The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) has started training more than 200 community-based trainers who will later serve as instructors to Red Cross 143 volunteers across the country.
The training, which kicked off this week, aims to promote a self-help culture within communities. This will also impart effective emergency and disaster response to make sure that the volunteers are equipped on helping their own community when needed.
Municipal coordinators for Red Cross 143 from PRC's 104 chapters nationwide are set to attend the 4-day training in three batches from May to June. These will be done through webinar workshops including lectures, quizzes, group workshops, an exam, fieldwork, and a trainee’s evaluation.
The training will also prepare communities in relation to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA)'s warning that this rainy season and La Niña are expected to bring heavy rainfall in some areas of the country.
The Red Cross 143 volunteer program was first implemented during the Tropical Storm Ondoy (international name: Ketsana) Response in 2009.
This project is in line with the humanitarian group's mantra of “Volunteers + Logistics + Information Technology = A Red Cross that is Always First, Always Ready, Always There.”
PRC Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Senator Richard J. Gordon also instructed current volunteers and staff to be always ready to be deployed into emergencies at any given time along with PRC’s response assets and logistics. (Luisa Cabato)