The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) conducted a disaster preparedness webinar for persons with disability (PWDs), victims of calamities, and fisherfolk as it sought to promote inclusive disaster management among vulnerable populations.
The webinar premiered on the social media accounts of the NDRRMC and Office of Civil Defense (OCD) on Tuesday, Nov. 9.
OCD Deputy Administrator for Operations Assistant Secretary Casiano Monilla said the webinar tackled the importance of disaster preparedness to reduce the negative impacts of hazards or disasters for vulnerable populations.
Among those who served as speakers were Corazon Bajuyo-Clarin, convenor of the Cebu Disability-Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction Network; Dr. Nikkie Boy Manalo, assistant director of the Institutional and Industry Development Service of the Batangas State University; and Mayfourth Luneta, deputy executive director of the Center for Disaster Preparedness Philippines.
Bajuyo-Clarin discussed the importance of making DRRM strategies inclusive for all as she emphasized that everybody is affected when a calamity strikes, and it could even be harder for the PWDs.
"We are in the best position to voice our concerns and identify solutions and resources as we are an integral part of the solution," she said.
"We established a platform for discussion and collaboration towards disability inclusion and DRR development in general with the end goal of influencing policies and programs that will create inclusive and resilient communities where everybody including persons with disabilities are secured and protected," she added.
Meanwhile, Dr. Manalo emphasized that the lessons learned from the country's experiences in times of calamities "serve as a motivation to promote more strategic innovations such as academic research, professional training, and education in disaster management."
For her part, Luneta shared stories of resilience which the Center for Disaster Preparedness Philippines had collected from disaster victims and disaster survivors that it has helped. The Center is a Quezon City-based non-government organization (NGO) that advocates for effective disaster management in the communities.
"Isang susi sa story of resilience natin ay dapat kasama sila... involving the persons with disabilities or ‘yong mismong basic sector doon sa mga gawain mula sa pag-a-assess, pagpaplano at mula sa paggawa ng mga proyekto (A key to our story of resilience is that they should be involved, the persons with disabilities or even the basic sector, in the activity, from the assessment, planning, and crafting of projects)," Luneta noted.
Meanwhile, Casiano was elated that the webinar proved to be effective in reaching the NDRRMC's goal of making its DRRM strategies available to everybody as it has already garnered 43,000 views, 5,900 likes and 7,100 comments on Facebook.
The webinar was part of the activities of the NDRRMC in preparation for the fourth quarter Nationwide Simultaneous Earthquake Drill (NSED) on Thursday, Nov. 11.