It has been more than a year since the former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo signed into law the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010 or the RA 10121 to amend the three decade Presidential Decree No. 1566, the old disaster management law of the Philippines. The RA 10121 institutionalizes the disaster risk reduction and management system not only in the National Government but also to all local government units throughout the country. The Bohol Integrated Development Foundation (BIDEF) Inc. through the Governance, Infrastructure, Food and Tourism (GIFT) Project in partnership with the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Councils (MDDRMC) of Jagna and Duero, conducted a Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction Management (DRRM) Planning Workshop on December 7 – 9 and December 13 – 15, 2011, respectively. Sixteen high risk barangays from the municipality of Jagna and fourteen high risk barangays from Duero were invited for the workshop held in each respective municipality. Each barangay was represented by their Barangay Captain, BDRRM Focal Person and Secretary.

The objectives of the planning workshop were to conduct Participatory Capacity and Vulnerability Assessment (PCVA) to be more objective in the budget prioritization of the 70% LDRRMF; to formulate barangay disaster risk reduction management plans; and, to consolidate the barangay contingency plans as integral components of the comprehensive municipal DRRM plan. Forester Antonio D. Balang, Jr., a DRRM Consultant from Cebu, served as the resource speaker for both workshops in the two municipalities. After each workshop, critiquing of the output followed to finalize the plan and budget output of each barangay. At the end of the activity, each high risk barangay was able to produce their Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction Management Plan. After the planning workshop, the participants expressed their sincerest appreciation to the team who made the activity possible because not only did it give them so many ideas on how to use the 70% and 30% of their BDRRM funds, but the activity also proved to be very productive and beneficial for their barangays.