In Kidapawan City, a youth volunteer is dedicated to assisting the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) in expediting emergency response efforts during calamities and emergencies.
Yuan P. Tolosa began volunteering at 12 years old, participating in the school’s DRRM and Watch Teams, and later joining CDRRMO training to become an emergency responder or communications officer.
Tolosa made a significant contribution to volunteerism by helping improve the Command, Control, and Communications Intelligence (C3I) system at the CDRRMO earlier this year.
“Before, a system resembling C3I existed in the CDRRMO but was not fully centralized, with the specifications of this system being undocumented. The communications infrastructure remained ineffective for several years, ultimately failing during one of the city’s major emergencies, the magnitude 6.3 earthquake that struck in October 2019,” Tolosa recounted.
His initiative improves the Kidapawan CDRRMO’s internal radio communication infrastructure, enhancing the CDRRMO Base and Mobile Fleet’s capacity to access city frequencies and establish contact with 40 barangays.
He clarified that the C3I system serves not only the departmental level, specifically the City DRRMO, but also the Association of Barangay Chairman.
“Sa C3I, I helped streamlined po yung ‘communications’ ng opisina with its personnel and with the barangays po, and ‘yung process is nag issue po kami ng individual callsigns (names ng responder for radio) then nag check sa 40 barangay po kung saan yung areas na mahirap ikober ng communications, so naggawa rin ng sector designations para ma enhance pa ‘yung capacity ng mga barangays na makapag communicate during emergencies or disasters,” Tolosa explained.
(In C3I, I helped streamline the office’s communications with its personnel and barangays. The process involved issuing individual callsigns and checking 40 barangays to identify areas where communications were difficult to cover. We also created sector designations to enhance the capacity of the barangays to communicate during emergencies or disasters.)
Furthermore, Tolosa said that he also helped the CDRRMO organize its C4I system in July this year, integrating traffic lights, closed-circuit television cameras, GPS, and a group talk radio system.
“The new system includes the computer aspect and intends to integrate all city government offices and concerned national agencies, such as the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, Bureau of Fire Protection, and the Department of Education’s DRRM unit, among others, into the system to allow rapid detection and response to emergencies,” he highlighted.
The system uses a centralized radio frequency or command network, duly licensed by the National Telecommunications Commission, for monitoring by all relevant agencies, thereby simplifying incident communication and reducing emergency response times.
“Sa C4I naman inintroduce ko po yung CCTV monitoring center ng CDRRMO sa system, as well as yung CCTV monitors ng CSU dito sa amin po, para pag may nakita silang incident, kaagad na mai-refer nila sa proper agency ‘yung incident. Then also sa C4I, nag expand na rin kami sa communications since under pa rin naman ng C4I ‘yung communications. Ang ginawa lang sa expansion is inintegrate na rin ang ibang agencies (BFP, PNP, TMEU, CSU, ABC, DEPED, AFP, etc) sa CDRRMO repeater frequency po, so pag may disaster or emergency, di pahirapan ang pag contact sa lahat ng agencies, and mas madali ‘yung pag transmit ng information from the ground, mas madaling nakakaabot sa taas for fast decision-making,” he said.
(I helped CDRRMO and CSU integrate CCTV monitoring into C4I, allowing for immediate incident reporting and communication expansion. This integration allows for easier communication between various agencies, faster decision-making during disasters and emergencies, and easier transmission of information from the ground.)
Psalmer Bernalte, head of the Kidapawan CDRRMO, said Tolosa’s volunteer activities in their office are a manifestation of his dedication to serving the community.
With the youth volunteer’s efforts to further improve the C4I, Bernalte is optimistic that the system will continue to make significant contributions to the field of DRRM.
“I have had the pleasure of working closely with Mr. Tolosa on various activities and have always been impressed by his dedication, passion, and unwavering commitment to serving my office and the community,” Bernalte said.
According to him, volunteerism is crucial for nation-building and enhancing public and community resilience in remote areas where government services are limited.
Tolosa is the region’s nominee for the 2024 Search for Outstanding Volunteers under the Individual-Youth category.
Aside from helping improve the C3I and later the C4I systems of the CDRRMO, Tolosa also spearheads the organization of youth volunteers for the CDRRMO.
Tolosa’s volunteer efforts align with Philippine Sustainable Development Goals, aiming to end poverty, create inclusive, safe, resilient cities, and combat climate change.
The youth volunteer is a symbol of unwavering heroism, fueled by a burning passion for volunteerism that transcends boundaries. (SJDM – PIA Cotabato Province)
