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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider 'Kabataan para sa kaligtasan!' OCD to mobilize youth brigade for disaster response

'Kabataan para sa kaligtasan!' OCD to mobilize youth brigade for disaster response

Published Aug 17, 2025 01:49 pm
Grade 2 students of Rafael Palma Elementary School in Manila practice the duck, cover, and hold exercise during the First Quarter Nationwide Simultaneous Earthquake Drill (NSED) on March 25, 2024. The drill is a preparation in the event of a magnitude 7.2 earthquake due to the movement of the West Valley Fault in Metro Manila. (File photo: Noel Pabalate/MANILA BULLETIN)
Grade 2 students of Rafael Palma Elementary School in Manila practice the duck, cover, and hold exercise during the First Quarter Nationwide Simultaneous Earthquake Drill (NSED) on March 25, 2024. The drill is a preparation in the event of a magnitude 7.2 earthquake due to the movement of the West Valley Fault in Metro Manila. (File photo: Noel Pabalate/MANILA BULLETIN)
The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) is set to organize a nationwide youth brigade that will serve as frontliners in promoting disaster preparedness and assisting communities during emergencies.
OCD Officer-in-Charge  Asst. Sec. Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Sectoral Anti-Poverty (SAP) Leadership and Management Consultancy Services Chairperson and CEO Ms. Chanda A. Gonzales over the weekend to formally launch the “Sagip-Buhay ng Mamamayan (SBM) Youth Brigade” initiative.
Alejandro said that the partnership with SAP, an alliance that aims to enhance the role of young people in disaster risk reduction, marked a significant step in empowering Filipino youth to take an active role in advancing community resilience and disaster preparedness.
“The SBM Youth Brigade program positions young Filipinos as vital partners in protecting lives and communities, ensuring that disaster preparedness becomes a shared responsibility across generations,” he said.
Under the MOU, the OCD will lead in foundational training of certified SBM Youth members in coordination with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK).
The OCD will also work closely with Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Offices (LDRRMOs) to provide training and integrate certified youth into local DRRM activities such as prevention, preparedness, and early response.
Meanwhile, the SAP will deliver specialized training programs, manage a nationwide database of SBM Youth members, and secure insurance coverage for the brigade members.
The training sessions will equip participants with knowledge in hazard assessment, first aid, leadership, and other critical DRRM skills. This will be done by SAP in partnership with the Deontological Ascent of Humanity on Nature (DAHON), Inc. and the Philippine Red Cross (PRC).
Alejandro said the OCD designed the program to roll out in phases, starting with policy development and pilot implementation in a chosen region, preferably the National Capital Region.
He said the succeeding phases will expand the program nationwide and move toward the formal accreditation of SBM Youth as recognized community disaster volunteers.
This structured approach ensures sustained engagement and strengthens the role of the youth in disaster resilience efforts,” the OCD chief noted.

Related Tags

OCD SAP SBM Youth Brigade disaster risk reduction and management DRRM
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