DAVAO CITY – Two-hundred youth leaders from various organizations participated in the two-day 1st Mindanao Youth Convergence at the Ritz Hotel at Garden Oases in Obrero here from Dec. 18 to 19 that focused on empowering young leaders in disaster preparedness and resilience.
MINDANAO Development Authority (MinDA) Chairman Secretary Leo Tereso Magno (center) discusses the critical role of youth in disaster resilience and sustainable development for Mindanao’s advancement with Assistant Secretary Hernando Caraig Jr., Deputy Administrator for Strategic and Special Concerns of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), and Boy Scouts of the Philippines (BSP) Secretary General Kim Robert de Leon. (Ivy Tejano)
Speaking in a press conference on Wednesday morning, Dec. 18, Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) Chairman Secretary Leo Tereso Magno said they want the youth to be fully equipped as they plan to create the Mindanao Disaster Resiliency Resource Center (MDRRC).
Dubbed “Empowering the Mindanawon Youth Towards a Disaster Resilient and Sustainable Mindanao,” Magno said the event aimed at providing the youth with the knowledge, skills, and training needed for disaster resilience while preparing them as potential volunteers for MDRRC.
“The plan is actually to build a network of empowered youth leaders that are fully equipped with the right knowledge, skills, and resources to drive community-based solutions on any possible concerns in their respective communities, not only regarding disasters,” Magno said.
Office of the Civil Defense Deputy Administrator for Strategic and Special Concerns Assistant Secretary Hernando Caraig Jr. said the two-day youth convergence serves as an introduction for the youth and members of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines to learn more about disaster preparedness.
Caraig committed to improving youth skills through regional training programs in collaboration with MinDA. He said the OCD has recommended to the Department of Education to incorporate disaster preparedness and resilience into the curriculum.
“The youth are already aware of the situations occurring around them. By being informed and equipped with the proper knowledge, skills, and resources, they can contribute to helping their families and communities in emergency situations,” Caraig said.
Boy Scouts of the Philippines Secretary General Kim Robert de Leon vowed to improve current training programs by leveraging their local councils and collaborating with OCD and the MinDA. He said the main goal is for the youth to learn the concept of the training and how to apply it.
“Our goal is to break down these concepts into manageable and enjoyable ways that will allow them to understand and learn these technical concepts while also introducing practical ways for them to take action,” De Leon said.
Magno emphasized the important role of the youth in disaster resilience and its connection to sustainable development for Mindanao’s progress, highlighting their involvement in policies like the Mindanao Agenda, the Philippine Youth Development Plan, and the Bagong Pilipinas vision.
“As Mindanao faces an increasing risk of disasters in recent years, MinDA is preparing to set up the MDRRC. The youth and other concerned citizens’ participation and commitment are crucial in shaping this center as a hub of knowledge, preparedness, and resilience,” he said.
The MinDA chairman said they are expediting the finalization of the study for the proposed MDRRC in Mindanao, which will function as a specialized disaster resource center, offering warehouse storage for relief supplies, disaster preparedness hub, and recovery operations.
Magno said the proposed plan involves constructing temporary hospitals and clinics, stocking at least 200,000 food packs for immediate distribution, deploying helicopters when needed, and sending out mobile units.
The MinDA anticipates that the creation of the center will result in a more resilient and well-prepared Mindanao by facilitating effective information sharing and coordinated disaster management across the region.