Students train on emergency response

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) has offered a two-day training program to bolster Cebu schools’ emergency response capabilities, with 30 Reserved Officers Training Corps students of Lapu-Lapu City College as first trainees.

The training, which includes basic first aid, rope rescue, basic ambulance operation and firefighting, is open for free to all public and private schools of Cebu.

PDRRMO Operations Officer Dennis Cortes said the training is limited to threats near school premises and to students 18 years old and above.

“Kining atong mga batan-on mao ni sila atong sumusunod maong we should let them know the way it should be. At least ang musunod sa ato kabalo sila unsaon,” he said.

The 30 Lapu-Lapu City College students started their first day yesterday with rope-rescue training.

Cortes said trainings students and student leaders are needed as well since being first responders to emergencies is not only the local government unit’s responsibility.

All, he said, must have the initiative to respond to hazards present in their respective communities.

“Amo pa mang gipatuhop sa ila (students) the way it should be pareha sa LGU ba nga disaster risk reduction training,” Cortes said.

Among PDRRMO’s tasks is to make Cebuanos be better prepared in relation to natural and man-made disasters occurring in Cebu.

Cortes said the two-day training is not the same for all as each is specifically designed to the specific risk/hazard training the school needs.

“Specific gyud na sa unsay threat or hazard sa ilang eskwelahan. Ubang school duna may threat sa flooding mao na…apil na ana ang rope rescue,” he said.

The FREEMAN caught up with the 30 from Lapu-Lapu City College ROTC officers at the start of their rope-rescue training outside the PDRRMO office at the Capitol yesterday.

Cortes said the number of students is dependent on how many each school would like to be trained.

Meanwhile, Cortes also said that this January, PDRRMO, in collaboration with the Provincial Tourism Council, would likewise provide free training on responsible tour guiding to Cebu towns’ eco-tour guides, with those from Alegria and Badian as first participants.

He said the training, which is meant to boost safety and security of areas frequented by local and non-local tourists, includes that on canyoneering. It was prompted by a drowning incident involving a 21-year-old woman at the Kawasan Falls in Badian last October.

Cortes said 30 tourism officers from Alegria and Badian and five tour guides from Cebu City will undergo the training.

“Amo giingnan ang mga tourism officers nga hinaot unta ilang tagaan og value ang safety sa ilang pag-promote sa lugar,” he said.

He said they are focusing on eco-adventure and is even forming a “Provincial Eco-tourism Management Council.”

“(Sa) eco-adventure mas lisod og mas kuyaw (kay) kung madisgrasya ang turista  dili na na mobalik,” he said.

Eco-adventure includes canyoneering, caving (exploring the insides of caves), and trekking, which are all extreme sports and therefore risky and must have safety measures.

Cortes said the Department of Tourism-7 and the Cebu Provincial Tourism Council will lead the adventure training program while PDRRMO will conduct the workshop.

In particular, DOT will handle specialist training techniques and the Council will give additional suggestions on eco-tourism “underground trainings”.  (FREEMAN)