With succeeding typhoons entering the country recently, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is reminding all local government units (LGUs) to do their early preparedness actions now and “not to wait for the eleventh hour before taking action to safeguard their communities and people from typhoon and other hazards.”
“Sunod-sunod na naman ang mga bagyo pumapasok sa ating bansa kaya inaatasan natin ang mga lokal na pamahalaan na maging laging handa.Huwag na nating hintayin ang unos bago tayo kumilos,” said DILG Spokesperson and Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya.
In a Media Forum on LGU Protocols and Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) at the local level, Malaya said that LGUs are mandated by law to carry out disaster preparedness actions, and if necessary, emergency measures before, during and in the aftermath of disasters and calamities in their jurisdictions.
Malaya explained that under RA 10121 or the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction Management Act of 2010, the role of LGUs in DRRM can be summed up in three, namely 1) reduce risks; 2) reduce vulnerabilities; and 3) respond and recover in times of disasters.
“We know that we must build the capacities, readiness and resiliency of LGUs and the communities but building resilience is not just a matter of teaching the technical staff or acquiring technical know-how.… that is why the support and the political will of the governors and mayors and the local legislative bodies are very important,” he said.
The DILG has earlier directed LCES, who are also the chairpersons of their respective local disaster risk reduction and management councils, to be physically present in their LGU stations to prepare for an impending typhoon or face administrative cases.
It has also issued a memorandum amending the guidelines on local and foreign travel of local officials which includes the recall of travel authority issued them by the DILG Secretary in case there is an emergency, and/or natural or human-induced disaster.
“Lagi nating ipinaalala sa mga lokal na opisyales na importante ang kanilang pisikal na presensya sa kani-kanilang lugar upang maging tagapanguna sa paghahanda kapag may paparating na malakas na bagyo,” he added.
He said the DILG through its Local Government Academy has developed Operation L!STO, a national advocacy program for disaster preparedness and disaster risk management at the local level which advocates the disaster readiness not just of the LGUs, but also of the communities and families at the household levels.
“The DILG has given all LGUs the Listo Manual to guide them on the sets of minimum critical “things-to-do” during an impending weather disturbance or tropical cyclone. So walang dahilan para hindi nila malaman kung ano ang kanilang dapat gawin,” he said.
Malaya said the new and improved Listo Manual v.3 contained not only the preparedness checklist of city and municipal mayors, DILG field officers, chiefs of police and fire marshalls but also provides authority to LCEs to undertake pre-emptive or mandatory evacuation when necessary and other progressive actions on preparedness and response depending on the Alert Level classified into three: Alpha, Bravo, Charlie.
The Philippines has been identified as among the global disaster hotspots and ranks 3rd in the World Risk Index 2018. # Source – www.dilg.gov.ph
No comments:
Post a Comment