BAGUIO CITY – Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) Cordillera Regional Director Andrew Alex Uy on Saturday underscored the importance of first responders when disaster strikes, during the 1st Cordillera Search and Rescue (SAR) Convention at Melvin Jones Grounds, Harrison Road here.
The convention tackled the roles in the communities of barangay and local government units, especially in the Cordilleras characterized by rugged mountainous terrain, as well as that of the national government, in supporting and strengthening grassroots response capability through the various Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management Councils (RDRRMCs) and the municipal DRMMCs.
Uy said that it is also the function of the municipal and City LGUs to appropriately equip their first responders, especially at the barangay levels. “Ang capacity building, kasama yun sa popondohan ng mga LGUs (Capacity building is included for funding by the LGUs),” he said.
At the Convention, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)-North Luzon (NoLCom) Commander Lt. General Romeo Tabita Tanalgo, said that, although it is not the job of the AFP to manage the capacity or capability of the first responders from the barangays LGUs, the military is mandated to provide assistance and augmentation in times of disasters.
Tanalgo said that capacity building should lead to up-leveled readiness and preparedness for the coming of the big one, alluding not necessarily to a catastrophic earthquake but the coming of any potentially huge disaster or calamity.
He said that beyond the capacities, the big factor is the joint efforts of combined sectors where there is effective execution of good preparedness plan enhanced by shared principles and shared objectives.
He stressed that, when it comes to multi-agency efforts in disaster preparedness, there should be “a buildup of transparency and gaining of trust.” He said that the aim should be making the usual biggest losers, which he said are the community and the people, the big winners by developing the efficiency, capability and effectiveness of the crucial, critical first responders in the frontline of disaster response.