THE Provincial Government of Negros Occidental held a culmination program of the national disaster resilience month at the Capitol Social Hall Tuesday, July 31, with the theme, “Katatagan sa Kalamidad ay Makakamtan Kapag Sapat ang Kaalaman sa Kahandaan.”

One of the highlights of the activity was the ceremonial signing of a memorandum of agreement on the Negros First Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Training Workshop on Geographic Information System and Remote Sensing of the Environment between the Provincial Government and Carlos Hilado Memorial State College (CHMSC).

The project aims to foster partnership in enhancing disaster risk reduction management through research collaboration and community extension services.

The Provincial Government was represented by Provincial Board committee on disaster preparedness chair Board Member Samson Mirhan, Provincial Planning Development Officer and Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) secretariat head Ma. Lina Sanogal, and Provincial Disaster Management Program head Zeaphard Caelian while CHMSC was led by SUC president Renato Sorolla and vice president for Research and Extension Janet Espinosa.

Another highlight of the culmination is the graduation of 32 employees of the Provincial Government who finished a two-day First Aid Training conducted by the Provincial Health Office-Health Emergency and Disaster Operations Center, Provincial Disaster Management Program Division (PDMPD) and Provincial Planning and Development Office (PPDO) on July 16 to 17 at the Capitol Social Hall.

To apply their learning, the graduates also participated in a competition dubbed as Rescue Olympics last July 23 at the Social Hall.

The winning group received P10,000 and medals while the second and third group received P8,000 and P6,000, respectively.

The Amity Public Safety Academy led by chairman of the board Ferdinand Turbanos and James Ultem Benares also turned over four Automated External Defibrillators (AED) to the Provincial Government.

Also present during the activity were Provincial Health Officer Ernell Tumimbang, Dr. Jessica Fama, Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management officers of the different cities and municipalities of Negros Occidental, members of the PDRRMC, and other government and non-government organizations. (PR)