TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, – Around 50 participants from different areas in Eastern Visayas are converging for a 4-day regional contingency plan formulation workshop at Hotel Alejandro this city which begins Monday until Thursday.
The activity is aimed at strengthening the capacity of the local government units towards disaster mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery capabilities to reduce risks to human life and properties as well as build resilient communities.
Office of Civil Defense 8 acting regional director Edgar L. Posadas emphasized the importance of a contingency plan to address whatever challenges that may come along the way in case a similar catastrophic incident like Yolanda happens again in the future.
“Planning plays a crucial role. We have to carefully map out the response to effectively and more efficiently address the threats that hazards pose in our communities and in the immediate environment,” Posadas said.
“We have to customize plans that we could effectively activate as needed to reduce the impact of devastating events as well as allocate meager resources in times of disasters,” he further said.
At the beginning of the workshop, OCD-8 acting assistant regional director Rey M. Gozon discussed in detail the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction (PDRR) Profile including the major disasters that hit the country and the paradigm shift in the PDRRM’s.
With the geographical location of the region, it is but timely to draw out plans that would be responsive to the needs of the people that will ultimately save lives and properties.
After the workshop, it is expected that the participants could come up with a draft integrated plan based on the prioritized hazards in the region.
The final draft plan will be submitted to the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) for approval and this will be endorsed to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) and will serve as a regional plan to be crafted down to the LGUs.(ajc/cba/PIA-8)
