Saturday, May 24, 2008 ‘Prepare for disasters, calamities’
HAVING the right infrastructure in the right place is one way local government units (LGUs) and the people can protect themselves in times of calamity, a Malacañang official said.
Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilbert Teodoro also pointed out the need for coordination among national, local and even foreign governments when responding to calamities, which he said is crucial in the first 24 hours in order to save lives and properties.
Teodoro said that using construction materials and building designs that can withstand earthquakes and other calamities up to a certain point would help reduce the risks during disasters.
“Construct your buildings and houses with the right and strong materials and in the right place,” he said.
Teodoro, chairman of the National Disaster Coordinating Council, was the guest speaker during the 3rd National Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue on disaster risk reduction at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel yesterday.
The DND secretary addressed representatives of National Government agencies, LGUs, non-government organizations, private institutions, international organizations and some donor agencies during the forum.
In the event of an earthquake, typhoon, flash floods and landslides, disaster response efforts of the LGUs and the National Government should be coordinated, Teodoro said, as not all localities have trained rescue and disaster response teams.
He said that the government may also seek the help of the United Nations in worst-case scenarios. Other countries can also dispatch rescue teams in less than 12 hours, if needed.
“In case of a catastrophic earthquake, no country can stand on its own. So there is a need for foreign help. We need the help of everybody because we have to respond within 24 hours to save people who will be trapped inside collapsed buildings,” Teodoro said.
He cited Cebu City, Makati City, Quezon City and the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority SBMA as the only ones with trained rescue teams.
Although assistance from National Government and foreign agencies are available anytime there is a disaster, Teodoro said the LGUs should always be the first to respond during calamities.
“It (LGUs) must exhaust all its resources first, then the National Government can also send help. Sometimes, though, the psychological reality is that it’s hard to respond when you are affected yourself. This is the reason we need help from other areas that are not affected by calamities,” he added. (EOB)
