BY: LEANDRIA P. PAGUNSAN
DUMAGUETE CITY, August 18 (PIA) -- Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officers (DRRMO) of local government units (LGUs) in Negros Oriental went into a two-day disaster preparedness enhancement seminar workshop on August 14-15 at the Provincial Convention Hotel, Dumaguete City.
Negros Oriental provincial governor Roel Degamo in his welcome remarks reminded everyone on the importance of saving lives in times of disaster.
The governor said that disaster preparedness is among the top priority of the provincial government but nevertheless, it is also the concern of everybody.
“On top of our preparation is to achieve zero casualty and prepare for the worst-case scenario as the province has gone through major calamities such as earthquake and flash floods due to climate change”, Degamo added.
He said we may not be able to perfect disaster preparedness but there is always room for improvement and lessons to learn from.
Office of Civil Defense (OCD-7) provincial coordinator Allen Cabaron urged the LGUs to formulate flood contingency plan because flood usually occur during typhoons.
Cabaron encouraged the DRRMOs to review the status of their Disaster Risk Reduction Management (DRRM) plan in order to make changes that will serve as basis to improve until 2015.
As front liners during calamities it is important to activate the barangay disaster committees and expose them in capacity building training, planning, and establishing strong linkages with government agencies, churches and other LGUs in the provinces.
Dumaguete City Disaster Operations Officer Engr. Jose Chiu shared the success of the city’s disaster preparedness plan which include the creation of a disaster management office.
From its P26 million calamity fund Chiu said the office now has permanent staff. It conducts regular meetings and monitors disaster prone areas, prioritizing top five potential calamities that usually hit the city.
"We are coming up with a five year management plan and building priorities along with it," Chiu said.
Provincial General Services Office (PGSO) department head, Engr. Berchamans Patrimonio presented hazard mapping for hazard/flood prone areas.
Using google earth, Patrimonio explained that flood prone areas can be identified using the Geographical Information System (GIS) which can be applied in determining the exact number of households that will be directly affected by flood in a polygon.
This can also help the Department of Social Welfare & Development (DWSD) in determining the exact number of families that need to be evacuated and in the distribution of relief goods.
Patrimonio said through the use of GIS it will be easier for the LGUs to formulate their respective flood contingency plan.
Another way of getting the accurate data is the locally driven hazard map where barangay officials will be the ones to determine the number of households that will be directly affected by floods. (mbcn/lpp/PIA-7/Negros Oriental)