Rey Anthony Chiu

Goaded by the urgency of insulating communities against disasters, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) put up its second Tapatan Roadshow, this time, on Disaster Preparedness and Climate Change Adaptation. Set for May 25 at the Waterfront Hotel in Lahug, “Tapatan on Disaster Preparedness and Climate Change Adaptation: A call to action,” is a regional summit which aims to promote advocacy on the local government’s institutionalization of disaster preparedness and climate change adaptation and mitigation measures, said DILG Provincial director Louisella Lucino. Earlier, the DILG also put up its first Tapatan regional summit on Full Disclosure Policy for local government units and hopes this year’s Tapatan builds on that success, local DILG sources said.

At the recent Kapihan sa PIA aired live over DyTR, Director Lucino explained that the roadshow gathers the country’s governors, city and town mayors, provincial and municipal disaster and risk reduction management officers, civil society leaders especially those engaged in disaster response. The DILG agrees that there is still much to be desired in Bohol, as far as local government response to disaster adaptation and mitigation is concerned. DILG information officer Jeffrey Bernasor said they think increasing awareness on the actual and potential threats communities are facing, as well as letting people understand the dangers and risks is incumbent upon local officials and people have to be shaken to engage them in adopting mitigating measures. “Disaster preparedness and mitigation is not just a task of government agencies,” quips PD Lucino during the radio forum.

The female DILG director also added that the DILG secretary Jesse Robredo himself leads the roadshow, which also aims to mobilize communities after generating commitments from local leaders of prioritizing disaster preparedness. “We want to develop a culture of preparedness among LGUs and the public, so that the country would be able to respond more effectively and mitigate the adverse effects of every disaster that hits the country,” Robredo was quoted in a prepared material from DILG Bohol. The roadshow is in line with Republic Act 10121: the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction Management Act and Climate Change Adaptation of 2009, and in response to the pubic clamor to strengthen efforts in insulating communities against disasters, Bernasor claimed. The Philippines has generally felt the effects in climate changes with the unusually shorter cold climates and the longer warm days, stronger and more frequent storms and unusually huge rainfalls causing flashfloods, landslides and affecting agriculture, public infrastructure and washing out communities.