Disaster response gear for city arrive

CEBU, Philippines - Disaster preparedness equipment for the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (CCDRRMC) arrived from Massachusetts, USA yesterday. 

The equipment aren’t brand new but Councilor Dave Tumulak, chairperson of CCDRRMC, said they will help widen the team’s scope of operations.

“Primarily para sa disaster risk management operations ang mga equipment. Karon pwede nata sa dagat mo-rescue (The equipment is primarily for disaster risk management operations but we can now do rescue at sea),” he said.

Tumulak said that before the arrival of the new equipment, the city could only conduct rescue and response on land.

The donation includes two U.S. used ambulance Type II model Ford 350; 10 brand new inflatable boat; three U.S. fiberglass speed boat wheel steering type, and two U.S. Jet Ski.

 Cebu City spent for the freight and cost of shipping amounting to US$56,000 or P2.6 million charged against the city’s shares of the PAGCOR Funds.

The donation was acknowledged before the Consulate General of the Philippines, New York and United States of America last September 10, 2013.

In his proposal to the city government last year, Oliver Lagare, proprietor of Am-Phil Equipment and Logistic, a US-based company engaged in buy-and-sell of used and new equipment, said the life support equipment will “help” and “provide” a smooth delivery of basic services towards Cebu’s 80 barangays.

“These (equipment) may use as a rescue boat in times of calamity in flooded areas,” he said.

 He said that as a Filipino, he feels it is his “corporate social responsibility” to help bring the equipment in, considering that Cebu was devastated greatly by the two calamities last year – the magnitude 7.2 magnitude earthquake last October 15 and super typhoon Yolanda last November 8.

Tumulak said the Command Center in Barangay Mambaling, which operates for 24 hours, is being considered as the “pilot response team.”

Tumalak said the Mambaling Command Center, which is being referred to as C3 (Command Central Center), has been “centralized” to address issues concerning the social, environmental and emergency aspects.

The command center will be responsible for receiving complaints and forwarding them to appropriate offices of the city.

Tumulak said the issues currently being  addressed are related to closed-circuit television cameras (CCTV), garbage, peace and order, public requests, emergency, disaster, among others.

Since city’s Management Information and Computer Services (MICS) cannot yet operate on a 24-hour basis, the task was given to C3.  (FREEMAN)