Sec. Robredo reiterates call for disaster preparedness

CEBU, Philippines - Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo reiterated his call on local officials to ensure disaster preparedness in their respective communities.

Secretary Robredo said local officials play an important role in minimizing the loss of lives during calamities.

Robredo said local officials become effective through their respective Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils.

Consolacion Mayor Teresa Alegado said in compliance to the directives of Secretary Robredo, they have disaster trainings not only for municipal officials and employees but also at the barangay level.

Robredo said that they do not want local governments to be caught flatfooted again and emphasized the need for all these necessary information to determine what kind of interventions are needed to prevent similar occurrence in the future. He said barangay officials should have a ready and updated list of at-risk communities to maximize rescue operations.

Robredo pointed out the at-risk communities include those living in low-lying lands, along riverbanks, shorelines, esteros, canals and in and under slope areas which are prone to landslides and flooding; people with special needs such as elderly, children, infants, pregnant women and persons with disability as well as poorly constructed houses and facilities.

The DILG earlier issued a directive to city and municipal mayors, in relation to their general supervisory function over barangays under Section 32 of the Local Government Code, to ensure that calamity protocols in flood-prone or landslide prone areas are to be carried out.     - THE FREEMAN