CAMIGUIN (PIA) -- In line with the advocacy of strengthening disaster resilience, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) partnered with the local government of Mambajao on the conduct of the Incident Command System (ICS) Executive Course held at the New Operation Center of Mambajao, Camiguin, on February 6.
A total of 40 participants completed the training, receiving essential knowledge on applying general concepts and principles of the Incident Command System from a managerial perspective.
These 40 participants are department heads of LGU Mambajao, uniform personnel, and national agencies.
An incident command system is a standard on-scene, all-hazard incident management concept that all response groups can use. Among the participants were the department heads of LGU Mambajao and the members of the emergency and response clusters of the municipality.
Municipal Mayor Yñigo Jesus D. Romualdo said he aims to foster a resilient and adequately equipped community capable of effectively addressing and mitigating the impact of future emergencies by empowering disaster management leaders through the ICS Executive Course.
“I sincerely hope that no disasters occur in our municipality, but if one does arise, I trust that this training will be effective in responding to emergencies,” he said.
He also hoped that after the training, the participants could apply the concepts they learned when a disaster arises. He added that he is very thankful for the comprehensive support from stakeholders and national agencies in completing the training mentioned.
Among the speakers were Patrick Alain Callanta from OCD, Jonathan Paolo Del Rosario of LGU Tagoloan, Niño Desierto of PGO Lanao Del Norte, and Javlin Cordova of PGO Bukidnon.
“During incidents, our primary goal is to rescue individuals. ICS training is available to ensure that responders are effective in their role. This training ensures the safety of responders and enables us to establish smart objectives for emergency responses,” Callanta said.
Topics included Introduction to ICS, ICS Organization, ICS Facilities, and Managing Planned Events and Major Incidents.
Under Republic Act 10121, or the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act, the OCD has been tasked with formulating standard operating procedures for coordination through the ICS.
The one-day crash course highlights ICS's core principles, features, and functions. It also allows users to adopt an integrated organizational structure for a response that is advantageous in any kind of incident, facilitating the integration of diverse personnel, ensuring accountability, and providing logistical and administrative support in a cost-efficient manner.
This significant event is a component of LGU Mambajao's recent project from DOST on the Mobile Command and Control Vehicle (MoCCoV).
Dr. Renato U. Solidum Jr., the Secretary of DOST, consistently underscores the critical significance of disaster risk reduction and resilience. He emphasizes that by applying science, technology, and innovation, Filipinos can triumph over adversities and emerge victorious, not victims of disasters. (DOST-10/PIA-10/Camiguin)
