THE CITY Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office gives a rating of 7 in 10 in the recently concluded riverwide simulation exercise on September 27.
“If I have to rate atong kalihokan from 1-10, 10 being the highest, I will rate it 7. We are doing very well, pero naa pay kinahanglan iimprove sa disaster preparedness nato,” Rodrigo Bustillo, CDRRMO Operation and Warning Division chief, said in an interview with city-run disaster radio.
Initially, there were 13 barangays from Mandug to Bucana included in the riverwide simex according to previous interviews with CDRRMO.
“These 13 barangays, they all participated because, whether they like it or not, they should participate because this drill is for them so that they know what to do in case of flooding,” Bustillo said.
Bustillo said the basis of the simex was when Typhoon Vinta hit the city in 2017 to create proactive actions and response.
During the Simex, the CDRRMO provided evacuation sites for every barangay, and early warning systems were in place and monitored in real-time.
However, he added that there are barangays present that still need to improve in terms of disaster preparedness and management.
He mentioned Tigatto, Waan, 1-A, and 2-A that need improvement, especially with their disaster response team and responders in the barangay.
“It’s crucial that we have a responder in each barangay,” he said.
Bustillo lauded the barangays that coordinated in terms of basic water safety in times of rescue operations.
Rodolfo Encabo, CDRRMO assistant department head, said there were barangays that did not participate during coordination meetings but were present in the actual simex.
“We in the community that are considered vulnerable sector, we should be aware of all the activities of the city government,” Encabo stressed.
Photo from CIO
