Negros Oriental has organized the first Rapid Emergency Telecommunications Team (RETT) in the Visayas during a two-day training and workshop spearheaded by the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office and the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD).
Allen Cabaron of OCD stressed on Thursday the importance of forming the RETT as the answer to communication woes when power bogs down during calamities.
Eight teams were organized two each for the three districts and two mobile or strike force to augment the needs of the three districts in terms of communication.
Basically, the RETT is composed of radio amateur groups, Information Technology specialists and technical experts, and other stakeholders including the media.
Cabaron is proud to say Negros Oriental is the first to roll out the mandate of RA 10121 for the formation of the RETT in the entire Visayas under the emergency telecommunications cluster.
Present during the two day activity, which culminated Wednesday through a declaration of commitment and support from the participants is the representative from the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC). It is expected to come up with an assigned frequency for such purpose.
In his message, Gov. Roel Degamo immediately directed Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) head Adrian Sedillo to already allocate funds for the purchase of at least three radio repeaters to be distributed in strategic areas in Negros Oriental, funding of which will be taken from PDRRMC funds.
The purpose of the repeaters is to have interconnectivity between local government units and the Rapid Emergency Telecommunications teams through radio handsets when communication towers are down, no cellular phone signals at the height of any calamity.
Degamo said he is treating this matter seriously so no one will die when calamities hit the province.
He recalled having sleepless nights when Super Typhoon Sendong hit the province in late 2011 as well as the 6.9 magnitude earthquake in early 2012.
The governor has lauded the efforts of PDRRMC and the OCD in coming up with such an undertaking.
The RETT formation was a result of previous typhoons where communication could hardly reach to the affected communities, volunteers find hard time to submit initial status reports from the field as to the extent of damage and their immediate needs, Cabaron pointed out.
Degamo further said establishment of repeaters in strategic areas of the province for hand held radios is a two-pronged approach.
Aside from calamities, these repeaters are very useful in relaying to the central command any information with regards to threat of Abu Sayaff and other terrorist groups that maybe sent by members in the field.
Each repeater costs around P30,000. (PNA/ JFP/Juancho Gallarde)
