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.

San Jose dB bags Nat’l Best Disaster Risk Management Council award

San Jose de Buenavista Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council bagged its second National Gawad Kalasag award for the 1^st to 3^rd Class Municipal Category.

The National Gawad Kalasag is an annual recognition bestowed by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council in recognition of the local governments’ exemplary achievements in the field of disaster risk management.

One of the good points of DRRM in San Jose de Buenavista was that DRRM projects were not stand-alone. They were holistic and complimented each other. 

Safety regulations were also in place and were backed with executive orders, resolutions and ordinances thus ensuring their sustainability. 

In the presentation of DRRM accomplishments during the evaluation, Mayor Rony L. Molina said, “Our Municipality may not always experience disasters but we should invest time and money to protect people’s lives. “

  “Protection of people as a statement for governance is commendable,” one of the evaluators said.

            Gawad Kalasag awarding ceremony will be on October 11 at the Philippine International Convention Center, CCP Complex, Pasay City.