Incumbent Valenzuela City Mayor Rex Gatchalian led on Monday, June 27, the inauguration of the new Valenzuela City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (VCDRRMO) Training Center in Barangay Punturin, which is expected to help enhance the skills of the disaster response team.
The opening of the facility, which was “six years in the making” according to the local government, was attended by VCDRRMO head Dr. Arnold Antonio, Barangay Punturin Chairman Benny Zuniga and council, and Bulacan Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office personnel.
The training center features different facilities and obstacles for the VCDRRMO personnel such as a maze, wall climb, high angle vertical rescue, confined space rescue, structural collapse rescue, fire chamber, a space for physical fitness and crashed vehicle extraction training.
For his part, Gatchalian explained the reason why the construction of the said facility took so long.
“Lagi kasing nahihiram 'yung pondo pang-develop ng training center lalo na noong nagka-Covid. Everytime na may shortfall tayo dahil ang daming gastusin sa disaster preparedness, 'yung budget nito ang unang laging nahihiram. Ganunpaman, huli man, magaling pa rin (The funds for the development of the training center were being borrowed, especially during Covid. Every time we have a shortfall due to the amount of money spent on disaster preparedness, the budget is always borrowed first. However, though it's late, it's still good),” the mayor said.
He also said that he hopes to see the rescuers use the facility and reminded them to always be prepared in times of need.
Meanwhile, Dr. Antonio thanked Gatchalian for the construction of the training center, saying that the VCDRRMO personnel grew in numbers from 40 to 260 during the mayor’s nine-year term.
“Ito po ay binuo para maging proper training ground sa ating mga personnel. Para magkaroon ng confidence at 'yung skills level nila ay mapataas natin. Natagalan man, pero sisiguruhin natin na hindi sayang ang buwis na ginamit natin dito.(The training center was developed to become a proper training ground for our personnel, for them to have confidence and to strengthen their skills level. It took a long time but we will make sure that the taxes we used here will not be wasted.), he said.