COTABATO CITY, Jan 18 (PNA) — The North Cotabato provincial disaster units will provide training this month to volunteers to make them more effectively to emergency situations and calamitous events such as flash floods, earthquake and bombings.
Cynthia Ortega, action officer of North Cotabato Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Operation Center (Cot PDRRMOC), said the training would include skills improvement particularly on disaster preparedness, relief and rescue operation.
Ortega said that last year, the province experienced both natural and manmade calamities, all of which were responded to by the PDRRMOC.
“The year 2014 was a trying year for the province where both natural and manmade calamities occurred” she said, referring to the flash floods brought about by heavy rains in some towns such as Midsayap, Kabacan, Pikit, Tulunan and M’lang.
Ortega also said that the province also experienced earthquakes in Carmen and Makilala and the recent explosions in Pikit, Kabacan and M’lang which left scores of dead and wounded civilians.
“In this regard, our personnel must be more prepared and their ability to respond to emergency situation must be also be improved,” she added.
The training would also include search and rescue and search and retrieval operations which are part of the basic skills of a responder.
The Cot PDRRMOC’s responder group, the North Cotabato Emergency Response Team (NCERT) will undergo the necessary trainings planned for this year.
Apart from the training, Ortega also wants to improve the reporting and response system of the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (MDRRMC) of the 17 towns and one city of Cotabato.
“It is highly important that our MDRRMC’s can quickly send out reports and information from their respective areas in times of calamities or any other urgent situations,” Ortega said, adding that if the municipal responders give out information on time, then the PDRRMOC can also respond immediately to calamitous situations.
She said along with the search and rescue equipment and gadgets, the Provincial Government of Cotabato utilize its calamity fund to purchase communication equipment needed.
Gov. Emmylou Mendoza has directed the Cotabato PDRRMOC to make all their basic equipment readily available for search and rescue operations anytime and also mandated the local government units to do the same.
These include flashlights, headlights, compass, rubber boats, stretchers, head gears, rubber boats and most importantly vehicles.
Several times last year, the Cot PDRRMOC and the NCERT has conducted disaster response drill at the Provincial Capitol aiming to develop and heighten the consciousness of everyone in disaster response as well as to enhance their capabilities and skills in rendering public services, securing lives and properties in times of calamities.
The drills also were aimed to refresh responders of their skills and stir up the minds of every individual that disaster preparedness does not only rely primarily on the government but to all citizens.
In this aspect, Mendoza continues to urge all sectors not to take disaster awareness and readiness for granted and instead to be always ready and prepared at all times.
The governor also called upon the LGUs to maintain ample support to their respective MDRRMC so that they can perform their duties and responsibilities in times of calamities.
Aside from balding forest covers, North Cotabato sits beside the Maguindanao marshland where floods regularly occur even during light but long rain occurrence.
Rivers easily overflow due to siltation and low lying areas easily flooded, sending thousands of villagers to flee.
During these times, the PDRRMC should be prepared, according to Ortega. (PNA)