CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga-Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Deputy Executive Administrator Romeo Fajardo called on mayors in Central Luzon, specifically those within the Pampanga River Basin, to allot a portion of their Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund (LDRRMF) for convergence of calamity mitigation and prevention and preparedness efforts.
In a message during the 1st Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (RDRRM) Summit, Fajardo stressed that “LDRRMF maybe small, but if contiguous towns and cities would apply holistic approach instead of doing it on their own that would make a big difference,”
Section 21 of Republic Act 10121 provides that the LDRRMF amounting to not less than five percent of the estimated revenue from regular resources shall be set aside to support disaster risk management such as, but not limited to the pre-disaster preparedness programs including training, purchase of disaster response and rescue equipment, supplies and medicines; for post-disaster activities; and payment of premiums on calamity insurance.
It shall cover 30 percent lump-sum allocation for Quick Response Fund and 70 percent allocation for disaster prevention and mitigation, preparedness, response, and rehabilitation and recovery.
The Pampanga River Basin traverses the provinces of Pampanga, Bulacan, Tarlac, and Nueva Ecija.
Close to 300 officials and employees from local government units as well as national government agencies in Central Luzon joined the inaugural RDRRM Summit.
“The September 23-24 event was meant to come up with a comprehensive and standard understanding of DRRM roles and responsibilities of local chief executives (LCEs) for the effective and efficient delivery of government services,” Regional DRRM Council chairperson and OCD Regional Director Josefina Timoteo explained.
“At the end of the summit, LCEs must be able to identify and highlight their roles and responsibilities in DRRM; learn from experiences of selected local DRRM Councils and identify challenges; demonstrate knowledge in DRRM planning, tools, and protocols; and define mechanisms to achieve transparency and accountability of DRRM resources,” Timoteo added.
The two-day activity featured lectures on Weather Projection for Central Luzon and Early Warning System; Geo-Hazard Maps on Rain-induced Landslides and Floods, Earthquakes, Tsunami, and Volcanic Eruptions; Project NOAH; Mainstreaming Climate Change Adaptation and DRR into Comprehensive Land Use Plan; Utilization of Local DRRM Fund; Awareness Program for Communication Electronics and Information System; Incident Command System; Institutionalization of Local DRRM Office; and RDRRM Plan Template.
There was likewise a sharing of best practices among multi-awarded local DRRM Councils of Bulacan, Olongapo, and Barangay Sta. Rita of Olongapo.
The occasion was highlighted by the conferment of honors to the 2013 Regional Gawad Kalasag and Declaration of Commitment and Panunumpa ng Lokal na Konseho ng DRRM.
