Vice presidential aspirant and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte on Wednesday, Jan. 26 said prompt information dissemination remains a key action in strengthening disaster prepared and awareness that could save lives and property.
In her daily online show Sara All For You, Duterte cited the LGU-run Davao City Disaster Radio for playing a vital role in preparing the public against an oncoming typhoon.
“Hindi lang dapat ang pagbibigay ng impormasyon ay kung kailan na nandyan na yung calamity or disaster, ngunit habang ngayon na wala pang disaster ay alam na nila kung ano ang mga kailangan gawin in the event kung meron nang disaster. (Giving information should not be made when there is already calamity or disaster, but even before there is still no disaster and we should know what to do in the event it strikes),” said Duterte.
.The DCDR has been widely utilized by the LGU in disseminating information about activities, projects, programs, and other public service announcements.
Launched in February 2020, the DCDR already played a huge role in saving lives when the COVID-19 pandemic struck that year.
Vivian Lorico, acting head of Davao City Information Office, underlined the need to put up the radio station in order to reach out to more Dabawenyos and provide timely, relevant, and useful information.
“Nakita po ng Davao City na dapat magkaroon tayo ng isang medium of communication na makakarating kaagad sa mga Dabawenyo ang mga mahahalagang impormasyon, especially during calamities and disaster. (We saw in Davao City that there should be a medium of communication that must swiftly deliver to Davao folk important information...),” she explained.
Dubbed “Ang Radyo ng mga Dabawenyo”, Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR) on 87.5 FM frequency was launched in February 2020 to strengthen the city's disaster awareness program with its 24/7 regular programming.
“Bino-broadcast dito ang mahahalagang impormasyon tungkol sa paghahanda bago may sakuna, habang nagyayari ang sakuna, at pagkatapos po ng sakuna. (We broadcast vital information about preparedness before disaster strike, while it is on-going and after it happened),” Lorico said.
"Dito rin pinapaabot ng Davao City LGU ang mga programa at proyekto ng ating city government. (It is also here that the Davao City LGU is able to inform the public about projects of the city government,” she added.
Owned and managed by the City Government of Davao, the radio station’s operations budget comes from the disaster funds.
Aside from disaster awareness and Covid-19 response, the radio station also features activities of different Davao City departments and offices.
Among these are: ‘Serbisyo Dabawenyo’ and ‘At Your Service’ of the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSDO); ‘Seguridad sa Syudad’ of the city’s security cluster including the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippiner National Police; ‘Katikaran sa Konseho’ of the Sangguniang Panlungsod; ‘Covid-19 Alert’ and ‘Bida Bakunado’ that gives updates pertaining to the city’s response to Covid-19 pandemic; ‘DCDR News Break’; entertainment program ‘Happy Kaayo’; and ‘Special Hour With Mayor Sara Duterte’.
The radio station, Lorico said, covers the entire Davao region and other neighboring areas in Mindanao. It can be also be accessed through live streaming on the Davao City Disaster Radio official Facebook Page.