PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur (PIA) – Around 27 media practitioners in Zamboanga Peninsula region participated in the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) Media Orientation spearheaded by the Office of Civil Defense (OCD)-9.
As part of the National Disaster Resilient Month (NDRM) 2024 celebration, the event hoped to provide the attendees the knowledge to understand the various types of disasters across the region.
Cristina Galamiton, local media practitioner of Pagadian City, shared her insights and expressed her gratitude during the orientation. “Nalipay ko kay aduna koy nakuha nga pagtulon-an sa maong seminar. Maayo ang maong orientation ilabina nga ang mga media practitioners una nga makahatag og impormasyon sa kadaghanan.”
(I am happy because I learned something from the seminar. The orientation is very timely, especially that the media is the first to provide information to the public.)
Regional Director Ramon M. Ochotorena expressed his appreciation to the participants for making time to attend the activity. He also urged the media to help strengthen DRRM in the communities by providing prompt and accurate information from reliable sources to the public.
“We want people to know what to do when there are warnings of hazards and possible disasters. Help us convey the right information, especially during disasters to help the affected communities recover faster.” he said.
The DRRM Media Orientation provided thorough discussions about the different types of hazards, their natural origins, and their possible effects.
The discussions include the introduction to the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management System, with emphasis on the salient points of Republic Act 10121, otherwise known as the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act.
Meanwhile, Ms. Eden Soco, geologist from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB)-9, discussed the various geological hazards in the country. This includes their nature, types, and causes, and the various mitigating measures that can be applied to lessen the impacts of such hazards.
The DRRM media orientation aimed to upskill media practitioners in providing timely and accurate information at the grassroots level across the region. Ochotorena believes that the media can provide tremendous visibility for disaster-related issues, which can lessen the adverse effects of different disasters. (EDT/HTB/KPC-GIP/PIA9-Zamboanga del Sur)
