LINGAYEN, Pangasinan – Youth from Pangasinan have been urged to actively participate in Operation Listo, a project of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) which seeks to further stimulate community participation and strengthen inter-agency efforts to attain disaster readiness.
As initial move, the DILG in partnership with the provincial government and other stakeholders rallied about 100 youth from 44 towns and four cities in the province during the Wemboree: Changing the mindset from ME to WE, a training camp held at the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center (NRSCC) Gymnasium recently which provided them with plenary sessions revolving on disaster readiness and leadership formation activities.
Youth’s support to Operation Listo was even made significant as youth leaders gestured the Giving of Pledge and Commitment to Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr., which was preceded by a candle lighting ceremony with Board Member (BM) Amado I. Espino, III.
Owing to youth’s vital role in community building, BM Espino, Liga ng mga Barangay Provincial President, urged the participants to be responsible enough to share what they have learned from the activity to their fellow youth in their respective localities.
Meanwhile, Ret. Col. Rhodyn Luchinvar Oro, Provincial Disater Risk Reduction and Management Officer, asked the youth to take advantage of social media to circulate information about disaster readiness, most particularly in times of calamities.
“Resiliency must be pliant like a bamboo,” Oro stressed, adding that the present provincial administration has been very active in engaging the youth in activities which feed them information on disaster awareness and preparedness.
DILG Provincial Director Reggie Colisao said that the participants are asked to accomplish survey of hazard areas and list of vulnerable sectors in their localities under the supervision of Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Offices (LDRRMOs) as output of the training camp.
The WEmboree, the third major activity of Operation Listo, was held after the conduct of Provincial Convergence and Dialogue.
Essentials of disaster preparedness in view of the Operation Listo were presented during the ‘Provincial Convergence’ that was attended by local chief executives, police forces from Philippine National Police (PNP), fire marshals from Bureau of Fire and Protection (BFP), local government officers of the DILG, Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officers (DRRMOs) and representatives from Philippine Red Cross (PRC).
Civil Society Organizations, local search institutions, the academe and the media, on the other, expressed full support to Operation Listo during a ‘Dialogue’ as they committed to make their resources accessible and available when needed in times of disaster.
Operation Listo has critical preparations Alpha, Bravo and Charlie. Different sets of information in the critical preparations serve as guide for LGUs, DRRMOs and attached national government agencies in disaster risk reduction and management in responding to impending disasters.
Also present during the activity were: DILG Officer-in-Charge Assistant Regional Director Victoria Ramos, and Ret. Col. Fernando de Guzman, Provincial Consultant for PDRRMO operations.
By Dexter A. See