The city government spearheaded by the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) under Antonette Anaban is leaving no stones unturned by taking proactive measures in preparation for any possible hazards that may occur now that the typhoon season has arrived.
Local DRRM Officer III Louie Glen Lardizabal said it is a regular practice of the CDRRMO to check and ensure their equipment are functioning properly to full capacity, especially those for communications since these are used to coordinate with the barangays and members of the DRRM Council.
Personnel of the City Engineering and General Services Office engage in the regular cleanup of waterways in the city’s flood-prone sites especially at the lagoon area together with barangay officials to prevent any flooding caused by heavy rainfall.
Presently, simultaneous DRRM trainings are ongoing with representatives from the barangays, non-government organizations, national government agencies including the local government as part of the city’s preparations for incidents that may occur during typhoons and other hazards.
The CDRRMO has started processing the accreditation of its disaster volunteers – individuals and groups – earlier this year. Lardizabal said 55 individuals and three groups have already submitted their applications and signified their willingness and commitment to become part of the CDRRMO’s disaster volunteers.
“We are now collecting all of the data needed to process their accreditation so that they can be given the proper support if in case they are going to be helping us in future emergencies, crises or disasters that may befall the city,” he said.
These volunteers will serve as augmentation forces or force multipliers during times of hazards or emergencies.
In a similar forum last March, Lardizabal said all those wanting to become volunteers, no matter what their stations in life may be, could register for accreditation at [email protected].
A volunteer must be a Baguio resident; not below 18 years old and those aged 18 to 21 must have parental consent; the CDRRMO does not accept those who are students or are currently enrolled in school and only those who are working and already independent can register as volunteers.
Among the benefits of accreditation are being included in CDRRMO trainings and possibility of getting insured by the city government.
Those interested to become disaster volunteers can call the CDRRMO at 442-1900 and 1905 for more information.
Here’s ‘Old’ by Gabriel Baban Keith: “Why is there no practice to be old?/ Does it not need practice – being old?/ Just like an athlete needs practice before a big event,/ Is not reaching the age where one is called ‘old’/ an event with no less than Death as your opponent?/ Being old needs practice – lots of it./ Believe me, practice is lost in the young who think Death/ will not touch them since they are beyond dying./ Then their eyes begin to blur, bones ache,/ lustful desires dry up. Now they see the need to practice/ feebleness, forgetfulness, regretting missed opportunities,/ ruing those that ‘got away’, wondering why/ they suddenly feel cold./ It takes practice to be old.”
