KIDAPAWAN CITY, Cotabato Province (PIA) — The city government of Kidapawan has initiated an 8-day training for its 40 Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Committees (BDRRMC) to update their three-year DRRM plan, making use of the Quality Assessment System and Operation LISTO as the template for their training.
The 8-day training, which started on Tuesday, Jan. 16, is part of the implementation of Memorandum Circular No. 2018-01 of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, which pertains to the adoption of the Quality Assessment System and Operation LISTO of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) in local government planning.
“Mahalaga ang kahandaan ng bawat isa lalo na pagdating sa kalamidad o sakuna upang maiwasan ang malaking pinsala nito sa mga residente at sa komunidad sa kabuuan [Preparedness by each one of us is important, especially when it comes to calamities. In this way, we can prevent any massive damage to residents and the community as a whole],” said Mayor Jose Paolo Evangelista, describing the training as a “must” for all BDRRMCs.
Evangelista said the training will help harness the barangays’ level of disaster preparedness as part of the city government’s efforts to make every barangay in Kidapawan resilient against any disaster or calamity that may occur.
“One of the priority areas of the city government of Kidapawan is to strengthen disaster resilience,” the official emphasized as he lauded the efforts of barangay local government units (LGU) in ensuring a safer environment for their constituents.
He also expressed optimism that the training will pave the way for more disaster-resilient barangays that will fuel sustainable peace and progress for the city.
Ranuwen Marie Añora, DRRM Officer and head for administration and training of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), said the training activity is conducted in four batches.
“Ang batch 1 and 2, mao to sila ang naga-compose sa mga barangay nga katong baguhan ang set of barangay officials kay tungod bag-o sa ilaha kining three-year plan unlike sa katong nahabilin nga duha ka batches, naa na sila’y orientation before [The Batch 1 and 2 are the ones who compose the barangays with a new set of officials, so that the three-year DRRM plan is new to them, unlike the other two batches, they already have orientations before],” Añora explained.
In particular, participants in the training are the barangay chairperson, secretary, treasurer, and records keeper of each barangay.
Añora also said that she is confident that participants will be guided by the DILG’s Operation Listo template in making their DRRM plans.
“Kaning three-year plan, mao ni ang roadmap, mao ni ang basehan, giya sa atong kada barangay kung asa padulong ang atoang Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction and Management nga sakop sa iyang tuig 2024-2026 [This three-year plan, this is the roadmap, the basis, and guide for each of our barangays, specifically on where our Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction and Management is headed for the year 2024-2026],” Añora said.
According to DILG Region 12, “Operation Listo is an advocacy program of the DILG that aims to strengthen the disaster preparedness of LGUs using a whole-of-government approach.” Its manual institutionalizes local protocols for disaster preparedness, response, and monitoring as a guide to LGUs.
Specifically, Añora said that by the end of the training, the BDRRM Committees are expected to have a “realistic three-year plan” composed of programs, projects, and activities (PPAs) that will address major hazards that they have identified in their respective areas.
Based on the CDRRMO data, there are some barangays in the city that are tagged as flash flood- and landslide-prone areas, which are continuously monitored, especially during heavy rains.
The city government was recently honored for being rated as one of the “fully compliant” LGUs in DRRM in the Soccsksargen region during the Gawad Kalasag Seal of Excellence Award for 2023. (SJDM – PIA Cotabato Province)
