Cebu Province Pushes for Child-Centered DRRM

With fiercer typhoons coming in the Philippines and in Central Visayas more frequently than usual, the Cebu Provincial Government aims to further improve the province’s disaster preparedness programs.

Apart from the continuous capacity-building training given to city, town and barangay officials, the Capitol now pushes for a child-centered disaster management plan.

The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) with the Provincial Information Office (PIO) coordinate efforts with SEEDS Asia, Inc. to come up and implement such plan.

PIO head Ethel Natera shared Governor Hilario P. Davide III’s view that disaster-preparedness should “start in the family.”

Kathleen Almonte of SEEDS Asia, Inc. said “the younger the DRR/CCA (disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation) learning, the more sustainable the effect will be.”

She shared that educating students on DRRM makes them a part of the solution instead of being a vulnerable sector in the society.

“DRRM education on students will have longer effects as these children become adults later on and can continue the practice,” explained Almonte.

SEEDS Asia, Inc. is a non-government organization giving out educational kits and capacity-building training to selected schools in Bogo City and Daanbantayan town after typhoon Yolanda.

In coordination with Hyogo Prefecture of Japan and Japan International Cooperation Agency, the group aims to share lessons Japan learned after experiencing series of disasters and earthquakes.

They aim to promote a system of DRRM education in the Department of Education in connection with the community.

PDRRMO chief Baltz Tribunalo said that what the young people can do will be the focus of the plan.

He added that the plan would involve capacity-building in schools, training of teachers and empowering the children.

“The capacity-building will be school-based and community-based, catering the community inside and outside schools,” said Tribunalo.

PDRRMO budgeted P49 million for capacity-building projects this year.

Tribunalo further revealed that the curriculum and Information, Education and Communication (IEC) campaign programs for this plan are all ready and available.

www.cebu.gov.ph