TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol (PIA) – After getting a consistent ‘fully compliant’ rating in disaster and risk reduction and management (DRRM), Bohol levels up its game and gets a ‘beyond complaint’ rating recently.
With this feat, Bohol becomes the only province in Central Visayas with this rating, this year.
During the 2023 Gawad Kalasag (Kalamidad at Sakuna Labanan, Sariling Galing ang Kaligtasan) Conferment for 2023, Governor Erico Aristotle Aumentado along with the Provincial Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Council representatives received the award from Department of National Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr.
A highlight of the National Disaster Consciousness Month (NDCM), with this year’s theme “Pag-Alerto Malayo sa Peligro,” the Gawad KALASAG Awarding Ceremony is an annual recognition to acknowledge and give due credit to local disaster coordinating councils, non-government organizations, private organizations, and stakeholders for their outstanding contributions in the field of Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Humanitarian Assistance.
Guided by a set of principles, to include among others: stakeholders’ participation, transparency, innovativeness, partnership, self-reliance, and the spirit of volunteerism, Gawad Kalasag has encouraged participation of various stakeholders in designing and implementing and innovating Disaster Risk Management (DRM) programs aimed at protecting or shielding high risk communities against hazards.
Equally sharing the limelight with the governor are five local DRRM (LDRRMC) councils of local government units: Alburquerque, Anda, Candijay, Sikatuna and Tagbilaran City.
Alburquerque Mayor Don Ritchie Buates, Anda Mayor Angelina Simacio, Candijay Mayor Thamar Olaivar, Sikatuna Mayor Justiniana Ellorimo and Tagbilaran City Mayor Jane Yap received their awards for their respective LDRMs, who have shown that they do not just have a physical disaster council but an active and functional team popularizing community participation in DRM.
Another 28 Bohol LDRRMCs have also been found to be fully compliant.
According to Bohol PDRRMC Administrative Officer Ryan Palma, Bohol has been fully compliant in the DRRM assessments in the past, the beyond compliant would be something that the council would be motivated enough to innovate to save the resources that the council thrives on.
The NDRRMC and the OCD has monitored the compliance of local DRRMS in the organization at the Local Government Level, and their functionality based on Sections 11 and 12 of the Philippine Disaster and Risk Management Act.
The LDRRMS approve, monitor and evaluate the implementation of the LDRRMPs, regularly review and test the plan to ensure integration of disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation into local development plans, programs and budgets for sustainable development and poverty reduction.
They too can recommend the implementation of forced or preemptive evacuation of local residents, convene the local council, establish and institutionalize Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (LDRRMO) which shall be responsible for setting the direction, development, implementation and coordination of disaster risk management programs within their territorial jurisdiction.
The functionality of the LDRRMO, would be checked: if there is responsible person heading the administration and training; research and planning; and operations and warning, explains Palma during the recent Kapihan sa PIA.
Here, for Local DRM Councils, regional and national validation teams assess them based on a checklist on basic DRM capability earning a maximum of 28 points in mitigation, 44 points in preparedness, 16 points in response and 12 points in rehabilitation.
Other than Bohol towns in the Beyond Compliant ratings are Bogo City, Madrediejos, Mandaue City, Talisay City and Sogod while Negros Oriental has Bayawan City, Bindoy and Canlaon City. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)
