CEBU’s provincial disaster office has been upgraded to a full department, a move aimed at strengthening its response capabilities after lessons learned from past calamities.
Why it matters: The upgrade allows the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) to secure more funding for personnel and modern rescue equipment. This addresses concerns that the province had fallen behind the disaster preparedness of its own cities and municipalities.
Driving the news: The Provincial Board approved the ordinance on Monday, Sept. 15.
Board Member Celestino “Tining” Martinez III, the ordinance’s author, cited the devastation from Typhoons Yolanda and Odette and the Naga City landslide as key motivators.
“I see it that our office ... has been left behind,” Martinez said, comparing the provincial office’s capabilities to those of local government units.
What they’re saying
PDRRMO head Denise Pastor: The new status is “good for our capability, good for our personnel fill up and good in terms of how we can perform our mandate.”
Martinez: The office can now “rebuild what was taken away” and become a “more comprehensive and more responsive office.”
The backstory: Martinez first pushed for the ordinance under former Gov. Hilario Davide III’s term, but the office was downgraded to a division during the administration of former Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia. / ANV
