CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY—Balay Mindanaw Foundation, Inc. (BMFI), through its DREAM or Disaster Risk Reduction, Resiliency-building and Emergency Assistance Mission, has recently conducted the Emergency Coordination Training for Community Leaders for its partner communities in Mindanao.
Attended by more than 70 participants from Aleosan, North Cotabato; Cagwait and Lianga in Surigao del Sur, and Sta. Josefa in Agusan del Sur, the 3-day training-workshop (March 17-19) was aimed at (1) orienting the participants on some international standards in humanitarian response; (2) reviewing the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act (RA 10121) and providing concrete experiences in its implementation; (3) providing basic background on the Incident Command System as mechanism for coordinating emergencies; and (4) providing basic information on the cluster approach during emergency response.
“Napakaganda ng training na ito para sa amin, lalong lalo na yung sa ICS,” said Kagawad Nor Zaydee T. Lozada, chairman of the Committee on Education of the Barangay Council of Barangay Bagolibas, Aleosan, North Cotabato.
Bagolibas is often wracked by man-made calamities such as violent conflict, such as the MOA-AD war in 2008 during which 51 houses here were burned by Moro rebels then under Kumander Kato.
“Itong ICS, very important sa amin para mahan-ay mabuti yung gagawin namin lalo na pag may man-made disaster,” Lozada added.
Col. Mario Verner Monsanto, who recently retired as chief of the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CDRRMO), taught the ICS and the Importance of Emergency Coordination at the Barangay Level. Monsanto emphasized that during calamities and disasters, the first responder is the barangay.
Roberto Bontas, chairman of the flood-prone Barangay Awao in Sta. Josefa, Agusan del Sur, said that the training equipped them to be better rescuers during calamities and disasters. Awao is located near the Agusan River.
Bontas said the most important thing he remembered was how to utilize the 5% Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund as provided for in RA 10121. Section 21 of RA 10121 and Rule 18 of its Implementing Rules and Regulation (IRR) state that the LDRRMF is to be used for disaster risk management activities, support to other affected LGUs and quick response fund or stand-by fund for relief and recovery programs.
The law clearly provides that 70% of the 5% LDRRMF may be utilized to procure early warning system systems, preparedness equipment and other equipage as part of an LGU’s disaster prevention and mitigation, while the remaining 30% may be used during disasters/calamities as Quick Response Fund (QRF).
Barangay Awao, located in the “flood zone” of Sta. Josefa, was among the barangays hit by Typhoon Bopha (Pablo) in December 4, 2012.
Rosita J. Cillo, chairman of Barangay Mat-e, Cagwait, Surigao del Sur said she will re-echo to her constituents what she learned in the training.
Mat-e, surrounded by mountains, is a landslide-prone and flood-prone area of Cagwait. A 30-minute heavy downpour always results to flooding. Of its four puroks, only Purok 2 or the barangay poblacion is spared from floodwaters as it is located at a higher elevation.
“The barangay is surrounded by small but many streams which always overflow when it rains and flood our barangay,” Cillo said.
In 2011 while Cillo, then a barangay kagawad, was attending the Operation Peace Course (OP Kors!) workshop in Cagayan de Oro, Barangay Mat-e was flooded and affected 114 families who evacuated to the temporary evacuation center in the Barangay Hall.
In 2005, the barangay was isolated for several hours after its main road connecting the barangay to the municipality was blocked by tons of loose earth because of a landslide due to rain.
“We are very grateful to Balay Mindanaw for this training as this will help us prepare our people in case of any calamity that might happen in our barangay,’ she said.
The Emergency Coordination Training for Community Leaders was part of BMFI’s goal of equipping communities to make them empowered, sustainable, resilient and peaceful.
“Emergency operations coordination is the ability to direct and support an event, incident or disaster by establishing a standardized, scalable system of oversight, organization, and supervision consistent with international standards but taking into consideration its applicability in the local context,” said DREAM coordinator Eileen Ipulan.
Among the topics were on Hyogo Framework, the Humanitarian Accountability Partnership (HAP) Standard, Sphere Project and Do No Harm, among others.
Balay Mindanaw established DREAM in 2012 after Tropical Storm Washi (Sendong) devastated the city and affected also its staff and personnel.
DREAM is a comprehensive community-based and barangay-focused program that incorporates all aspects of the disaster management continuum — from the actual response to rehabilitation and recovery, mitigation and preparedness. Ultimately, it aims to help empower communities to become more sustainable and resilient against any disaster. It is considered an integral part in Balay Mindanaw’s entire package of work in helping build empowered, sustainable, resilient and peaceful communities. (Bong D. Fabe)