DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / August 2) — Family-initiated safety measures must be done by residents who are exposed to hazards, the regional director of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Davao said.
OCD regional director Ednar Gempesaw explained in PTV-4 Davao’s ‘Straight Shot’ on Saturday that even before disaster strikes, families should talk about what to do in case it happens. “Bawat bahay, bawat pamilya mag usap usap tayo… anong gagawin natin kapag may sunog… saan tayo tatakbo… anong gagawin natin pag may lindol.. ano ang gagawin natin pag nagsabi na ang city disaster o municipal disaster na malapit na ang tubig” (Every household, every family must talk … what to do if there is fire, where to run … what to do during earthquakes … what do we do when the City Disaster or Municipal Disaster (Risk and Reduction Management Office) that the water is rising.
In January, Dayanghirang told MindaNews that is “best that all members of each household are capacitated to respond and help their own families as 1st level responders. The 2nd level would be at the purok levels, volunteer responders must be capacitated.”
Dayanghirang noted that disaster response offices are “nakakaawa” (pitiful) in local government units because many of their workers are contractual and job order personnel.
Section 12 of Republic Act 10121, known as the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010, mandates that the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (LDRRMO), whether under the governor or mayor, shall be “initially organized and composed” of three assisting staff responsible for administration and training, research and planning; and operations and warning.
He said he has recommended that the workers in the disaster response offices be made regular staff instead of contractual.
“That is one way of strengthening our local government in disaster management,” Dayanghirang added.
Last January, the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) here in Davao City announced it was hiring 20 for Emergency Response Personnel (ERP): 20 for Emergency Medical Services (EMS), 20 for Fire Auxiliary Service, and 15 for Urban Search and Rescue (USAR).
The additional EMS personnel will help serve the city’s 24/7 three-shift system in its five satellite stations, as reported by CDRRMO Head Alfredo Baloran
In Manay, Davao Oriental, MindaNews reported in January the insufficiency of employed responders, with its Municipal DRRMO having only 22 full-time responders. The number, however, is augmented during calamities with Army and fire personnel, Rechie P. Diuyan, MDRRMO officer, said.
Dayanghirang had earlier told MindaNews that there is no rule of thumb on the number of responders to be employed, but there should be five to 10 trained responders for every 100 households.
In 2025, the WorldRiskIndex ranked the Philippines first as the country most at risk of natural disasters and extreme weather hazards.
The world report also recommended that “municipal administrations should, through legal regulations, be obliged to establish institutionalized cooperation mechanisms with local actors, which define clear allocations of competences, resource distribution, and decision-making processes. (Razl EJ Teman / MindaNews)
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