LOCAL Government Units (LGUs) in the Davao Region are now closely aligned with the initiatives of the Office of Civil Defense-Davao Region (OCD-Davao) following the magnitude 7.4 earthquake, leading many LGUs to suspend classes for the Rapid Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis (Rdana), according to an OCD-Davao official.
Ednar G. Dayanghirang, regional director of the OCD-Davao, underscored the need for local leaders to ensure the safety of students upon their return to school.
He expressed gratitude for the LGUs' alignment with the OCD's strategies and policies, acknowledging that they recognized the authority to declare class suspensions to allow for RDANA.
“Karun lang gyud ni bitaw– nga they took it as an authority nila to declare ug gusto lang pod nila nga masiguro nga 100 percent safe ang mga bata when they go back to school. I think that is the reason why gihulat gyud nila nga matapos ang Rdana (Now, they took it as their authority to declare, and they simply want to ensure that the children are 100 percent safe when they return to school. I believe this is why they patiently waited for the completion of Rdana),” Dayanghirang said.
OCD has been training LGU officials on Rdana, enhancing their capability to perform assessments.
Since OCD has been training and instructing the LGU officials on how to conduct the RDANA they are already capable of performing the assessment.
Dayanghirang addressed online videos showing individuals struggling with earthquake safety measures, emphasizing the importance of capacitating people through household-level drills.
“We have to do a lot more to reach the people. To capacitate the people. To provide more drills in the parks, in the barangays, and household level drills. Kay ang drills natu if you notice government offices, ang eskwelahan naga drill, but most of the people are not part of it (We need to do much more to connect with the people, to empower them. Conducting more drills in communities, barangays, and at the household level is crucial. The drills we currently observe are mainly in government offices and schools, excluding the majority of the population),” Dayanghirang said.
OCD plans to implement strategies to reach all five million residents of the Davao region, focusing on household-level engagement. The office will translate information, education, and communication (IEC) materials for better understanding and collaborate with the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) and the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) to tailor educational materials for Indigenous Communities (ICs) and Muslim communities in the region.RGP
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