Barangay officials in the MIMAROPA region are well-trained and prepared to act as first responders during calamities, according to Marc Rembrandt Victore, Officer In Charge of the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Division of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) MIMAROPA.
Speaking at the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas forum, Victore highlighted the continuous efforts of OCD MIMAROPA in assisting barangays to prepare for emergencies by equipping them with the necessary skills and resources to serve as effective first responders.
“We are investing and highly engaging especially with Barangay DRRM committees because if the barangay is capacitated, even if not 100%, we can be confident that they will have a program or take the correct action once a calamity occurs,” Victore explained.
In Romblon, the local government will be facilitating an Incident Command System (ICS) training for 31 Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Committee (BDRRMC) chairpersons. This training aims to provide barangay captains with a robust understanding of ICS concepts, enhancing their ability to manage disasters efficiently. The training is supported by the OCD, Department of Science and Technology, and the Romblon Provincial and Municipal DRRMO.
Additionally, OCD is prepositioning non-food items in island barangays to ensure that aid can be delivered quickly when disasters strike. These efforts complement the prepositioning of food items by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
“At any given time, they are ready to be deployed, and aid can be delivered faster to those in need because previously, these items had to come all the way from Manila or the OCD regional office. This is our strategy because our region is truly unique,” Victore added.
Victore also mentioned that the provincial government of Romblon is investing in sea assets, including sea ambulances, to bolster disaster response capabilities in the province.
