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Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Crisis management seminars set for LGUs
By Rose O. Verzosa
Sun.Star Staff Reporter
Local government units (LGUs) in Cebu will be asked to join an “incident command system” seminar next month to enhance their disaster-preparedness capability as part of the preparations for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit in December.
This, as 300 college students from almost all universities and colleges in Cebu who will serve as support staff during the summit will also undergo personality development, team-building and protocol trainings.
Although security for the summit is the top concern, Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) Director Angel Gaviola said the Regional Disaster Coordinating Council is also preparing a consequence management group and emergency medical group in case emergency situations arise during the international gathering.
Gaviola, during the 888 Media Forum at the Parklane Hotel yesterday, said they will be setting up mobile consequence groups during the summit.
He is encouraging LGUs, especially those that fall within the Asean route, to organize and strengthen their disaster consequence management.
He said the seminar next month will educate the LGUs on how to respond to emergency situations so they will know what to do, where to go to and who to look up to during disasters.
Simulation
Gaviola admitted that Cebu is not yet ready to respond in case terrorist activities and bombings will occur even in areas far from the summit venues.
He said a simulation of a bombing is being planned in October.
Cordova Mayor Arleigh Sitoy, for his part, said they have already made a personality profile of the students who will be volunteering their services for the summit.
Sitoy, who is also the liaison services chairman of the Cebu organizing committee, said a background check is also being made on the student applicants.
They will soon match the qualifications of the students with the different tasks set by the national organizing committee (NOC) for usherettes, liaison, auxiliary and media services.
He brushed aside apprehensions that the students might just be used as “escort service” for the Asean delegates.
Sitoy, during the forum, said the students will not be asked to render services during nighttime. Members of the Philippine Jaycees from different parts of the country will take over their functions starting 5 p.m.
Liaison group
The liaison services group committee is dealing directly with school officials for these activities.
The schools are the ones that chose who among their students will be asked to help out during the summit, taking into consideration their student’s courses, leadership qualities, personalities and emotional quotient.
Sitoy said each school would be assigned to one country and each school should provide for two faculty members who will supervise and guide their students during the summit.
The country’s beauty queens will also come over “to add international flavor” and to act as consultants for their group.
Edwin Mendoza of the Department of Foreign Affairs said the main liaison officers who will be directly dealing with the heads of states and other delegates during the summit are from the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
The students will just serve as the support staff of the main liaison officers, he said.
Sitoy said the Commission on Higher Education will grant practicum credits and certification to the students for their services.
A modest budget for the students’ food and transportation is also set aside.
Sitoy said he had proposed to the NOC a P3-million budget for the liaison services, including the uniforms, but this has not yet been approved.
He said the Philippine Jaycees had also offered to source out funds in case they will need additional budget later. The committee, though, will not be holding these funds.
Communications
Smart Communications had also offered to provide the group with a centralized communications system, where the liaison team will be given an unlimited text messaging service for the duration of the summit.
Sitoy also said that during the Southeast Asian Games in Cebu last year, the student volunteers experienced some problems in coordinating with each other and this is what their group is trying to address now for the summit.
Cebu City Hall Information Officer Nagiel Bañacia said the country needs student volunteers for additional manpower during the summit. Besides, the students know Cebu better than those people from Manila who will be coming over to help in the summit.
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (August 30, 2006 issue)
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