SOME 50 individuals from 22 different offices within the City Government of Davao recently participated in a comprehensive three-day Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Course for the Public Sector, organized by the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO).
From September 13 to 15, the training at the Ritz Hotel in Davao City aligns with the city's commitment to enhancing Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) measures across all its offices.
Alfredo Baloran, Head of CDRRMO, expressed his hope that the participants would become integral members of their respective office's disaster action teams following this training.
"Ang importante ani na training is to give an orientation to the participants on how they are going to manage in times of a disaster, especially kung naa sila sa ilahang mga offices (This training aims to orient participants on how to effectively manage disaster situations, especially within the context of their workplaces)," Baloran said.
CDRRMO also aimed to equip public personnel with crucial information, skills, and the mindset to serve as their office's disaster action team.
Participants were encouraged to share their newfound knowledge with their colleagues, ensuring the entire office was well-informed about disaster response procedures.
The training program featured informative sessions and practical demonstrations led by experts from various organizations, including the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), and the Department of Health (DOH).
Topics covered include climate change, rain-induced landslides and subsidence, earthquake and volcanic risks, hydromet dangers, and basic first aid.
The CDRRMO provided instruction on establishing disaster control groups and implementing an incident command system in the workplace to enhance the technical knowledge of DRRM.
The training also included introducing the Philippine DRRM System and the city's Public Service Continuity Plan.
The training program culminated in an evacuation drill, which assesses the participants' preparedness levels in the event of a disaster. RGP