Disaster preparedness summit set tomorrow at CICC

THE Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) will spearhead an event called “Tapatan on disaster preparedness and climate change adaption: A call to action” at the Cebu International Convention Center in Mandaue City tomorrow, May 25.

Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo is the event’s main speaker.

During the Kapihan sa PIA forum, DILG Region 7 Director Ananias Villacorta said the  goal of Tapatan is to promote the culture of preparedness among the local government units and for everyone to respond and mitigate the adverse effects of disasters that might hit the country.

He said participants of the summit will also sign a pledge of commitment for their local disaster risk reduction and management and climate change adaptation plans.

He said the summit will help institutionalize disaster-preparedness and climate change adaption among the local government units (LGUs) nationwide.

“In Cebu, 75 percent of the LGUs have complied with risk reduction and disaster preparedness plans,” said  lawyer Danilo Almendras, DILG-7 legal officer and operations division chief.

Almendras said LGUs should effectively use the materials and equipment they acquired for disaster preparedness through  actions and programs.

He also encouraged them to “craft ordinances that respond to climate change and disaster preparedness,” and that after the summit more LGUs would comply with the provisions of the Disaster Preparedness and Risk Reduction Management Act. /Correspondent Sean Timothy Salvador