so that we will be able to achieve zero casualty which is the primary purpose of our effective DRRM initiatives,” Mayor Ayong stressed.
The local chief executive said that the municipal government will continue to invest on the provision of DRRM capability building programs, projects and activities so that people will know what to do during emergency situations for them to spare their colleagues from being exposed to extreme danger when natural and man-made calamities prey on the municipality.
Earlier, the local government spearheaded the conduct of the required training on the management of the basic incident command system among concerned stakeholders and even DRRM personnel and volunteers from Tinglayan, Kalinga for them to be equipped with the appropriate knowledge and skills in managing the said system for effective DRRM.
Ayong pointed out the importance of having well equipped and capacitated DRRM personnel and volunteers not only in the municipal level but also in the barangay level so that they will be the first responders during emergency situations and for them to be able to save lives and properties from being exposed to danger.
He underscored that calamities strike anytime that is why the best way to combat the same is readiness so that everyone will be spared from the threats of natural and man-made calamities.
Republic Act (RA) 10121 otherwise known as the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010 mandated all local governments to establish their own local DRRM offices and councils in lieu of the old local disaster coordinating councils for the effective and efficient DRRM response during the onslaught of natural and man-made calamities that will affect their areas of jurisdiction.
Under the said law, local governments are also mandated to appropriate at least 5 percent of their annual budgets purposely for effective and efficient DRRM wherein 70 percent of the same should be earmarked for the implementation of preparedness and mitigation programs, projects and activities while 30 percent will remain as quick response funds to be used for emergency purchases during the wrath of natural and man-made calamities that strike their areas of jurisdiction. The conduct of the basic incident command training is one of the mandatory trainings that should be attended by local government DRRM personnel and volunteers for them to be aware of the prevailing protocols of effective DRRM. By HENT
