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Governors, city and municipal mayors, including barangay officials in the Zamboanga Peninsula were urged yesterday to formulate and adopt disaster preparedness and climate adaptation action plans for disaster-free- and resilient communities.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Jess Robredo issued the call during a forum dubbed as "Tapatan on Disaster Preparedness and Climate Adaptation" held at the Grand Astoria Hotel, attended by local government unit (LGU) officials in the region.

Based on collated DILG field reports, there are 727 flood-prone and 587 landslide prone barangays out of the total 1,904 villages in the whole Region 9 (Western Mindanao).

"There is an urgent need for all the local chief executives concerned - from governors down to the barangay level to be disaster-ready for the benefit of their locality and their constituents," Robredo said.

The DILG chief said he heard that there are still a large number of LGUs in Zamboanga Peninsula which are still non-compliant to their disaster preparedness and climate change adaptation campaign.

"Many of the Local Disaster Risk Reduction Management councils have yet to submit their respective action plans on both subjects."
Robredo added, "We all know that we may not be able to prevent future occurrence of calamities and disasters. And being prepared is still the best remedy for this. We have seen and heard in the media what happened in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan Cities last December. We should not take for granted the importance of being disaster-ready to prevent loss of lives and properties."

Meanwhile, DILG Director for Region Faisal Abutazil explained that the DILG's "Tapatan" on DP was aimed to assist the LGUs in formulating and concretizing their local Disaster Risk Reduction Action Plans.

Also Abutazil said assess their capabilities on disaster readiness and response and further encourage maximum participation of CSOs and volunteers towards complimentation of resources to effectively address
problems during calamities.

According to Abutazil, the Tapatan activity is a good strategy to increase the level of awareness not only of LCEs, but also their constiutuents and other stakeholders in mitigating disaster and the ill-effects of climate change.

The DILG regional director also reminded the local officials of their roles and responsibilities as prime movers in their respective localities in times of disaster and calamities.

Resource persons and lecturers from the Office of Civil Defense, Department of Science and Technology, Philippine Institution of Volcanology and Seismology discussed disaster and CAA-related topics such as the salient features of Republic Act 10121, known, the National and regional Policy Framework Work Plan on DRR and CCA and geo-hazard mapping, among other subjects.

During the forum, Secretary Robredo handed down Performance Challenge Fund (PCF) checks to LGUs that have passed the criteria of the Seal of Good Housekeeping, an award system designed to recognize exemplary performance or provinces, cities and municipalities.
LGUs that have qualified for the PCF subsidy intended for various LGU development project are the province of Zamboanga Sibugay and the towns of Titay, Diplahan, Siay, Tungawan, Buug and Ipil.

Other municipalities that have qualified for PCF subsidy are Manuel Roxas, Polanco and Sergio Osmeña for the province of Zamboanga del Norte; and the municipalities of Aurora and Dumingag of Zamboanga del
Sur.

"With regard to the monetary reward for the LGU PCF recipients, Zamboanga Sibugay will receive a check amounting to P7 million and P1 million for the mentioned municipalities," Director Abutazil said.

by Hader Glang