Dizon wants residents ready for disasters

CEBU, Philippines - With the Philippines’ vulnerability to disasters, Cebu City Councilor Alvin Dizon wants to strengthen the people’s preparedness by changing their mindset from being reactive to being prepared.

“In general, every person or place is vulnerable. Even highly developed countries are visited by disasters. So in light with these events, we need to change our mindset, from being reactive to always being prepared,” Dizon said.

Dizon said that a study of the Asian Development Bank revealed that the Philippines is the fourth vulnerable country in the Southeast Asia. “With this study, it is important that all sectors should take collective action,” he said.

Yesterday, the city government held a workshop aimed at strengthening the city’s disaster resiliency. Dizon said the workshop was to unite all the sectors for the purpose of getting their ideas on how to effectively address the problem.

Representatives from the University of the Philippines- Regional Center for Expertise, University of Cebu, the Japan for International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), the city’s Local Disaster Risk Management Coordinating Council, and other local government units came to share their views.

Vice Mayor Alfredo Arquillano of San Francisco town in Camotes Island also came to share the situation felt by his constituents during disaster, and how they cushion its effects. Arqui-llano is a multi-awarded local official on climate change issues. 

Based on Arquillano’s situationer, Dizon said that apart from preparing the mindset of the people, mitigating measures should also be in place to at least lessen the impact.

Dizon said after the workshop, the city government will collate all the data gathered from yesterday’s event to come up with a “mechanism” to be used in strengthening the city’s disaster management capability.

He said the city will have programs to educate the public on disasters and warn them if they are living either in flood or landslide-prone areas.

The councilor said they will also set up policy reforms on climate change, and urge the city hall to set aside funds for climate change, which is being blamed for most of these disasters.

“We have to go beyond giving relief. We need to mitigate the impact of these disasters,” he said. (FREEMAN)