MORE than a hundred local disaster risk reduction and management officers (LDRRMO) from the different provinces, municipalities and cities in the Cordillera participated in a convention hosted by Apayao recently.
With the theme "Moving Forward in Unity and Disaster Resiliency,” the two-day 2017 Cordillera LDRRMO Convention aimed to empower and preserve the camaraderie among the local DRRM officers and to provide them with updates concerning DRRM.
The Office of Civil Defense (OCD)-Cordillera Regional Director Alex Uy said the need for cooperation and commitment from each of the LDRRMO and other stakeholders is needed to achieve zero casualty in times of disasters.
“Zero casualty is our objective but it entails the commitment of everyone,” said Uy.
Governor Elias Bulut Jr. said there is a need to come up with an excellent plan on disaster preparedness to ensure that zero casualty would be achieved.
“Let us help each other not only in times of calamity. Although we have limited resources, at least it is seen that we are giving our best and we have to create an excellent and doable disaster preparedness plan,” said Bulut.
The governor lauded OCD-Cordillera for bringing the convention to the province of Apayao, which is one of the most affected by calamities such as super typhoon Lawin.
He mentioned province’s hosting the LDRRMO convention is an avenue of improving the services of the province in terms of hosting regional gatherings and also a chance for the people of Apayao to learn from the different LDRRMOs, speakers and other resource persons attending the event.
The two-day event was also graced by Police Regional Office–Cordillera Regional Director Elmo Francis Sarona and Department of Interior and Local Government–Cordillera Regional Director Marlo Iringan. They joined Apayao officials led by Bulut, LDRRMO President Vincent Talatag and Uy in the ceremonial lighting of the unity torch symbolizing the strengthened and united effort of the Cordillera LDRRMOs in assuring cooperation and unity in the preparation, during and after calamities.
The OCD-CAR also turned over the Kapitan Alerto mascots, the disaster superhero, to stand as an icon of disaster preparedness and to reinforce its information campaign to educate and empower the children and the youth in the different provinces in the Cordillera. (PR)