COLLEGE students taking up the National Service Training Program (NSTP) will be asked to render public service by registering with their respective barangays to be available during calamities and disasters.

Councilor Lady Julie Grace Baronda said the City Council approved the regulation ordinance institutionalizing the Iloilo City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council by establishing the disaster risk reduction management office.

The changes involve membership of the committees before, during, and after the disaster with the city mayor as chairman, co-chaired by the vice mayor, and four vice chairs for disaster preparedness, disaster response, prevention and mitigation, and rehabilitation and recovery.

Baronda said she will communicate with the schools and the Commission on Higher Education regarding the utilization of NSTP students, especially those taking up the Reserve Officers Training Corps cadets for disaster assistance.

Other NSTP students are the civic welfare training service and the literacy training service.

The council will have implementing units such as food, shelter and water, emergency response, search and rescue, livelihood, communication, early warning, education and advocacy, evacuation management, protection, logistics, health and sanitation, rapid damage assessment and needs analysis, transportation and volunteer management. (LCP)