ILAGAN CITY, Isabela, June 27 (PIA) —A year after successfully hosting the first-ever Regional Summit on Climate Change, the provincial government of Isabela this time staged a Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (PDRRM) Summit, drawing the attendance of about 400 people.
OCD Regional Director Norma C. Talosig, who also chairs the Regional DRRMC, said the summit aimed to harness partnership between and among all sectors of society involved in the reduction and management of disaster risks in the communities.
“Instead of criticizing and blaming one another, why not harmonize our efforts, coordinate among ourselves and work together to make a difference in mitigating disasters?,” Talosig told participants emphasizing that building the disaster-resiliency of the country starts at the local level.
On the one hand, Isabela Governor Faustino ‘Bojie’ Dy III, in his message, expressed his gratitude to agencies and sectors who participated in the successful staging of the activity.
“Bakit natin ginagawa ito summit? Ito ay dahil sa paniniwala na ang buhay ng bawat mamamayan ay dapat pag-ingatan at hindi ipagsapalaran sa anumang pagsubok,” Dy said.
He added that since the onslaught of super typhoon Juan in 2010, which devastated the coastal town of Maconacon, the provincial government has strengthened its disaster preparedness to minimize the impact of any disaster in the future.
Dy also bared the latest projects of the provincial government to cushion the negative impact of natural disasters and calamities.
These projects, he said include the construction of an evacuation center in each of the coastal towns of Maconacon, Dinapigue, Divilacan and Palanan, ground-breaking of the P27M Isabela Evacuation Center at the provincial capitol complex and the construction of the Pasa Small River Impounding Project in Ilagan City funded by the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).
For his part, DILG-Isabela Provincial Director Elpidio A. Durwin reminded the Local Chief Executives of their function to carry out emergency measures and exercise their emergency power during and in the aftermath of any disaster to hasten up recovery and promote the general welfare.
The summit was in partnership with the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Region 2 and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Isabela Provincial Office. It was attended LCEs provincewide, local DRRM officers and staff, media and heads and representatives of national government agencies based here.
Among the topics discussed during the event were the Joint Memorandum Circular 2014 or the Implementing Guidelines for the Establishment of LDRRMOs or BDRRMCs in Local Government Units, Joint Memorandum Circular 2013 or the Allocation and Utilization of Local DRRM Fund, Department of Science and Technology’s Project NOAH, Hazard Assessment-Geo Hazard Maps for Isabela, Updates on Provincial DRRM Projects and Activities, Policies/Guidelines for Disaster Relief Operation and Management of Evacuation Centers, and LCE Roles in DRRM, among others. - PIA