With Negros Oriental as an example for disaster preparedness, Interior & Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo said local government units are prepared in responding to typhoons and flashfloods but not to earthquakes.
Robredo told reporters in Cebu City Friday that while Negros Oriental was better-prepared to respond to Tropical Storm Sendong, it was caught flat-footed in the Feb. 17 magnitude 6.8 earthquake.
“What happened in Negros Oriental tells us how ready we are. Noong binagyo ang Negros Oriental at Cagayan de Oro, handa ang Negros Oriental kasi hindi ito masyadong apektado. Pero nung lumindol ang Negros Oriental, hindi tayo handa do’n,” he said.
Robredo announced that the Department of Interior & Local Government is rolling out the Seal of Disaster Preparedness to measure the LGUs’ disaster preparedness based on measurable parameters, to address the problem.
He said LGUs need to conduct regular earthquake and fire drills as well as geohazard mapping to identify the risk areas.
The plan would discourage people from staying in high-risk areas and to retrofit existing infrastructure in those areas.
Robredo also said that they want to measure data on disaster risks and compare it with preparedness to help LGUs come up with disaster risk reduction management plans.
Aside from the Seal of disaster Preparedness, the DILG will award a cash incentive to local governments that could respond to disasters, as prescribed by Republic Act No. 10121 (Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction & Management Act of 2010).
Robredo said they distributed hazard maps to the LGUs provided by the Department of Environment & Natural Resources, and they have a checklist of organization of disaster risk reduction councils in all LGU.
Robredo also said they will issue a new memorandum circular that an LGU’s authority to use 70 percent of the DRRM fund would be witheld unless they are awarded with the SDP. (PR)
