DAVAO CITY – Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Austere A. Panadero has urged governors, city and municipal mayors, and disaster action officers of Region XI to formulate and adopt disaster preparedness and climate change adaptation action plans to ensure that their communities are ready to cope with any disaster or calamity that may occur.

In a forum dubbed as “MAGTAPATAN TAYO: A FORUM ON DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION” held here today at the Waterfront Insular Hotel, Panadero emphasized the urgent need for all local chief executives to be disaster-ready for the benefit of their locality and their constituents.

“Ayaw nating maulit ang mga nakaraang trahedyang kaya inilunsad ng DILG ang Tapatan on Disaster Preparedness upang sa pamamagitan ng proyektong ito ay maitaas natin ang antas ng kaalaman ng ating mga LGUs lalung-lalo na pagdating sa paghahanda laban sa mga sakuna. We believe that awareness is the beginning of preparedness,” he said

DILG Office of Public Affairs Officer-In-Charge, Atty. Ariel B. Tanangonan, explained that the Tapatan is aimed at assisting the LGUs in formulating and concretizing their Local Disaster Risk Reduction Action Plans.

On the other hand, Region XI Dir. Francisco C. Jose said the activity is a good strategy to increase the level of awareness not only of LCEs, but also their constituents and other stakeholders in mitigating disaster and the ill-effects of climate change.

During the forum local officials were apprised of their roles and responsibilities as prime movers in their respective localities in times of disasters and calamities; assessed as to their capabilities on disaster readiness and response; and were encouraged to harness the participation of CSOs and volunteers towards complementation of resources to effectively address problems during calamities.

An official from the DILG’s Bureau of Local Government Supervision (BLGS) discussed the Seal of Disaster Preparedness (SDP), while a representative from the Department of Science and Technology discussed the Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards (NOAH).

Undersecretary Panadero also handed over Performance Challenge Fund (PCF) checks to LGUs that have passed the criteria of the Seal of Good Housekeeping, an awards system designed to recognize exemplary performance of provinces, cities and municipalities.

LGUs that have qualified for the PCF subsidy intended for various LGU development projects are the municipalities of Compostela, Mabini, Maragusan, Mawab, Montevista, Nabunturan and New Bataan in Compostela Valley province. While in Davao del Norte, municipalities of Asuncion, Carmen, New Corella and Sto. Tomas. In Davao Oriental, the municipalities of Banaybanay, Boston, Cateel, Gov. Generoso, Manay, Lupon and San Isidro and for Davao del Sur, the municipalities of Bansalan, Jose Abad Santos, Kiblawan, Magsaysay, Malalag, Malita, Matanao and Padada. Each municipality will be receiving one million pesos while the cities of Panabo, Davao del Norte, Mati, Davao Oriental and Digos City, Davao del Sur will each be receiving three million pesos.

Also part of the activity was the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) for the implementation of the Salintubig program between the DILG XI and LGU beneficiaries. The beneficiaries were the Municipalities of B.E. Dujali, Carmen of Davao del Norte and Mawab and Pantukan, Compostela Valley province. Finally, the summit participants signed a pledge of commitment for disaster and climate change management plans.

DILG Central News Archive DILG Regional News Archive