As compared to past years, most of the disaster risk reduction and management (BDRRM) teams in the city’s barangays are already pro-active in handling incidents caused by calamities in their respective areas and do not solely rely on the city disaster risk reduction and management office (CDRRMO).
This was revealed by LDRRM Officer III Louie Glenn Lardizabal during a media forum, July 28, at City Hall.
“Although, admittedly, not all barangays are not yet pro-active when it comes to handling disaster incidents in their places, we are moving towards that direction of preparedness already,” he said.
Last March 2, Lardizabal said his office assisted the different BDRRM teams in crafting their emergency and contingency plans to bolster their basic response and preparedness during disasters.
The CDRRMO also conducts regular trainings to make sure that the BDRRM teams are fully capacitated in their basic response to calamities, he said.
He added that when the teams can no longer handle the situation in their respective barangays, then that is the time they ask for assistance from the CDRRMO and other concerned agencies.
In times when the CDRRMO lacks manpower during emergencies, it taps the assistance of Public Order and Safety Division (POSD) personnel who are always ready and willing to help, Lardizabal said.
He is reminding the public to always be aware and vigilant especially during typhoons and times of emergencies because response usually comes at a later point.
“It’s always better to be prepared and vigilant of warning signs especially for those living in erosion or landslide-prone areas in the city,” Lardizabal said.
Earlier, Mayor Benjamin Magalong said the city government will continue to acquire emergency equipment, among others, to strengthen its capability and capacity during calamities. – Gaby B. Keith
