Page 10 - 2012 Paganninawan 2nd Quarter Special Issue

Paganninawan: The Offi cial Newsletter of DILG Region 1 2012

DILG launches Seal of Disaster Preparedness

to cite LGU disaster readiness and response efforts

To further motivate local governments to put disaster and wide - spread fl ooding due to continuous rains.
preparedness on top of their priority development agenda,
the Department of the Interior and Local Government The DILGs SDP has two levels of assessment: the
(DILG) launched the Seal of Disaster Preparedness fi rst level looks into disaster preparedness
for Floods (SDP). The Seal also aims to recognize the before a fl ood occurs; and the second focuses on
performance and efforts of local government units disaster preparedness response during a disaster
in institutionalizing disaster preparedness for fl oods. brought about by a high intensity fl ood.

DILG Region 1 Director Corazon P. Guray, during To be assessed in the fi rst level of assessment
the Regional Management Committee (RMC) meeting are the following: Leadership Structure (organization
and the Tapatan 2012, shared that “the Seal of the disaster risk reduction and management
shall be conferred to a local government which council and the disaster risk reduction
demonstrates an acceptable level of disaster and management offi ce); Guide to Action (risk
preparedness and disaster preparedness response assessment and mapping, and institutionalized
before and during fl oods, as an offi cial symbol planning and budgeting); Disaster Preparedness
of excellence.” (contingency planning, early warning and
evacuation alert system, preemptive evacuation,
“The advantage or benefi t of the SDP is that we will stockpiling and equipping, technical competency and
not only reward theefforts of Local Government community awareness) and; Partnership, volunteerism
Units (LGUs) but the Department will be able and innovations.
to assess performance gaps to provide policy
or program intervention and monitor progress of their On the other hand, LGUs that qualifi ed for the
performance,” she added. second level of assessment shall be evaluated
based on the following criteria: Search and Rescue (trained
Based on the guidelines of the Department, the initial personnel, response time, equipage, and
assessment of the SDP will cover the Provinces, zero casualty), and; Evacuation Center
Cities and Municipalities identifi ed as high risk to Management (adequate temporary shelter
fl ooding, putting priority to LGUs located in the for evacuees, power, food and water supply, health and
18 Major River Basins. Some LGUs of Region 1 sanitation, counseling, and trained center
are along the Agno, Abra and Pampanga River Basins. management personnel).
“As secretary Jesse M. Robredo said, we are focusing The LGUs that pass the fi rst level assessment
on the level of preparedness of LGUs on fl oods since shall be given a Certifi cate of Recognition and are
fl ooding is a common incidence in the country,” Dir. qualifi ed for the level 2 assessment. Those who
Guray shared. passed the second level shall be conferred with
the Seal plus a Disaster Management Fund or
Data obtained from the Department of Environment and disaster equipage.
Natural Resources (Mines and Geosciences Bureau and
River Basin Control Offi ce) show that 1,127 out of Other DILG initiatives recognizing the
1,634, or 69 percent of cities and municipalities are susceptible efforts and contributions of local government units
to river or fl ashfl oods. From 2009 to 2011 alone, more than in the advancement of good local governance are the
P55-billion worth of infrastructure and properties Seal of Good Housekeeping: Bronze, Silver and
were damaged by Typhoons Ondoy, Pepeng and Gold, and the Gawad Pamana ng Lahi,
Sendong. In Region 1, “Pepeng” caused landslides National and Regional level. (LGOO V Lily Ann O. Colisao)

10