TAGUM CITY, Davao del Norte, May 31 (PIA): The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) is set to assess the performance of local government units (LGUs) in terms of disaster preparedness to determine their worthiness of the Seal of Disaster Preparedness.
DILG Memorandum Circular 2012-79 issued on April 25, 2012 puts emphasis on the need for LGUs “to scale up performance in the context of the Disaster Risk Reduction Management Framework.”
The Department directs the attention of LGUs to climate change which has brought about “sharp increase in the frequency and intensity of calamities.”
In its memorandum, it brought back scenes of past tragedies caused by the Typhoon Sendong and the landslide in Pantukan , Compostela Valley as such incidents brought forth a realization that “untold human tragedy is an inescapable effect of ill preparedness.”
The Seal of Disaster Preparedness aims to recognize and grant incentives to LGUs’ performance in putting in place disaster preparedness, and to assess “performance gaps to policy or program intervention.”
It also seeks to “monitor improvements on disaster preparedness” of high risk provinces, cities and municipalities.
The DILG MC lays down the criteria of assessing disaster preparedness of LGUs, including their capability to respond to disaster, to find out their performance level that would merit a plaque of the Seal of Disaster Preparedness.
In an interview, DILG Provincial Director Alex Roldan said the DILG memo circular had already been disseminated to the provincial, city and municipal LGU levels.
Roldan expressed optimism about the receptiveness among LGU executives to comply with the circular as he noted in a recent meeting of the Municipal Mayors League of Davao del Norte that “they have a general agreement to give attention to disaster preparedness.”
“They’ve realized that the damage would be much without the necessary preparation,” he said.
Roldan said that criteria of Seal of Disaster Preparedness will be integrated in the Local Government Performance Management System (LGPMS).
Referred to as a tool for progress, LGPMS assesses the management performance of LGUs in delivering of social, economic and environmental services, and in exercising good local governance, in general.
Though only provincial, city and town governments would be subjected to Seal of Disaster Preparedness assessment, the barangay governments should also be prepared for any disaster occurrence, Roldan said.
“Disaster response and preparedness should be barangay-based because they are at stake; they are at the forefront,” he said.
Aside from raising awareness of community folks regarding potential hazards, the barangay governments have to create a special body to focus attention on matters of disaster.
A system of mobilizing people before, during and after disaster will then be formulated including the establishment of an evacuation area.
Roldan pointed out that lack of funds should not become a hindrance to building the capabilities of barangay LGUs to handle preparedness and response.
He recalled how communities created noise to alert folks of the presence of “Akyat bahay” robbers through batting tin cans and other objects.
“What early warning system can you set up?” Roldan raised the question as he believed on the ingenuity of community folks to handle safety and survival. (PIA-11/ Jeanevive Duron-Abangan)
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