Local officials of Sta. Josefa town in the Province of Agusan del Sur expressed gratefulness to Balay Mindanaw for assisting their local government unit in becoming resilient to natural disasters.
Sta. Josefa was among the municipalities devastated by Typhoon Pablo (Bopha) in 2012, the very same year Balay Mindanaw’s Disaster Risk-Reduction, Resliency-building and Emergency Assistance Mission (DREAM) was born. Back then, DREAM was called Disaster Response, Risk Reduction Management and Resiliency Building (DRRRMRB) program.
However, the principled partnership between Balay Mindanaw and Sta. Josefa officially began in 2013, the year Mayor Jan Roby R. Otero assumed office as local chief executive.
Personally witnessing the destruction that Pablo left in his town and the sufferings of his constituents, Otero vowed to make Sta. Josefa become disaster-resilient through good governance and principled partnership with CSOs, POs and other institutions both private and public. In fact, his mantra is ‘kada adlaw kugi, kada adlaw agi”.
“I was not the mayor then. [During that time], I really felt the importance of preparedness and effective response,” he said. Preparedness and effective response are just two of the hallmarks of a resilient community. But Otero acknowledged that the LGU could not do it alone. They need to partner with other agencies and institutions as well as recognize their limitations, for complementation of resources.
Thus, when he assumed office, Otero linked up with Balay Mindanaw Foundation, Inc. (BMFI), through his Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Officer, to embark on a journey with them towards making Sta. Josefa disaster resilient.
“Making our municipality resilient to disaster could not be attained without genuine service as well as opening our hearts and minds for principled partnerships as have been emphasized to us by our partner, Balay Mindanaw Foundation, Incorporated (BMFI),” he said.
The transformation of Sta. Josefa from disaster-victim to disaster-resilient was not easy as it involved time, effort and resources, sacrifices as well as acknowledgement of limitations, inabilities, incapacities and vulnerabilities, among others.
Despite this, the MDRRM officer and staff actively participated in every capacity-building trainings/workshops, assessments, discussions and meetings conducted by Balay Mindanaw. Slowly but surely, the municipality started building its resiliency to disasters.
Aside from equipping them with knowledge, Balay Mindanaw also equipped Sta. Josefa’s capacity by providing equipment and gadgets needed during disasters. This included a rescue boat, megaphones, generator sets, hand-held radios, life vests and buoys, raincoats and boots, and a water filtration equipment, among many others.
“With our MDRRMO, Balay Mindanaw facilitated a series of capacity-building interventions that include linking DRR and climate change, training of trainers on participatory capacity and vulnerability assessment (PCVA), contingency planning and flood drills in two pilot barangays. My personnel have gone to Albay Province for a Lakbay Aral on disaster preparedness,” Otero said.
However, the equipment that truly amazed Mayor Otero was the water filtration system called Sky Hydrant, which could filter muddy water into clean potable water.
Sky Hydrant is among the essential equipment that Balay Mindanaw has stocked in the DREAM warehouse, ready for distribution to partner barangays for much-needed clean drinking water, which becomes even more critical in times of disaster. This technology comes from Sky Juice Foundation through its international partner Disaster Aid International (DAI).
“I am very amazed with the technology of Sky Juice Foundation through the Disaster Aid International-Australia as the Hydrant is capable of producing clean water from the rusty-like water of Sitio Malipayon, Pag-asa, Sta. Josefa. These could be replicated in the other 10 barangays as safe and secure drinking water is one of the priority challenges in the municipality. We can have our modest counterpart, as I am always pointing out the value of equity and partnership,” he said.
Recently, Balay Mindanaw facilitated the conduct of the first-ever flood drill in Sta. Josefa. Flood is a major concern in the municipality since a simple 3-hour downpour can already flood the whole town. The organization also turned over a Sky Hydrant to the people of Sitio Malipayon.
Knowing the importance of the drill, Otero and his staff are planning to also conduct flood drills in the other nine barangays of the town. He also expressed his excitement to undergo the Operation Peace Course (OP Kors!), the peacebuilding training program of Balay Mindanaw.
“I appreciated very much the collaboration of my agencies and Balay Mindanaw in running the flood drills, first drills to happen in the municipality as far as my memory recalls. Also, their radio program has to continue as this brings good information especially to those unable to physically come for the trainings. We are also excited to undergo their peacebuilding program,” he said.
The young local chief executive also thanked Balay Mindanaw’s partners and volunteers for helping Sta. Josefa become what it is now.
“Our gratitude also extends to Balay Mindanaw’s partners, the Johanniter, Disaster Aid International-Australia, and others who prefer not to identify themselves.”
Balay Mindanaw was one of the first to come to the aid of Sta. Josefa after Typhoon Pablo lashed Mindanao on December 4, 2012. The NGO partnered with HEED Foundation and the Parish Pastoral Council to help the people through the distribution of, among others, food and non-food items like kitchen wares, repair kits and tents, and bottles of water. (Bong D. Fabe)