NOTE: This story was first published in The Bohol Chronicle’s Sunday print edition.
Tagbilaran City is taking disaster risk reduction and management to a new level. A new facility will soon rise in Brgy. Dampas which would be the base of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management’s (CDRRM) 24-hour operations. The new facility will have parking bays for the emergency response vehicles, quarters for its responders, a training hall, offices for the different units of the CDRRMO, and bigger Command Center.
City Mayor John Geesnell “BABA” Yap has taken disaster management seriously since his assumption in office. CCTVs were installed in the strategic entry and exit points in the City. All the public elementary and high schools followed suit. A command center was also constructed equipped with a state-of-the-art communication facility. Mayor Yap also acquired responder vehicles such as the search and rescue truck, water tanker, and ambulances to complete therescue team of the City. And as to affirm all the hard work which the City has been doing, the Tagbilaran City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (DRRM) was awarded as the CHAMPION in the 21st Regional Gawad Kalasag City DRRM Council Category. Gawad Kalasag or the “Kalamidad at Sakuna Labanan, Sariling Galing ang Kaligtasan”, is the country’s premier annual awards for outstanding contributions in the field of disaster risk reduction and management, and humanitarian assistance. The concept of Gawad Kalasag was adopted from the Filipino term ‘to shield’ which was used by early Filipinos as a means of protection from attacks of enemies or harmful animals. The Gawad Kalasag was established to give recognition or honor to various stakeholders who design and implement the DRMM programs aimed at protecting and shielding various communities against disasters.
Tagbilaran DRRM Action Officer Gerard Lavadia said the award is a testament of the unit’s continuing effort to improve its mandate, “This is a great manifestation that our beloved Tagbilaran City is improving when it comes to prevention and mitigation, preparedness, response, recovery, and rehabilitation. We would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to all our responders, administrative personnel, officers, and to our CDRRMC Chair, Mayor Baba Yap for their hard work and perseverance in delivering quality service to the people of Tagbilaran City. We will do more and share more with our community the essence of true service. Our willingness to serve is not just being measured by any awards, but rest assured that we will always strive to give excellent service to our people, our beloved Tagbilaran City”, Lavadia said.
With the completion of the New DRRM Operations Center soon, disaster risk reduction and emergency management in Tagbilaran City can cater better to its constituents. (PR)