LUCENA CITY, Quezon (PNA) –- The Quezon Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, in cooperation with various government, private and foreign partners, hosted the two-day seminar which culminated Wednesday on climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction here.
The disaster preparedness and management conference and capability building sessions were conducted in cooperation with the Australian government, Australian National University, Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office, Climate Change Academy and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council and the Center for Initiatives on Risks and Climate Actions.
Various representatives from the PDRRMC, municipal disaster risk reduction and management councils throughout the province and from the Southern Luzon State University (SLSU) attended the seminar.
Resource speaker Dr. Cedric Daep, Executive Director of the Climate Change Academy underscored the importance to access on the right information on the risks and hazards brought about by climate change and disaster preparedness and appropriate actions.
CCA Director Daep explained that more often, the lack of information and knowledge by the community or locality on the impending disaster and the lack of awareness on what steps to take arising from the disaster situation could expose the vulnerability of community and thereby result to more disaster victims.
Dr. Henry Busar, Quezon PDDRMC action officer and focal person, said that the provincial government embarks on regular training for the rescuers and emergency responders across the province on education, information and awareness drive about disasters.
Part of the regular activities, Busar added, is a series of skills training and capability building on disaster preparedness involving the communities and localities.
He said that the provincial program involves the community through the “Family Disaster Training” which is regularly implemented in the different towns and cities here.
The two-day seminar also tackled on identifying landslide hazards, communities at risk and localities that are vulnerable to disasters and hazards.
The participants were briefed how their respective communities could use geographic information system, geohazard assessment and proper management of vulnerability and capability assessment.
They also tackled the information on early warning systems, communication protocol and evacuation and relocation procedures.
The Australian government also turned over several laptops, digital recorders, projectors and cameras to the PDRRMC and SLSU offices for their information, awareness and education campaigns to the communities.