KORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato (PIA) — The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) in Region 12 expressed appreciation to the member agencies of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) Disaster Preparedness Committee for their dedication to ensuring community safety.
Lawyer Rochelle D. Mahinay-Sero, regional director of the DILG and the committee vice chairperson, described community disaster preparedness as a “shared duty” among all sectors—government, private, and civil society.
“Our people’s bravery, resilience, and compassion always shine during times of crisis. We are proud of these values, which help us rise above disasters,” Sero noted in a recent meeting with committee members in Koronadal City.
During the meeting, the committee approved four resolutions. These are:
- Encouraging local government units (LGU) to actively support fire prevention and disaster risk reduction programs;
- Creating a technical working group to craft a concept note and guidelines for typing the Regional Incident Management Team;
- Urging LGUs and partner agencies to intensify weather-related disaster preparedness and follow standard reporting and evacuation protocols; and
- Proposing a memorandum of understanding between RDRRMC and local DRRMCs to formalize assistance and deployment of responders and resources during major emergencies.
Member-agencies also presented their ongoing disaster preparedness plans and programs, which are designed to enhance the ability of local communities to respond effectively to emergencies.
According to Sero, helping people improve disaster readiness will prepare them for disasters, such as earthquakes, emphasizing the primary goal, which is saving lives.
The meeting was attended by 18 member agencies from various national and local government offices, including the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the Department of Science and Technology, the National Economic and Development Authority, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau, PAGASA, PHIVOLCS, and the Philippine Information Agency (PIA), among others.
Meanwhile, the OCD in Region 12 also discussed new guidelines that were issued by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council to guide member agencies and LGUs.
OCD indicated that the guidelines emphasized the importance of accurately reporting affected populations and implementing preemptive evacuation procedures during disasters, as outlined in Memorandum Circular No. 1, Series of 2025.
Sero also believes that the “camaraderie” among committee members has demonstrated strong cooperation in working together to further strengthen community resilience in the region. (AMB – PIA Region 12)
