San Jose dB shares DRRM best practices to LGUs in Western Visayas

 San Jose de Buenavista shared its best practices in disaster risk reduction and management in a series of orientations on disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation for local government units in Western Visayas.

The activity is part of the “Strengthening LGUs Institutional Capacity in Mainstreaming DRRM and Climate Change Adaptation in Local Governance” Program of the Department of Interior and Local Government – Region VI.

The program aims to build the needed competencies among LGUs to deliver their institutional mandates and strengthen the capacity of the Local DRRM Councils and Local DRRM Offices to exercise and effectively perform their roles as overseeing and implementing bodies of LGUs DRRM and climate change adaptation program. 

The participants in the training were local chief executives, LGU department heads, Municipal/City Local Government Operations Officers, and Municipal/City DRRM Officers of 130 LGUs that were identified as high risk to disasters and located mostly in the provinces of Iloilo and Capiz.

According to Engr. Alex Crespo, Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer of San Jose de Buenavista, “DRRM is wide-ranging and cross-cutting various issues thus DRRM and climate change adaptation initiatives were integrated into the various sector of development like agriculture, education and environment.“

San Jose de Buenavista is a National Gawad Kalasag awardee for two consecutive years for Best Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council for 1^st-3^rd Class Municipality Category. 

Other presenter sharing best practices on DRRM were Governor Filipe Nava of Guimaras which stressed science-based planning and decision-making and partnership-building.

The orientations were scheduled on October 17-18, October 20-21 and October 24-25 in Iloilo City.

Production Center for PWDs to rise in San Jose dB

Photo by Michael Tonding

The Municipality of San Jose de Buenavista breaks ground for an “accessibility model” Production and Promotion Center for persons with disability. 

PWDs and their family are among the untapped human resources that have not been given full equal access and opportunity to economic activities. 

Among the hindering factors on the inability or the non-consideration of PWDs in gainful employment is their physical incapacity thus a working area that complies with all accessibility features and standards must be established. 

             The Center aims to promote equalization of opportunities, provide several sources of income and enable PWDs and family members to become producers, service providers and business managers.

Aside from being a productivity center, it shall also serve as a learning center for accessibility features to encourage and advocate public’s compliance to the Accessibility Law.

            The activity is part of the Developing Opportunity Equalization in Responsible and Sustainable Tourism (DOERS) Program to be implemented by Persons with Disabilities Multi-Purpose Cooperative and Association of Disabled Persons, Inc. – San Jose, Antique Chapter and the local government of San Jose de Buenavista.

Photo by Michael Tonding

            A Memorandum of Agreement between the LGU, and ADP-San Jose, Antique Chapter and project donor Liliane Foundation was signed during the ceremony. 

            Present in the event were San Jose de Buenavista Mayor Rony L. Molina, Liliane Foundation National Coordinator Sr. Agnetia Naval, Governor Exequiel B. Javier, ADP-Antique President Nancy Tejares, Municipal Council for Disability Affairs (MCDA) Chairperson Engr. Jose Magbanua, SB Members, LGU Department Heads and council members especially the medical practitioners.