CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Mayor Edwin Santiago stressed Thursday, July 4, the importance of integrating disaster preparedness and resiliency into the way of life of every Fernandino.
During the launching of National Disaster Resilience Month 2019 Thursday, July 4, at the Heroes Hall, Santiago said the City Government, through its City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC), is programmed to mitigate the adverse effects of flooding, instead of just expecting for it to happen.
Santiago said the CDRRMC is also regularly conducting programs that are aimed at instilling to every Fernandino's mind the importance of preparedness and resiliency during calamities to ensure the safety of every family.
He said resiliency is a cycle wherein activation of mitigation plan must immediately take place when calamity strikes, and must be followed by proper response to the situation that will pave the way for the recovery process to be able to let the community bounce back to its normal situation.
"We have a year-long preparation against disaster and when it strikes, our immediate response it to activate it. That is resiliency, we must implement the plan for us to be able to recover and bounce back in the soonest possible," he said.
Santiago stressed that while parts of San Fernando are flood-prone by nature, he will not allow flooding or any types of disaster to disrupt the city's economic activity and the lives of its people.
"That is why we are instilling to Fernandino the value of resiliency as a way of life. You must not just wait for the calamity to happen because the lack of preparedness will only worsen the damage and later slow down your recovery," he said.
Santiago said included in the year-long preparation against flooding is the desilting and clearing of water channels to ensure the free-flowing of floodwaters.
He said part of the City Government's environmental and disaster risk reduction funds are allocated to the implementation of other flood mitigation projects across the city.
"As early as January, we are already starting the desilting and clearing of waterways while proper waste management is a year-long activity. We really take time in the planning and preparation so we will not be caught off-guard when calamity strikes," he said.